Greg's Take: The list of advertisers grows--thanks you for your diligence

Greg's Take: The list of advertisers grows--thanks you for your diligence

I love this part...

"By the way, Home Depot and Geico, who have both denied advertising on Savage's show, have had five and four commercials tonight, respectively, on the station in my market."

I just dropped $148 at Lowe's. Geico - I have not any love for them since last August. Figures!

Randy Pausch's Last Lecture

Worth the time. Randy, thank you for leaving us this lecture. Be in peace.

Talk Radio Network Justifies Savage Treatment of Autistic Kids

"In the context of his broader concerns, it is clear that Dr. Savage's comments were intended to suggest his opinion that, in the vast majority of cases, most children throwing tantrums, or refusing to communicate, are not autistic. Unfortunately, by condensing his multifaceted concerns into 84 seconds of commentary, the necessary context for his remarks was not apparent, and the few words he used to express his concerns were, in this instance, inartfully phrased.

As a result, Dr. Savage's comments did facially appear to be directed at children who suffer from autism, and clearly could be perceived as such. This has, in turn, caused understandable pain and distress to those who have a child or family member who is challenged by autism. This was not Dr. Savage's intent, and, on behalf of the Network and all persons associated with the Network, we wish to note that our hearts go out to all families who are forced to face the realities of autism every day of their lives, and to sincerely apologize to these families for any increase in these burdens resulting from inartful commentary appearing in the Network's programming."

Mmmm... yeah.

The rest of it kind of made me sick, but read it if you like.

Talk Radio Network's Phones are Working Again...

Also -- perhaps more importantly, I was given the direct e-mail address for Mark Masters, CEO of Talk Radio Network and asked to post it on my blog for people to send him an e-mail. It is: mmasters@talkradionetwork.com.

X-Files Comes Out Tomorrow

X-Files is a favorite for me. I love David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson. This is a cute Access Hollywood interview, where they interview each other. I have waited for this. I can't wait to see the movie!!!

Interesting sites

NoSavage.org reports that Geico has pulled out as an advertiser.  (For those interested in our feelings about Geico and their drivers, check out our get off your cell phone you moron posts.)

The Truth About Rockstar Energy Drink, well, has apparently known truth about Rockstar Energy Drink and its relationship to Michael Savage (aka Michael Weiner) for a lot longer than the rest of us.  

Good times... 

Time to get back to getting Jimmy to sleep.  His medication isn't working as well.  He has been going since 1 a.m..  Yes, he has had me up since then as well.  

What a week!

This tiny blog's traffic has quadrupled in the last week, all thanks to the Michael Savage controversy.  Lots of hits from those wanting to see who his sponsors are.  Some are from the sponsoring corporations, which is sort of interesting.  Maybe they want to see which way the wind is blowing.  

This is how the wind blows.  When Jimmy was diagnosed three years ago, the rate of diagnosis was 1 in 166.  Not too long ago, that rate increased to 1 in 150.  Over diagnoses?  Consider this: not too long ago, a clinician was evaluation Jimmy.  We were talking about the explosion of diagnoses and I asked her if Jimmy would have been classified as something else before the autism explosion.  He said it was possible that he would have been labelled mentally retarded, even if the data (namely his cognitive ability) didn't support it.  She pointed out that while autism rates had risen, that MR rates had fallen - autism became better defined and more appropriate labeling and diagnosis occurred.  Some have called it a diagnostic substitution phenomenon. 

The end result is that more children are diagnosed.  Listen, mental retardation is a quantifiable diagnosis.  There are IQ tests.  You can look at the results.  If you score about a certain level, you are "normal."  If you are below a certain level, you are "MR."  I am sure the assessment is more nuanced, but at least it is something people understand.  Autism isn't as well defined as that yet, but that makes it no less real.  Certainly not to families dealing with it.

I don't know what the end game of all this is.  Do the parents give enough hell to the sponsors to have them pull advertising?  Enough to get Michael Savage fired?  I don't know.  It's a hell of a commitment for parents and supporters to do who are burdened (not how I look at it, but for a lack of a better term) with taking care of these kids.  But what the rest of the world really doesn't realize is that parents of autistic children are first and foremost advocates for them.  We spend our lives try to explain who they are and why they are the way they are.  We spend our time in their schools, making sure they get services they need in settings they can handle.  We fight insurance companies to get them the care they need.  And when we have nothing left, we fight some more.

I don't know what will come of all this, but I think of all groups he could have picked to attack, the motivated and dedicated parents of autistic children was probably the worst.

For those looking for Michael Savage's sponsors...

If you are looking for additional information about his sponsors, I would like to redirect you to the comments of my earlier post.  Apparently, the ads change depending on the market in which the show is being broadcast.  Amother blogger named Greg, who's daughter has autism, has been doing a fantastic job in getting answers from sponsors regarding Michael Savage - check out his site.

I Love Perez Hilton

Two days ago, I (probably along with some other readers) sent Perez Hilton the Michael Savage YouTube video with his autism comments.  Perez actually ran with it.  Anyone who reads the site for the entertainment value of the gossip knows that you don't have to read long before you encounter his social conscious.  Which, of course, is a wonderful thing.

Thank you Perez Hilton.  

Edit: I was reading through his comments.  I am not the only one to make the Rockstar Energy Drink connection.  A poster named Sass wrote:

if you all REALLY want to hit Savage where it hurts….STOP drinking ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINKS!! I believe he and his son, RUSS WEINER (yes, his last name is really WEINER) still own the company, or have their shares in it. I use to work with RUSS oh-so-long ago and he is as big of a schmuck as his father. But they created ROCKSTAR ENERGY drinks, and Russ was the one who use to go and pimp it out. IT is so funny, cuz Russ WEINER is as big of a so called "conservative" as his father, yet, he like to party his ass off, screw a bunch of skanky broads, thinks of himself as quite the "ladies" man (bleech) and is an all around hypocrite and spoiled brat. So ironic that HIS father is saying that Autistic children are really just bratty children.

Don't believe me….?? Just google Mike Savage/Weiner and his son Russ Weiner and ROCKSTAR energy drinks. you will see I am correct.

I think we ARE an over-diagnosed society…I have depression, bipolar disorder, border personality disorder, ADD, AUTISM…bleh blah blah…docs are NOT doing their jobs. We are also one of the most OVER MEDICATED societies in the world.

