:woo:   I just got my grades for the last quarter (the first 3 in my PhD program)--4.0 in all 3 courses!! Yeah!  That was rough timing on the courses because the final papers were due the week after Ry's birthday and Bran's diagnosis.  I restart classes October 2nd. 

Today Brandon had his diagnostic and treatment planning meeting.  After 12+ standardized tests, 8 hours of interviews and observations, a full developmental profile of his milestones since he was born, and over 2 hours of video we took of Brandon, he was finally diagnosed as moderately severe autistic. :(  That took us completely by surprise.  I ( Read more... )

Thank you everyone who posted such loving words and prayers.  We're back from mass and the cemetery and I have a few moments to get some packages out before we leave for Brandon's appointment.  We took tons of pictures of the butterflies and I'll get those posted later.  The butterflies didn't just fly away like we thought--they stuck around, ( Read more... )

One year ago, signs of labor with Ryland were starting.  I was just over 40 weeks pregnant, and my water broke on Labor Day of last year...  One year ago this weekend was the last time we were so blissfully innocent--only days later, our world was shattered...

Fly precious butterfly, 
So delicate, beautiful, small. 
Soar up so high,
To where angels ( Read more... )

Finally back from Columbus--we stopped off at PF Changs after Brandon's appointment. The good news...this doctor is *really* willing to help Brandon. He was impressed at the records I kept and the things I knew about (working in the field of autism gave me a background to know what to ask or mention). The not-so-good-news...the diagnosis of ( Read more... )

OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG....the gastro office called.  I'm in the 5%...the 5% who have the esophageal polyp that is BENIGN!!!!!!  :twirl:  OMG...I'm shaking!  It's not cancer!  OMG, I was terrified...most of the time these polyps are cancer and there is a 5% survival rate with it.  And mine is one of the rare BENIGN polyps!!!!!  Praise God!!

So, life's about to get a whole lot more crazy...

I currently own a business and am also the executive director of a nonprofit organization I created in Ryland's memory.  To run that nonprofit, I decided to go back to school...after getting my master's degree in human services-counseling education, I'm switching gears and getting my PhD in human ( Read more... )

And using his therapy room...

In his body sock (this is a lycra bag that he can go completely in and velcro it closed, and then he rolls around or stretches in it)


( Read more... )

Part one of a whole mess of pictures... :)

Playing baseball:


( Read more... )

For those who didn't know, Brandon's been going through a regression, and his SID is getting bad again--he is currently on a list for an autism evaluation at Children's Hospital (it's a loooooong waiting list though), and is undergoing another OT eval Tuesday. Since his regression is probably linked to the fact his services were cut 8 months ago, ( Read more... )