Best Trip the ER EVER!!

We were attacked by the never-ending, stomach virus this week. Daddy = down 3 days , KT = down 4 days; Mommy = down 2 1/2 days; McK = miraculously healthy.

Thursday, we had to send out for the reserves - (Thanks, Grandma K! ) - to take care of Kaitie since her parents were too ill. But as KT continued to throw up for the third day, I packed her and headed to the EmergiCenter. (Wait, dear Reader, the good part is on the way!)

Now, KT hasn't eaten for three days, drank very little and is sleeping on the floor when the nurses wake her up to give her anti-nausea med's and fluids in an IV. KT hates the blood pressure cuff, ooh an IV will be fun! NOT! After 3 minutes of trying to calm her down by singing (didn't work), I gave up and decided to use this as a "teachable moment" to try to connect KT's emotions to the situation.

I started with "KT, are you mad because you are stuck?" She repeated that and added "Down"

Then as they poked her "KT, are you mad because it hurts?" (When else can I teach her what "hurts" means?) She repeated that and added "I want to go home."

Spontaneously.

Repeatedly.

Then she added "Bad, Bad Mommy".

:) Isn't that cool! KT could figure out who was to blame AND let them know it!

I know it's not a "typical" milestone but we are very happy!

Starting up the blog again...

It's a big Saturday night here - rainy outside - and inside, an "all-girl" slumber party in the family room. KT is asleep in the IKEA tent, McK is asleep in her princess sleeping bag, Daddy is practicing his guitar parts for church tomorrow and I'm perusing autism blogs. Party On!

Which brings me back to restarting the blog, if I'm a-gonna read 'em, then I need to be writing 'em, too. Seriously, kids on the ASD spectrum are so varied, maybe our experiences with KT can encourage or guide someone else. Maybe not in a big, life-changing way, but in small, get-me-through the day ways, cause the one thing that I have learned is that is there is no one place that can give you all answers - not any of doctors, or therapists, certainly not the school system or the insurance companies - And that's assuming you know enough to know what questions to ask! So here we go again! I'll try to fill in the gaps since I let the blog lapse as we go along....

If you want to read a more established blog by an mom with an autistic child, try http://www.autismarmymom.com it's a good place to start and she's linked to other blogs as well.