But to utterly dismiss all children with autism as being the result of "bad parenting" is absurd. This man is absurd. Take whatever he says with a grain of salt!

Michael Savage's bosses at Talk Radio Network

Talk Radio Network
	541-664-8827 Don't expect much.  They have their phones turned off apparently.  :)

Helping HANDS for Autism Act

Our congressman Frank Wolf co-sponsored this bill.  I need to send another thank you note off to him...

Helping HANDS for Autism Act Introduced in the House
Thursday, June 19, 2008 
By: Carin Yavorcik

Bill provides for lifespan autism services and awareness

Members of the U.S. House of Representatives introduced a companion to the Helping HANDS for Autism Act this week.

The Helping HANDS for Autism Act (HR 6282) is a three-part legislative package designed to support families dealing with autism spectrum disorders, increase awareness among first responders and public safety officials and provide housing options and services for adults with autism. It was introduced by Reps. Kay Granger (R-TX), Jim McGovern (D-MA), Chris Smith (R-NJ), Mike Doyle (D-PA), Dan Burton (R-IN) and Ruben Hinojosa (D-TX). The bill is a companion to S 2950, introduced in the Senate last April.

An estimated 30 million people in the world have an autism spectrum disorder, 1.5 million in America alone. Every day in America, 60 families learn their child has autism. These families face challenges of care, support, education, financial hardship and medical and health care issues that make autism a national public health issue. Though there is no cure, autism is treatable and individuals with autism have tremendous potential.

“The Helping HANDS Act is an important step toward getting families the support they need today,” said Autism Society of America President and CEO Lee Grossman. “It provides for services from just after diagnosis through adulthood, is the most critical need today.”

What the Bill Does:

1. Creates a grant program to provide “autism navigator” services to help families navigate the web of services and care they need. Navigators will help guide families to current health, education, housing and social services that are often available to individuals on the autism spectrum. Too often, families feel overwhelmed after diagnosis and often lost as to where to turn for help. The program will help connect families to important treatment options soon after diagnosis, help families identify education options, and help coordinate individuals’ care and community support.


2. Provides for the development, demonstration and dissemination of a standard curriculum for the training of first responders (police, fire departments, emergency medical technicians and other volunteers) in assisting individuals with autism and other cognitive behavioral disabilities. It provides grants to states and local governments to support training of first responders. People with developmental disabilities, including autism, have up to seven times more contact with law enforcement officers than others, according to an article in the F.B.I. Law Enforcement Bulletin in April 2001. That is why training is so important. Something as simple as first responders turning off flashing lights and sirens on a police car could make the difference between a peaceful or chaotic encounter.


3. Creates a HUD task force comprised of appropriate national and state autism advocacy groups, community-based organizations and parents who are charged with developing a housing demonstration grant program for adults with autism. The goal of the grant program is to provide individualized housing and services to adults with autism spectrum disorders.

Sunday Session

Our therapist came today to continue to work on his outing behavior.  It took about eight minutes to get Jimmy into IHOP for breakfast.  A man even stopped to offer to help us - after the Red Lobster fiasco, I wanted to run and hug him just for asking.  As usual, Jimmy wanted to go to McDonalds.  When we got to our booth, he took his notebook and made pictures with the Golden Arches, a circle with a slash through it, and writing the word "No" underneath, to highlight the fact that we weren't at his preferred dining establishment.  We got him settled down and he ate pretty well.  

Next stop was Petsmart, a break he usually loves.  He walked through the store with his hands over his ears.  Not standard behavior with him - he has some degree of noise sensitivity, but it usually manifests itself in more extreme ways.  He was as engaged with the birds this this time, didn't want to see the fish, and looked only briefly at the cats in the adoption center.  

Target went fairly well.  No meltdowns.  He helped with the carts, even getting things out for checkout.  He spared us the drama of "Mom, you didn't buy my DVD of choice" separation anxiety.  Maybe he knew "Terminator 2" wasn't that great a film.  

Our Sunday community outing didn't go perfectly, but given how they have been lately, I will take today as pretty successful.

Amanda Peet's Feet

I like to look at the traffic that my site gets and where it's from.  I can also sometimes see how they searched to find me.  I came up for someone in Scandinavia looking for "amanda peet feet." 

Let's now process what someone would want with those.

Ick.

Michael Savage's Sponsors

Always deeply appreciate when people do the dirty work for me.  From this list, I am going to be contacting Prudential, with which we do business.  I can pull my accounts from there if I like.  And since FIOS isn't available at our new house and I don't want to go back to Comcast, that left Dish Network and DirecTV.  I guess Dish won't be getting my business.

Not that my little protest will accomplish anything, but at least I can feel like I did something.  

"Partial Client List of Advertisers on TRN Shows

Advertisers choose TRN Shows because our shows deliver return on 
investment while remaining economical. Our shows hosts support their 
sponsors and have loyal listeners that support the sponsors on their 
shows. Simply put, radio advertising on our shows works! Here's a 
partial list of our happy clients: 
ABC 
Acura 
American Express 
Ancestry.com 
Boca Java 
Bochringer 
Bosch 
Campbells 
Citrix 
Consolidated Resources 
Direct Buy 
Dish Network 
Ebay Motors 
Efax 
General Motors 
Gallo Wines 
Hoover 
Legal Zoom 
Marshalls 
Nautilus 
Nivea 
Outback Steakhouse 
Prudential 
Purina One 
Simon & Schuster 
Staples 
Subway 
Texaco Chevron 
United First Financial 
Volkswagon" 

Even worse...

Michael Savage's son owns Rockstar Energy Drink.  

Why on earth is this upsetting to me?

My husband is the owner/admin of a mixed martial arts forum on the Internet.  We are huge fans of the sport and its various promotions, the UFC, EliteXC, Dream, Affliction and so on.  Not only does Rockstar sponsor all of these promotions but it sponsors several individual fighters as well. Everytime I see the Rockstar logo, I will think of Michael Savage's hateful comments toward my son, myself, and other families like ours.  It is tempting to use some of my connections in the sport to try to make a point.  If I don't, it is only because I am extremely busy with moving, becoming a landlord, being on the school board, going back to work for a new school year - all on top of being first and foremost a mom to my kids.  That's what important, more than insensitive twits like Savage.

