Self advocacy is one of those terms I may have never known were it not for my sons having autism. It's generally used to mean speaking up for ones self. When I was a child we called it having confidence. It's just another reminder of how much children with autism have to work on. The list can be exhaustive for some. If anyone had told me as a young adult that my children would have to struggle with the simplest of things, I would not have believed it. Trying to explain autism to me twenty years ago would be like trying to explain television to a caveman. My mind simply could not conceive it. Even now I keep expecting to wake from a dream or is this a nightmare. Maybe if I pinch myself I'll wake up. Whatever the case I can not accept autism as a reality for my children, at least without a fight. How has the good old days become, when kids could talk and think. If ever there was a time to fight this is it. I am completely focused. I am not distracted by any of life's little escapes. You know the usual culprits ( sex, money, sports, reality TV....). I can't understand how anyone could be concerned with such nonsense when our children are being lost. 60 million souls world wide are affected by autism.
Still, some people are significantly improving the quality of life for their children. We happen to be one of those lucky families that have done just that. In fact, just yesterday my wife and I commented about having a good feeling after our son's IEP. For the first time ever we felt positive about the course set to address our son's deficits. Usually the IEP is a big can't festival. You know the song, 'He can't do this and He can't do that'. Well not this time. Sure he still has some things he cant do but after seeing so many of those change to things he can do. We feel its just a matter of time before his remaining deficits are improved as well. I'm so pumped up I feel like advocating for myself.
We met a guy at church yesterday who has experience producing infomercials. Although we had never considered this, I am starting to see this as a possibility in the near future. We have contacted every media outlet we could about our story but have not had a positive response from any. The next step may be to get our message out by way of advertising on our own dime. I'm okay with that. The only thing that truly matters is helping more children.
Saturday, September 28, 2013
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Newbies
I met a young woman today. She happens to be the mother of a nine year old completely non verbal boy. I honestly don't know which of us were more stunned. My talk of recovery must have seemed a bit strange, just as her lack of knowledge about recovery was strange to me. Sometimes I forget just how far down the rabbit whole I have gone. Over the last seven years I have researched autism to the point that even I can barely stand anymore. Frankly I have been obsessed. However this woman seemed to be the complete opposite. It got me thinking just how many people like this are out there.
It makes me want to scream, 'Autism is a changeable condition. ' I know of course as more children are healed our voice will begin to roll like thunder. Still, in the end she was inspired by my story of recovery and I was inspired to reach more newbies.
It makes me want to scream, 'Autism is a changeable condition. ' I know of course as more children are healed our voice will begin to roll like thunder. Still, in the end she was inspired by my story of recovery and I was inspired to reach more newbies.
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Dad stepped in the pooh
My daughter and niece were out with me walking the dog we are sitting and of course, dad steps in dog pooh. Sending the girls running, giggling and chanting, dad stepped in dog pooh. I was immediately struck with how typical their response is. Of course that sends my mind racing down the path of what life will be like for my two boys diagnosed with autism. What will their lives be like in middle school, high school or college. Will they marry, have kids or ever drive or make friends. I'm sure you know this drill, so you can fill your own personal worries in the blank. Our concern for other people's worries is the reason my wife and I were at the annual autism walk earlier that morning.
With about 200 flyers my wife and I are engaging the crowd at the annual walk about our successful autism recovery efforts using nutrition and detox. As this is our third or fourth year doing so, some of the parents even remember talking to me last year. We haven't been contacted yet, but its good to be remembered. It's almost like an evangelical experience. My wife and I deliver passionate, heart felt experiences. We of course are the converted and have seen the light. Many of the people we talk to are both hopeful and doubtful all at once. It's understandable of course because they have been told by experts not to expect much change, that autism is lifelong and genetic. So why should they listen to two unassuming little African American parents.
First of all, there are no autism experts. If the professionals can't tell me what autism is or where it comes from, then why would I listen to advice about what is possible for my children with autism. The truth is any family investigating the use of nutrition and detox to diminish the symptoms of autism will require making a leap of faith. Unfortunately many people don't yet recognize that illness is big business in this world. Any paradigm that involves healthier people is bad for the bottom line of many sick care businesses. How many products can you count that promise to make you well. Now imagine what would happen if you really didn't need any of them. What if healthy
food is all you needed to be well. In fact what if food could be used to heal many different health challenges including autism. That would make food a pretty important commodity. Do you know who owns the food we feed our families.
This may seem a little off topic to some, I can assure you it is not. We are all in the same fish bowl people. What is happening to children with autism is happening to all of us. There has been a rise in all manner of illnesses. People are dropping dead younger every year. Still, many people are beginning to connect the dots. I believe autism will serve as a catalyst for change around the world. When you start messing with children, that's when you get people's attention. I will do for my child what I will not do for myself. I never thought I would be making homemade probiotics or using exotic herbs and to my surprise its working. Who would have thought that relief from autism would be found in natural things and not drugs. I realize now my thinking was twisted. I wonder who was responsible for that.
