Long but worth the read & Share......

5 Year Reflection of OUR Journey.......

If you were to ask me 7 years about what I knew about Autism, I would not have an answer beside I knew someone who had it. I might have looked it up again but that would be it. 6 years later is had my concerns, my two year old was nonverbal beside her repeating my last word. Expressed my concerns to her doctor a few times and even seen Help Me Grow twice and was told many times she is confused because im bilingual. Google can be a scary place to look up things….” Why my 2 year old doesn’t talk yet?” or “how to get my two year old to talk” Few things popped up and after reading some articles and looking at different things I instantly felt sick to my stomach. I came across Child Development and Autism Center in Westerville, called, asked some questions, learned I didn’t need a referral, and I made an appointment.

After almost 11 months of waiting, appointments, and so many missed early signs I didn’t see; I got the diagnosis that came with 32 pages of what they noticed of her. I dropped a friend off and parked in a nearby parking lot and I cried like never before. I remember for weeks I did research; my world went upside down, I couldn’t talk to people, I cried everywhere I went because I couldn’t cry in front of my friend or family. The pain I felt, the uncertainty, the grief, the judgement I feared, and the guilt I placed on myself. My child would never live a normal life, what do I do.

I opened up that 32 page diagnosis again and this time I read a list of resources and I came across a flyer for Autism Speaks and seen all the resources I could find on their page. Sylvia needed speech, physical, Occupational, Sensory Integration, and ABA Therapy. I no longer had time for myself, my relationships with Jelan, friends, and family struggled as I became distant but determined to do whatever I can to help her. We lived through appointments after appointment and even put her through two years of special needs PreK. It was a long journey but over time things got better.

Sylvia started talking fluently at 6 and she graduated from 4 of her therapies she was attending. She started General Kindergarten with a speech IEP but no longer classified as a Special Needs Student. As I walked through the door to my next IEP meeting there was an applause. My Team of 11 sat at the table with me and we cried. I was an open book to them about my feelings and concerns.

Fast forward to today, my emotional ass cries for anything related to what she has or is going through. Sylvia is in the last stage of her speech. The emotion that comes upon me when I think of it. The sleepless nights, the busy days, the times I missed out, the unspoken pain, but mannnnnnnnn the joy I have because she did it. Above all odds, she did it. She still has her days where I feel defeated and she still has more progress to make but im excited for the future.

 Please support me by donating and help me meet my fundraising goal - and you, too, can join the team and make an impact for people living with autism! Let's walk thos walk and support Sylvia and the community of everyone who is on this journey as well.