Then again, when has being busy been an excuse for me?

Michael Savage - Clueless jerk or just needs the opportunity to have my son for an afternoon?

You decide.  I have got to find out who this guy's sponsors are.

Amanda Peet: Open Mouth, Insert Foot

She called parents who don't vaccinate their kids parasites.  Whoops.  Not that I am of the vaccine school of thought, but it was still an ugly comment for Amanda Peet to make.  Of course, she apologized for it - in her apology, she made a lot of sense.  Noting the 14 studies conducted on autism and vaccines, all failing to find a link between the two.

"How many more studies do we need to conduct on vaccines, before we start re-channeling our efforts and money towards research on autism?"

Since I believe that over prescription of antibiotics is a more likely culprit in our case than vaccines would be, I would rather the time and energy be focused on finding a treatment or cure to improve his life, rather than participating in class actions suits and finger pointing.  I guess that is ugly of me to say, but I have found that sitting the non-vaccine pews of church can be very lonely and isolating.  I am tired of hearing about vaccines.  I want to know more about the recent synaptic study, the potential of gene therapy to remap the brain, things that may give me a child that won't run out into traffic because he doesn't want to go to Red Lobster, or can hold a conversation with me or his brother.  That's what I want.  Maybe after this little incident, Amanda Peet will want it to and give time and energy to help Jimmy and other children with autism.

We're Back...

We went ahead with our planned trip.  Jimmy was really moody the whole time.  Our one nice meal (when the in-laws joined us for the day), I didn't even get join them because Jimmy refused to leave the time share.  He would melt down when we would leave, he would melt down when we got back.  There was no winning with him.  It was depressing.  Maybe I have only myself to blame for that, as I didn't get there in the best of moods.  Nothing worked as I would have hoped this trip.

Oh well.  Home to pack.  

My nightmare

We went to Red Lobster tonight as a family.  Taking young children to a restaurant is a challenge for any parent.  We used to go out as a couple at least once a week, but since our sitter problem in the spring, we have either not gone to do things, split up and someone takes Jacob, or attempted to do them as a family.  

When we arrived at Red Lobster, Jim ran in and got a table and came back for us.  Jimmy wasn't being compliant, so I sent him ahead as I attempted to wait him out.  After 15 minutes, I gave up and hauled him out of the car.  He sat on the benches for a few more minutes, but when I tried to get him to go in, he got away from me and took off.  I dropped my purse and ran after him, screaming for help.  I stumbled in my flip flops and he got even more distance between us, as he headed for Sudley Road with eight lanes of traffic.  He nearly went in the street, but some man I heard my pleas and grabbed him on the curb.  He went on, but I sat on Jimmy for another ten minutes on the lawn outside, waiting for another man to find dh and bring him out to help.

We got him in, but it was the worst night ever.  I was crying, my hands were shaking, and Jimmy still wasn't keen to be there.  I never ate - I was too upset to even order food for myself.  My whole body just shook as I realized that I honestly came very close to watching my son get himself killed.  I haven't calmed down from that yet.  We are supposed to go on vacation tomorrow, but I don't want to go.  I want to stay in my house.  It may be a mess because we are packing to move.  He may write on the walls.  But there are deadbolts.  He doesn't cry or put up a fight when I am trying to get him through the door.  In our home, we are relatively safe.  In this moment, when my hands are still shaking, it is the only place I want to be.  

Tina Fey's Black

I love this...

Recent photos from July 4th

Experts argue over push to test autism treatment

I am thrilled that this will be formally studied.  I have never pursued chelation for Jimmy, principally because I don't believe that his autism was caused by mercury.  I am hopefully any time formal study is done, because it provides another possibility treatment and maybe will lead to discovering what causes it or what will cure it.  

CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- Pressured by desperate parents, government researchers are pushing to test an unproven treatment on autistic children, a move some scientists see as an unethical experiment in voodoo medicine.

The treatment removes heavy metals from the body and is based on the fringe theory that mercury in vaccines triggers autism -- a theory never proved and rejected by mainstream science.

Mercury hasn't been in childhood vaccines since 2001, except for certain flu shots.

But many parents of autistic children are believers, and the head of the National Institute of Mental Health supports testing it on children provided the tests are safe.

"So many moms have said, 'It's saved my kids,' " institute director Dr. Thomas Insel said.

For now, the proposed study, not widely known outside the community of autism research and advocacy groups, has been put on hold because of safety concerns, Insel told The Associated Press.

The process, called chelation, is used to treat lead poisoning. Studies of adults have shown it to be ineffective unless there are high levels of metals in the blood. Any study in children would have to exclude those with high levels of lead or mercury, which would require treatment and preclude using a placebo.

One of the drugs used for chelation, DMSA, can cause side effects including rashes and low white blood cell count. And there is evidence chelation may redistribute metals in the body, perhaps even into the central nervous system."I don't really know why we have to do this in helpless children," said Ellen Silbergeld of Johns Hopkins University's Bloomberg School of Public Health, who was invited to comment on the study to a review board of the national institute.

Despite lawsuits and at least one child's death, several thousand autistic children are already believed to be using chelation (pronounced kee-LAY'-shun), their parents not content to wait for a study.

Among those parents is Christina Blakey of suburban Chicago, who uses chelation and a variety of other alternative therapies, including sessions in a hyperbaric chamber, on her 8-year-old son, Charlie.

Before he started chelation at age 5, Charlie suffered tantrums. When she took him to school, she had to peel him off her body and walk away. But three weeks after he began chelation, his behavior changed, she said.

"He lined up with his friends at school. He looked at me and waved and gave me a thumbs-up sign and walked into school," Blakey said. "All the moms who had been watching burst into tears. All of us did."

There is no way to prove whether chelation made a difference or whether Charlie simply adjusted to the school routine.

Autism is a spectrum of disorders that hamper a person's ability to communicate and interact with others. Most doctors believe there is no cure.

Conventional treatments are limited to behavioral therapy and a few medications, such as the schizophrenia drug Risperdal, approved to treat irritability.

Frustrated parents use more than 300 alternative treatments, most with little or no scientific evidence backing them up, according to the Interactive Autism Network at the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, Maryland.