As for my credentials, i'll just say this for those who need it. I am a child of God. I am lovingly wiping the pooh of autism off my feet and lovingly handed the paper towel to anyone aligned enough to receive it.
With about 200 flyers my wife and I are engaging the crowd at the annual walk about our successful autism recovery efforts using nutrition and detox. As this is our third or fourth year doing so, some of the parents even remember talking to me last year. We haven't been contacted yet, but its good to be remembered. It's almost like an evangelical experience. My wife and I deliver passionate, heart felt experiences. We of course are the converted and have seen the light. Many of the people we talk to are both hopeful and doubtful all at once. It's understandable of course because they have been told by experts not to expect much change, that autism is lifelong and genetic. So why should they listen to two unassuming little African American parents.
First of all, there are no autism experts. If the professionals can't tell me what autism is or where it comes from, then why would I listen to advice about what is possible for my children with autism. The truth is any family investigating the use of nutrition and detox to diminish the symptoms of autism will require making a leap of faith. Unfortunately many people don't yet recognize that illness is big business in this world. Any paradigm that involves healthier people is bad for the bottom line of many sick care businesses. How many products can you count that promise to make you well. Now imagine what would happen if you really didn't need any of them. What if healthy
food is all you needed to be well. In fact what if food could be used to heal many different health challenges including autism. That would make food a pretty important commodity. Do you know who owns the food we feed our families.
This may seem a little off topic to some, I can assure you it is not. We are all in the same fish bowl people. What is happening to children with autism is happening to all of us. There has been a rise in all manner of illnesses. People are dropping dead younger every year. Still, many people are beginning to connect the dots. I believe autism will serve as a catalyst for change around the world. When you start messing with children, that's when you get people's attention. I will do for my child what I will not do for myself. I never thought I would be making homemade probiotics or using exotic herbs and to my surprise its working. Who would have thought that relief from autism would be found in natural things and not drugs. I realize now my thinking was twisted. I wonder who was responsible for that.
As for my credentials, i'll just say this for those who need it. I am a child of God. I am lovingly wiping the pooh of autism off my feet and lovingly handed the paper towel to anyone aligned enough to receive it.
Friday, September 20, 2013
Tweaking the Protocol
The simple answer is the easiest. The more things you do on the protocol, the more healing you get. Unfortunately my human nature likes to keep things simple. So for the last couple of weeks i have basically done only green drink and camel milk mixed with kefir. I believe these are two of the most powerful things on the protocol and after all i am still seeing progress. However, i noticed that for the last few days it seems everyone in the house was coming down with a case of the sniffles. I didn't think much of it because the kids had just gone back to school after summer vacation. Who knows how many germs they were exposed to.
However, in the back of my mind something wasn't right. First of all i hardly ever get sick. Secondly my symptoms were allergy like (watery eyes and stuffy nose) and i don't have allergies. At least i didn't until i sat in a clay bath my daughter had been in two years ago. After that bath i had an ear infection for about a year. So in my case at least, my so called allergies are linked to a pathogen.
In the middle of the night yesterday, I reached my limit for not being able to breathe. In desperation i drank about 2 ounces of green drink. The next morning my symptoms had greatly reduced.
Just as i had suspected, the new green drink was more powerful than the previous ones but the present amount of two teaspoons a day was producing undesirable effects. If we had to use two ounces a day, then it would take 4 bottles to get thru the month. Lukily for me a better solution presented itself. Adding a half ounce of coconut water kefir to 2 ounces of kombucha got rid of my fake allergy symptoms just as well as two ounces of green drink.
I learned that using a greater variety of nutrition is the best way to boost the immune system and detox. Autism is truly puzzling. I am still amazed at how well certain foods can compliment each other. Since the green drink is now more effective at killing pathogens, my body needed the extra detox that the probiotics provided. I am still committed to adapting Dakhari's protocol until I solve his autism puzzle.
However, in the back of my mind something wasn't right. First of all i hardly ever get sick. Secondly my symptoms were allergy like (watery eyes and stuffy nose) and i don't have allergies. At least i didn't until i sat in a clay bath my daughter had been in two years ago. After that bath i had an ear infection for about a year. So in my case at least, my so called allergies are linked to a pathogen.
In the middle of the night yesterday, I reached my limit for not being able to breathe. In desperation i drank about 2 ounces of green drink. The next morning my symptoms had greatly reduced.
Just as i had suspected, the new green drink was more powerful than the previous ones but the present amount of two teaspoons a day was producing undesirable effects. If we had to use two ounces a day, then it would take 4 bottles to get thru the month. Lukily for me a better solution presented itself. Adding a half ounce of coconut water kefir to 2 ounces of kombucha got rid of my fake allergy symptoms just as well as two ounces of green drink.
I learned that using a greater variety of nutrition is the best way to boost the immune system and detox. Autism is truly puzzling. I am still amazed at how well certain foods can compliment each other. Since the green drink is now more effective at killing pathogens, my body needed the extra detox that the probiotics provided. I am still committed to adapting Dakhari's protocol until I solve his autism puzzle.
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