autism

[Jen Blackburn]

as a mom of 2 autistic children - i found this fascinating. there are no words to describe this video... please watch the whole thing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnylM1hI2jc

[Jen Blackburn]

i want to add this: i got the link to this video from a blog of a young Christian mom that i found from a couple of different "mommy boards" that i go to. her name is heather. heather has recently been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. she's on her way to the Mayo clinic for more opinions today. she's got 3 young children. her youngest daughter Emma not only is autistic, but also has mitochondrial myopathy - the same muscle disease that my mom has - and had a heart transplant at 5 months of age. you can find her blog here: www.especiallyheather.com ... for an amazing blog post about autism by heather go here: http://www.especiallyheather.com/2007/01/30/i-have-something-to-say/

[Wilson L. Deaton]

as a mom of 2 autistic children - i found this fascinating. there are no words to describe this video... please watch the whole thing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnylM1hI2jc

My wife's most recent (a couple of days ago) political activism consisted of the following being sent our state legislators:

Greetings!

I am a Special Education teacher at Trevor Grade School, in Trevor, WI, and a member of the Autism Society of Southeastern Wisconsin. I have been working with Autistic families for the past few years, and am beginning to realize how difficult it is for these families to raise a child with Autism. They need all the support we can give them.

I am sending this email to urge you to vote to support Governor Doyle's budget that will require health insurer's in the group market to provide coverage of services related to Autism Spectrum Disorder, while not replacing the waiver program.

I greatly appreciate your support.

Mrs. Robin Deaton

[Wilson L. Deaton]

as a mom of 2 autistic children - i found this fascinating. there are no words to describe this video... please watch the whole thing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnylM1hI2jc

My wife and I just finished watching together. Stunning. My wife's "language" by the end, was the language of tears...

Thanks for linking this.

Wilson

[Jim Franklin]

We had an autistic savant in our Scout Troop back in the early 80s who who finished his requirements for Eagle rank in record time went on to graduate from George Fox College in Newburg, Or. married a Chinese student and the last I heard was teaching English in Taiwan.

[John Kennedy]

Jen -

AS the husband of a high school special ed teacher with several autistic students and the father of a son who has been the weekday caregiver for an autistic boy while working on his special ed credential, you are in my thoughts and my prayers.

Wilson -

Hope your wife, and her cohorts, are successful in their endeavors. Too often lawmakers are abysmally ignorant of the devestation they cause by failing to support such vitally needed programs.

As for the health insurance industry, God forbid that such a thing as human need would interfere with their raking in even more money.

[Marilyn Lawson]

Jen

Very strange day at work today.

1st - I saw your post and watched the video by myself - I was amazed.

2nd - I got a call from the Genivia Centre here in Toronto - we were talking about Kevin and they can help us, if Kevin gets the proper diagnosis.

3rd - I watched the video again with the girls from work.

I found it amazing and we were wondering what our clients would say to us if they had the opportunity to use a computer.

Thank you so much.

Please let us know if you see more clips to watch.

Marilyn

[Dave McClung]

as a mom of 2 autistic children - i found this fascinating. there are no words to describe this video... please watch the whole thing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnylM1hI2jc

Jen

I didn't realize that you have autistic children. If you have shared that before, I guess I missed it.

I watched the video with interest. We have an adult friend who is autistic. I try to communicte with him often, but have only limited success.

[Joel Merrill]

Very Interesting!

Joel

[Jen Blackburn]

Both my oldest and my youngest (Jeffrey, age 12, and Rachael, age 5) have Asperger's Syndrome, which is a form of "high functioning" autism. Intellectually, both of my children are blessed and are at the top of their classes. They can speak and communicate their wants, needs, likes, dislikes and lots and lots and lots of love. Socially and emotionally, they are both far behind their peers. It's difficult for them to socially intereact with others, read facial expressions, understand sarcasm and figures of speech, etc.

If one thinks of the autism spectrum as a rainbow, Asperger's syndrome is on the one end, and the woman shown in the video is on the other end - much more severe.

Just wanted to give that note of explination of how autism touches my life and why it's so important to me.

Jen

[Belinda Y. Edwards]

Okay - i shouldn't have watched that while i am studying. This is why i was avoiding it. i sat here and couldn't stop the tears - and i am having major Rachael hug withdrawals.

Jen - this is directly to you.

There are many ways to evaluate and determined who is successful in the world of which we find ourselves as adults. Some measure it in terms of degrees and financial gains because of choices that have seemed to elevate them above a certain population in terms of knowledge. I measure it very differently. I measure it as those who are able to adjust and adapt to life dramas that come unexpectantly - and soar.

Lady - you soar. You rock. You emulate motherhood and womanhood on levels that I can only dream of obtaining. Your ability to see people beneath the surface masks is a valuable quality. But, you use this trait to extend love, compassion, beauty and grace. Some have the ability and use to to judge, or condemn. You use to give others wings to fly.

Know - from the depths of my heart that i admire and respect your strength, dignity, and beauty. Your knowledge surpasses those with degrees. Your treasures are more valuable than wealth.

When i grow up - i want to be a little more like you.

[Carsten Schermuly]

Do you remember to the movie "Rain Man" with Dustin Hoffman?
Do you remember, what waves it made?
It was said, it was unrealistic - but I think - it was good to make the problem visible.

http://haufenzeug.de/cs/fuji1300/04haug__/dscf0035b.jpg

This is Roswitha, unto her sixth age she lived in an orphanage. I met her first times as 18aged in a youth bible circle in my home town Göttingen. Already to that time she was isolated, she was a nurse helper (one year learning with end test and certificate) and worked in her profession for about fourty years. Once my family came back from Berlin, we met her here in Bad Gandersheim, she had a work place in one of the cure hospitals, she is now retired.
Her language
seems to be hard because she is speaking often in not understandable phrases and what she is telling are most times complaints. People do not like that - so it needs to take her hand and to say "Come with us, be our guest." - and listen to her - no matter, we like her stories or not. Everybody must be allowed to say what his heart is moving - in his own language.

A typical situation. She takes distance, is not awaiting, someone will note her. It needs to take her hand.

http://haufenzeug.de/cs/fuji1300/04haug__/dscf0046a.jpg