"With a lot of mothers, if they hear about a treatment, they feel like they need to try it," said project director Dr. Paul Law. "Anything that has a chance of benefiting their child, they're willing to give it a shot."

More than 2 percent of the children tracked by the project use chelation. If that figure holds for the general population, it would mean more than 3,000 autistic children are on the treatment at any time in the United States.

Chelation drugs can be taken in pill form, by rectal suppository and intravenously.

Dr. Susan Swedo, who heads the federal institute's in-house autism research and wants to study chelation, gained notoriety by theorizing that strep throat had caused some cases of obsessive compulsive disorder. The theory has not been proved.

She proposed recruiting 120 autistic children ages 4 to 10 and giving half DMSA and the other half a dummy pill. The 12-week test would measure before-and-after blood mercury levels and autism symptoms.

The study outline says that failing to find a difference between the two groups would counteract "anecdotal reports and widespread belief" that chelation works.

But the study was put on hold for safety concerns after an animal study, published last year, linked DMSA to lasting brain problems in rats. It remains under review, Insel told the AP.

Insel said he has come to believe after listening to parents that traditional scientific research, building incrementally on animal studies and published papers, wasn't answering questions fast enough.

"This is an urgent set of questions," Insel said. "Let's make innovation the centerpiece of this effort as we study autism, its causes and treatments, and think of what we may be missing."

Last year, the National Institutes of Health spent less than 5 percent of its $127 million autism research budget on alternative therapies, Insel said. He said he is hopeful the chelation study will be approved.

Others say it would be unethical, even if it proves chelation doesn't work.

Federal research agencies must "bring reason to science" without "catering to a public misperception," said Dr. Paul Offit, chief of infectious diseases at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and author of an upcoming book on autism research. "Science has been trumped by politics in some ways."

Offit is concerned vaccination rates may fall to dangerous levels because some parents believe they cause autism.

Dr. Martin Myers, former director of the federal National Vaccine Program Office, said he believes giving chelation to autistic children is unethical -- but says the government can justify the study because so many parents are using chelation without scientific evidence.

"It's incumbent on the scientific community to evaluate it," he said.

Actress Jenny McCarthy, whose bestseller "Louder Than Words" details her search for treatments for her autistic son, Evan, told thousands of parents at a recent autism conference outside Chicago that she plans to try chelation on him this summer.

"A lot of people are scared to chelate ... but it has triggered many recoveries," she said.

But those claims are only anecdotal, and there are serious risks.

Of the several drugs used in chelation, the only one recommended for intravenous use in children is edetate calcium disodium. Mixups with another drug with a similar name, edetate disodium, have led to three deaths, including one autistic child.

A 5-year-old autistic boy went into cardiac arrest and died after he was given IV chelation therapy in 2005. A Pennsylvania doctor is being sued by the boy's parents for allegedly giving the wrong drug and using a risky technique.

No deaths have been associated with DMSA, which can cause rashes, low white blood cell count and vomiting. It is also sold as a dietary supplement, which is how some parents of autistic children get it.

A Food and Drug Administration spokeswoman said the agency is "is looking into how these products are marketed."

What I love about Jimmy...

The way he sings himself to sleep at night while nesting in the covers.  Tonight, he is next to me while dh and Jacob are downstairs.  Chloe is nestled next to him.  As complicated, as stressful, as painful as life can be, some moments are so sweet...

Family Booted From Flight Gets a Refund

Good.  I hope it is because Southwest took notice of what's going on in the blogosphere (I noticed at least one Southwest IP address in my stats yesterday.)  Note to Southwest - I am glad you refunded the money, but you shouldn't have booted them in the first place. I have seen drunks on planes regularly, but you toss off kids with special needs.  It is still shameful and I would want a whole lot more than just my tickets refunded if you did it to me.

Jimmy's Summer

I haven't posted much about him lately.  I have some photos to add later, but he seems to like his summer program.  Most days, he is doing two outings a day into the community - pools, parks, restaurants, bowling, and so on.  He does some quasi-academic stuff with him, not necessarily because it is an academic program, but merely because it is what he likes to do.  He is, after all, Mr. "W is for Worksheet!"  He never puts up a fuss when I drop him off, so that in and of itself is a good indication that he is enjoying himself.  I am pleased about that.  

I think we are going on a little vacation next week - it's the time share week.  I always have mixed emotions about it.  It is a nice timeshare and a relatively cheap vacation.  (And I should be able to go and see T and take her baby gifts!!!)  But, take Jimmy out of his normal environment and it adds exponentially to the challenge of managing his behavior and meltdowns.  A week is so much to deal with.  We usually don't make it more than a few days.  I honestly don't want to go at all, not because I am a killjoy, but because of all that goes with vacations (especially unstructured ones like the timeshare) causes me more stress than it is worth.

Another autistic kid thrown off a plane...

Along with the rest of the family...  Stay classy, Southwest Airlines.  

Actually, Southwest is one of the few airlines I just won't fly.  I have always found their gate agents and flight attendants to be among the least helpful and straight up mean people I have encountered in travel.  Seriously.  I held this opinion of them before I had kids and wouldn't subject myself to the stress of flying with them under any circumstance.  

Don't Call It a Comeback

I am a dork for this kind of stuff - swimmer Dara Torres has made her 5th Olympic team, at the age of 41.

Amazing...

The Fourth of July

We took the boys over to Signal Hill for swimming, moonbouncing, and fireworks.  We nearly bailed on the fireworks, fearing Jimmy's response.  Though he is still not a fan of the noise, this year it was tempered by his love of the light show.  Even in the rain, the fireworks were pretty fantastic.  I guess the difference in his response to this from year to year is a reminder how much he has grown.

A Worthy Cause...

Austin Haynes, a Manassas area real estate agent and local public servant, is doing a swim-a-thon to raise money for a zero depth water playground accessible to all, even those with physical disabilities, so everyone can enjoy a day in the pool.  It's how he is choosing to spend his birthday, so some support - financial or even cheering him on at Stonewall Pool - would likely be appreciated.  

What a great guy!  It never ceases to amaze me what people will do help support children in their community.  

Summer photos of my youngest child...

Since I just finished day 3 of my summer with Jacob, I have busted out the iPhone a bunch to document our adventures.

Autistic Toddler Kicked Off Plane

God, this is one of my worst nightmares. I hate travelling with Jimmy. I have flown several times alone with both boys. The only one that wasn't a complete nightmare was an American Eagle flight (in the interest of full disclosure, my brother-in-law works for the airline, though not in an airport) where Jimmy had his medication before flight. While I know I have irritated some passengers in the past, I have encountered more sympathetic types than jerks. Autism has enough of a profile that even if people don't have a clear idea what it is, they have heard of it. Flight crews, especially with some explanation as you are boarding, usually are pretty accomodating as well. American and American Eagle have always taken extra care to make sure that I had enough of everything in the food and drink department (back when such things were complimentary!!) JetBlue's flight attendants were nice enough to watch a sleeping Jimmy and a wakeful Jacob so I could go to the bathroom.

That's not to discount this woman's experience. She and her son were treated horribly. It might have been because of the seatbelt. The only thing they can't budge on, which I understand completely, are the safety issues. Jimmy hates the seatbelt in either the car or the plane. The Angel Guard has made my life much easier in the car. Unfortunately, it won't work on a plane seat belt. He is also too big for the five point restraint of traditional car seat. It would be nice if they had something that was as effective as the Angel Guard on an airline seatbelt.

My biggest challenge is getting through the security line with an autistic son that is mild clausterphobic. I hate the security people at the TSA!!! Talk about lack of understanding and rudeness... Especially at Dulles and National. Oh Lordy!!!

School Leaves Autistic Kids Out of Yearbook

Actually, I had something similar happen to Jimmy's classroom a few years ago. His class was left off the Mini Cougar Pride wall, as it wasn't considered a homeroom by the PTO.

School Leaves Autistic Kids Out Of Yearbook
Parents Say Act Done Intentionally, School Disagrees

POSTED: 4:08 am EDT June 18, 2008

ROSEVILLE, Calif. -- The parents of twin autistic boys left out of a yearbook are accusing the school of discrimination.
Darla Granger said her sons Holden and Hunter were purposely left out of their Roseville, Calif., school yearbook -- along with the rest of the school's special needs children.

"When your own school district and the people that are supposed to be there to support you and your kids and your situation sort of shun you, it is hurtful," Granger said.

Holden and Hunter Granger, who are in second grade, are students of the Placer County Board of Education, which assigns special-need students to various schools within the district.

The boys are in a collage photo in the yearbook, but the school's special needs class, including teachers, is missing.
"I got the book and was excited to look up their class and see their pictures with their names and their teachers, and they weren't in it," Granger said.

Darla and her husband, Blandon, have filed a complaint with the Placer County Board of Education, but said they aren't taking legal action and would just like to ensure that the class pictures of their children and other special-needs students are included in future yearbooks.

The Placer County superintendent who oversees the special needs program at Quail Glen Elementary said she thinks the incident was an oversight, not a malicious act.

"I do have a hard time understanding how they could have not noticed that every autistic child from their campus was missing," Darla Granger said.

The boys' father said he doesn't know if the act was intentional but doesn't think care was given to include the children with special needs in the yearbook.

"I just felt like I needed to speak out," Blandon Granger said. "I feel like we are owed an apology."

I did make the cover...

The photo is from when they did the first article, sans makeup. But the angle isn't bad. At least they didn't use that same photo of me trying to pull up Jimmy's pants!!!

Side note for my sister:
Becky. show this to dad and tell him I will send the original when he gets out of the hospital.

I am on the school board...

Can you believe it? I will write more later!!!

Autistic Boy Voted Out of Class Will Likely Sue

"A potential lawsuit over whether a 5-year-old's rights were violated when he was voted out of his kindergarten class could have merit, legal experts say.

Hiram Sasser, director of litigation for Liberty Legal Institute in Dallas, said the St. Lucie County School District should take immediate action against the teacher and implement training for the other teachers so this doesn't happen again.

"If they do this, that will go a long way toward healing the community," he said."


I hope this boy's mom haves at the teacher like a pinata in a court of law.

Getting along well...

Chloe is making friends fast...

Jimmy ran for the door when we were getting out the car and I mentioned seeing Chloe. He spent twenty minutes playing with her. With his attention span, that's an eternity.

Meet Chloe...

Mistakes were made... and I made them.

Yesterday I was meeting Jimmy's bus up at the park, as I have done since DH started working downtown. As any good mom does, I was multitasking, cleaning out the car while getting ready to leave. As I walked back to the car, I heard a little meow. This kitten came charging after me, a young little thing. She follows me up to my car, meowing the whole time, finally trying to get in. I pick her up. She is scrawny and I can tell she has fleas. She never balked at getting picked up. Jacob's eyes got wide and shouts "Kitty!!!" I could have left her there... wait, no I couldn't. I figured given the time of the year, she was part of an outdoor litter, possibly wild. I went by the book - I called animal control, reported the find, and even provided the photo. The chances of anyone claiming her is slim (especially after I present them with the $150 vet bill), so we will call her Chloe.

I have missed Buster every day since I had to put her down. I had wondered where, when and how I would find another pet. I didn't have to look - she found me. Both boys are completely smitten, but Jimmy just lights up with her around. He is a little less hands on (meaning less pestering) than Jacob, but he plays with her and pets her so nicely. And she seems to dig it. She is what I needed, when I needed it.

Whoops...

Okay, so it has been a while.

What's up? I guess the main thing is that I am up for the school board. In Manassas Park, it's an appointment process. I am one of three candidates this round. I had an interview last week and there was a public hearing tonight. I love my work on the Special Education Advisory Committee, but started wondering some time ago if I wouldn't be a better advocate for more kids if I put my name in for the school board.

DH encouraged me this time around. Okay, he gave me his blessing. As he left the house, he told me to "do well, but not too well." I think he is resigned... It's a job I want to do, if not now then in the future. It funny - someone on the council asked about this blog. I don't think they knew that it wasn't political, that it was just about Jimmy, Jacob, and the experience of being a mom to two distinctly different and exceptional kids.

We have also been looking at single family homes. We had an offer accepted on the other side of the tracks. Now we get to go through the mortgage process (we have a pre-approval - the queen of unorganization now has get paperwork together) and try to get this place rented. Mercifully, the mortgage isn't tied to the rental, but I don't want to be house poor, so we are seeking tenants.

And it's the last week of school. Jimmy has his neurology workup, Jacob has his physical for Pre-K, and the days at my job are going by at break neck speed. If I spend the summer moving, I imagine July and August will be the same way.

Kindergartener Voted Out of Class by Classmates

Not a surprise that he is on the spectrum. Forget just firing the teacher - she should lose her license.

(CBS) A Port St. Lucie, Fla., mother is outraged and considering legal action after her son's kindergarten teacher led his classmates to vote him out of class.

Melissa Barton says Morningside Elementary teacher Wendy Portillo had her son's classmates say what they didn't like about 5-year-old Alex. She says the teacher then had the students vote, and voted Alex, who is being evaluated for Asperger's syndrome -- an autism spectrum disorder -- out of the class by a 14-2 margin.

Barton and her son, Alex, talked exclusively with Harry Smith live from West Palm Beach, Fla.

Barton filed a complaint with Morningside's school resource officer.

St. Lucie School spokeswoman Janice Karst said the district is investigating the incident, but could not make any further comment. The state attorney's office concluded the matter did not meet the criteria for emotional child abuse, so no criminal charges will be filed.

Teacher Wendy Portillo was advised by the school board not to speak to the press so she declined our interview offer.

The Music Dances to Technoviking

The Technoviking video has been around for a while. This is the captioned version. Basically, this guy was a participant in protest against the commercialization of the LoveParade in Berlin (more on Wikipedia) and was videotaped protecting the virtue (for lack of a better description, I suppose) of the blue haired woman. The early moments of this video has produced near iconic images for those of us who worship the irrelevance of the internet. It's pretty funny, though.

Walmart article...

When the Manassas Journal Messenger changed websites, my links to the articles about Jimmy ceased to work. I was messing around and found the orginal text of the article on Walmart. I thought I would repost it, just so I don't lose it again.

02/08/2007

Mother flushed with success after persuading supermarket to change toilet system for autistic son

MANASSAS PARK, Virginia, USA: Rachel Kirkland has made a difference in what she considered an unlikely place to do so.

The Manassas Park resident is the mother of a six-year-old autistic boy who goes through both in-house and community therapy sessions in an effort to acclimatise him to the real world. Part of that experience involves a trip to Wal-Mart on Liberia Avenue in Manassas.

Unfortunately for her son, Jimmy, the restrooms in the bustling retail store had automatic toilets that flush when a person is finished. That loud and unexpected sound of water rushing had the boy, who was recently potty-trained, avoiding the restroom. Instead, he was urinating in his pants in the middle of the store, instead of using the facilities.

Loud sounds are one of the many things that can profoundly affect individuals with autism, and Jimmy was scared to go back to the restroom.

So Kirkland asked management at the Liberia Avenue store if they could replace one of the automatic toilets with a manual flush toilet. The response initially was no, said Kirkland. She said they had told her that automatic toilets were necessary for sanitary issues.

Kirkland decided to call the corporate office. Corporate told her it was up to the individual store on whether it would replace the toilets. When she called the store back the next day, management decided to grant her request.

The family bathroom now has a manual toilet, thanks to Kirkland, who said she was surprised at how little effort it had taken to get them to accommodate her son and those like him.

"It was shockingly easy," Kirkland said. "If you identify the child and his problems, the lengths people go to help you is amazing."

A national spokeswoman, Marisa Bluestone, declared: "Wal-Mart felt it was important to take care of our customer. We always encourage customer feedback."

Kirkland's efforts have inspired her stepmother, who works in a Dallas-area Wal-Mart and said she will take up the toilet issue with her manager.

Unfortunately, Jimmy's issue is a microcosm of a disorder that has grown significantly in the past decade. There are now more than 1.5 million cases of autism in the United States.

With the prevalence of the disorder has come a corresponding need to battle it. The budget for the National Institutes of Health funding for autism-related research has increased by more than 80 per cent, from $56 million in fiscal 2001 to an estimated $101 million in the 2007 budget, including support for Autism Centers of Excellence.

It was parents like Kirkland who were on the front line, fighting the disorder and educating the public, said Jennifer Lassiter, a Round Hill resident who started a school for autistic students in Purcellville called The Aurora School.

Lassiter is also the mother of an autistic child who has experienced a similar fear of automatic toilets. She praised Kirkland's efforts to help those with this disorder.

Along with the Wal-Mart in Manassas, some other local businesses go out of their way to assist families with the disorder.

According to Lassiter, Red Robin Restaurants, a national chain that started in Seattle in the 1940s, is one such place.

Lassiter said, that if requested, they could seat you in the corner where there was no speaker. There are also locations in the restaurant where you can see a TV but not hear it. All of this helps with potential overstimulation of the senses, which is common among autistic individuals.

Eric Van Hook, an assistant manager with Red Robin in Woodbridge, said accommodating those with special needs was more just common sense and part of a larger customer service attitude on which the restaurant prides itself.

"We want to take care of them [customers] as if they were coming into our house," Van Hook said.

Lassiter said the Disney Store in Reston Town Centre was also very accommodating, letting anyone with an autistic child come to the front of the line. Autistic individuals generally do not like to be touched, and coming to the front of the line helps to alleviate a potentially stressful situation.

Lassiter said the key to combatting the disorder was for parents to recognise their children's condition early and do something about it. The other key is to make their community aware of those with the condition.

On that matter, Kirkland is doing her part, fighting a battle she thought would be a losing one.

"I love to hear when someone can get a really big company to be responsive that way," said Lassiter.

(Source: Potomac News, August 2, 2007)

Exhausted...

I am so drained. I was kind of counting on having tomorrow to myself while Jimmy was at respite. The DH has a lot of work to do, so Mini-Me is going to be with me. I would count down the days left on my contract, but it would require too much mental energy. It's such a confluence of events - not merely work or home or kids, just everything - that I really need to veg for a while. I am hoping for a summer of gym time, swimming lessons, and naps... Yes, I have lots to do to put my house and life in order, but I hope to balance that with a little downtime.

Autistic Boy Banned From Church

Wow... and it's the Catholic Church no less. I used to be very pro-choice, a view that has been tempered by the experience of Jimmy and the thought of what I would have missed if I had been given a choice. But to have the Catholic Church ban a child from attending mass - wow, they are such hypocrites sometimes. Yes, I did read the article - the child had serious behaviors at church, to the point of scaring people. That doesn't give the parish the right to cut the family off completely from something so vital. I feel for that mother. Faith is what gets you through and her own church has attempted to destroy it. Pathetic.

Why can't the Virginia General Assembly and Governor Kaine do this here???

Autism Speaks Applauds Florida Governor Charlie Crist and State Legislators for Passing Autism Insurance Legislation
Florida's Senate Bill 2654 Important Step in Requiring Coverage of Necessary Autism Therapies

NEW YORK, NY (May 5, 2008) Autism Speaks today joined Florida families in applauding Governor Charlie Crist and the state's legislators for passing Senate Bill 2654, which will ultimately require insurance carriers to provide coverage of evidence-based, medically necessary autism therapies. Governor Crist is expected to sign the bill into law in the coming weeks. In many states, insurers explicitly exclude coverage of these therapies from policies, which places a significant financial burden on families seeking to provide their children with necessary services. Autism Speaks has launched a multi-state initiative to address this discrimination.

Senate Bill 2654 – passed by the House in the very last minutes of the legislative session -- requires that insurance companies cover up to $36,000 a year for Applied Behavior Analysis and other therapies for children under age eighteen, with a lifetime limit for treatments of $200,000. The legislation gives insurance companies until April 2009 to negotiate a compact with the State Office of Insurance Regulation to develop autism coverage plans before the mandate takes effect.

“This new Florida law represents crucial progress in the national effort to secure autism insurance coverage and end discrimination again families facing autism,” said Elizabeth Emken, Autism Speaks vice president of government relations and a member of the Florida Taskforce on Autism Spectrum Disorders. “This bill mandates significant insurance benefits for the medically necessary interventions that are critical to the quality of life of children with autism. It also provides a voluntary compliance process through which the insurance industry can avoid the statutory mandate by agreeing to provide appropriate benefits for autism.”

Autism Speaks intends to remain involved in the insurance compact process created by SB2654, working with Governor Crist -- a strong supporter and champion of this cause – to ensure that the compact negotiations produce appropriate benefits for the deserving children of Florida.

In addition to Governor Crist, Autism Speaks hailed Senator Steven Geller, for whom the insurance section of SB2654 is named, and Representative Ari Porth and Senate President Kenneth Pruitt for their unwavering leadership in support of this landmark legislation. The organization also thanked Speaker Marco Rubio and his wife Jeanette, and Representative Andy Gardiner for their efforts.

A few pictures from Mother's Day at the zoo...

Jimmy and Grandma...



Giant Panda!!!



Jacob in the elephant house...



Jimmy loved checking out the elephants!



Mommy and her boys!

I think Jimmy bruised my rib...

He gave me this powerful upkick when I was giving him his antibiotic. It takes two grown and strong adult to force medicine down a fifty pound child. It's nuts. He will be back at school tomorrow. I just need to get to June 19th without anyone getting sick. I am thinking that might be too much to hope for.

You can never win...

So I was an hour into my day, sitting in a meeting at another school, when I was pulled out by a secretary.  Jimmy's school was trying to reach me - he got a stomach bug and had thrown up.  After today, I am now down to slightly less than a day of sick leave with about 30 school days to go.  I pretty much got killed covering DH's surgeries this year (can I say again how complete.  It's annoying.  I ran into Jimmy's principal when I picked him up - she said as a working mom, you often have to be two places at once and you never feel like you are at the right one when you choose.  Family comes first, but I do think she is right on this.  You feel by taking care of one, you are neglecting the other.  It is extremely difficult.  

He is doing okay right now.  Teletubbies is on.  He's happy.  I am doing what I can around the house and keeping the e-mail fires burning. 

Single parenting for the weekend...

A few months ago, DH's father called and started apologizing profusely. He book a fishing charter for his friends and wanted his son to go too. On Mother's Day. Turns out it is a crack of dawn affair, so he will be gone Saturday too. It's not like I didn't decide to make the best of it - my mom and I are taking the boys to the zoo on Sunday. Though both boys have been to the zoo, I haven't been with them yet. I am thrilled for the opportunity, especially with the spiffy new stroller. Saturday has sort of taken me by surprise. If anyone wants to entertain me on Saturday, whether its an invite over or riding shotgun in my minivan and going to the mall, call me. I'm free...

On the autism side of life, Risperdal is working very well. It has curbed the aggressive behavior like the hair pulling. I think he is become more verbal as well. Yesterday, when his therapist came over, he greeted her with a "Hi Miss Rachel." Then he turned to me and said "Hi Miss Mommy" and followed up with a nice "I love you." These are the things that make life worth living.

Iron Man Rocks

If you go see it, do yourself a favor and stay through the closing credits.

A Weird Celebrity Sighting

DH was coming home through Union Station last night and did a double take on a woman.  It was Kim Cattrall.  He didn't stop for a picture because he wanted to make his train (I would have forgiven him missing it under the circumstances), but he waved to her and she gave him a friendly wave back.  He's been a fan of hers since "Big Trouble in Little China," so it was cool that he saw her.

Lost

I have sort of been wallowing in my own private hell of late.  It's not something I have the liberty to blog about, yet it is sort of all consuming.  I guess in response I started to feel like I didn't have anything to say or write about.  A few hours ago, the phone rang.  The caller ID came up as the sister of my best friend from high school.  Now, why would she be calling me?  We exchange cards around the holidays and I talk her sister, my friend Chris, a few times a year.  I hadn't heard from her in awhile, so when her sister's name popped up, my heart filled with dread.  If something happened to Chris, I don't know that I would have been able to cope.

Fortunately, Chris' voice was at the other end.  I was relieved, thrilled even.  I had driven around after work, running errands, in sort of a funk.  I felt lonely.  I am not discussing the things that are bothering me with my friends, I am not airing them out here.  When I am not focused on the task at hand, whether its parenting or working, I am sort of lost in this fog. I want to reach out, but in many respects, I am alone in what I am going through.  For a variety of reasons, I have to be.  But I have never felt so isolated.  When I heard her voice, I felt my shoulders slump.  This woman has been my friend for 22 years.  I can talk to her.

Sadly, she wasn't calling with randomly.  It was news, and very sad news... a friend of ours from high school had passed away last night.  She is a year or so older than me, so she was 39 or 40.  She died of cirrhosis of the liver.  She leaves behind a son, friends and family, and a lifetime of sadness that she tried for years to release.  I guess we all have problems.  It sounds like those around her in the end didn't do much to save her.  Maybe we can't be saved from our own self-destruction, but I guess you would hope for more.  At least Chris was hoping for that.  She had the opportunity to say goodbye a day or so ago and wasn't happy at the state of things.  But she at least got to say goodbye.  I envy her in a way.  Usually, my friendships end as I move away or move on or get busy.  This woman was one of the two or three people in my life that I actually had a falling out with.  It was sort of weird, but even though we had this one mutual friend (probably best friend to each of this), neither of us took steps to mend fences once we broke.  I am just sort of left with this weird ache and a deep sadness at her passing.  She was my friend, someone slept over, who I partied with, shopped with, did all those things you do with your friends when you are young.  40 is too young to die.  It really is, especially when you have a young child.

After we talked about our friend, Chris asked how we were doing.  I told her about what's being going on.  She is the same friend that she has been for 22 years, unfailingly supportive.  As lost as I felt earlier, I am glad she found me at home today and I was able to talk to her.  Even though she is three thousand miles away, Chris reminded me that I am really not alone.

What Kind of World Do You Want?

Click on this Five for Fighting video to raise money for autism and raise your own awareness...

I think every parent of a child of autism is out there trying to change the world for their child.  Maybe if we could quit fighting about what causes it and make the fight how to get insurers to cover autism, we could get more done for Jimmy and kids like him. 

Yeah, yeah, yeah...

I am behind again.  Lots going on.  Jimmy's IEP meeting went well, even as his behavior is falling apart.  We are being supported, though, as he is back up to 12 hours a week for therapy.  We have respite this weekend, beneficial since we lack a regular sitter now.  Really, I am just trying to get to Friday.  I think I will provide you all with a lengthier post then.  

Bounce for Autism

First off, let me apologize for the iPhone photos.  I need to get a camera to start carrying around on a regular basis that better captures kids in motion.  The event was great.  Jimmy's therapist came, along with his teacher.  They had a fantastic time and turnout was pretty good for a Tuesday night.  Let me tell you, climbing to the top of those inflatable slides is some fantastic cardio.  Jimmy had no problem sleeping last night!!!

Why can't every night be a Bounce for Autism?

In related news, I really hope to have Jimmy's birthday there this year.  Invite my friends with kids, invite Jimmy's class, invite some of our adult friends.  It would be a blast!!!

Time for Some Clarification, Friends...

Twice in as many days, I have had friends tell me that they don't want to share their problems with me because, as one said, they seem "small and petty" by comparison. At first, I was sort of irritated, but it made me think. Here's what I came up with...

The last few years have been fairly daunting for me. I turned to blogging about my experience, partially as sort of a group response to the constant questions I got post-diagnosis regarding Jimmy and partially to vent. Of course, venting focuses on the negative, the stress and the troubles. As much as I try to write about the good stuff, if writing is your release, it doesn't work that way. I'm human - I hold on my joy tightly and try to release my pain freely. It helps me survive.

To some degree, this blog is a litany of problems that are very real to people who know me well. Everything from just the day to day stress of parenting a special needs kid (and Lordy, don't get me started about the "normal" one) to the IEPs and the revolving cast of doctors and providers to the more mundane things (albeit heartbreaking) like the death of my cat - it is one thing after another. But not each thing is a problem - it is my life. I have learned to adapt to some degree, to enjoy what I have been given. If took each problem individually and categorized it as such, I wouldn't get out of bed each morning. Who would, with that burden?

And, really, not everything is a burden. As stressful as this is, I realized I chose this. I chose to have children. Would I have chosen to have a child with autism? Certainly not. But you don't get to choose that. Your choice ends when you get pregnant. Yes, you take care of yourself and the child you carry inside of you. But beyond that pregnancy, nothing is promised to you. God gives you a child and you hope and strive for the best. It doesn't always work out that way.

I don't think life would be any less stressful if I had two "normal" kids. The challenges would be different, but they would still exist. I don't know anyone who isn't challenged by their life - jobs, families, relationships, personal demons. It's all very complicated. Everyone has problems. Those problems are just as real and important to you as anything I have got going in my life. If you are my friend, those problems are real and important to me as well. It is the nature of friendship. I don't think anyone is the perfect friend - all relationships require time, energy, and maintenance, all things I struggle with - but I always will welcome the opportunity to try.

Does this make any sense?

In memory of...

My pet and companion of almost 19 years, Buster.  She had deteriorated over the weekend, wasn't eating or walking well.  I had scheduled a visit to the vet tonight.  When I got home from Jimmy's appointment, I couldn't find her initially.  After searching, I found her, eyes sunken in, unable to walk, and breathing heavily.  I got someone to watch him and rushed her to the office.  After a cursory exam, they put her down.  

I got Buster as a kitten when I was still at home with my folks.  She has seen me through a lot in my life.  She is the first pet that I have had from beginning to end - they were either adopted in adulthood or given away in one of our many moves as a kid.  I will miss her greatly.  

Buster

Affectionally known as Miss Kitty, Buster has been part of my family for 18 years.  Sadly, I think we are going to have to take her to the vet this week.  Keep good thoughts for her.  She has been an amazing companion for many years.  I am so sad that this day will likely come this week, but I am really grateful to have had such a wonderful animal in my life.  

A Big Week

We have a big week.  Jimmy goes back to his doctor tomorrow.  With the increase in his aggressive behaviors and mood swings, I am requesting that we try Risperdal.  It's been a long time coming, but I think we are at the point where we have to try this.  I initially dismissed Risperdal years ago with the rationale that he isn't "that" autistic.  He is.  

Jacob starts play therapy this week.  I had planned to begin this a while back because of his transition issues, overall stubbornness, and the realization that having a brother like Jimmy puts a special burden on him that I am at a loss to address.  The recent trauma only increased the need for some behavioral intervention.  He starts Wednesday, though I am only going to be able to schedule these sparsely until they give me an afterschool time slot.  

We all have IEP this week as well as the Bounce for Autism, which I am really looking forward to.  And I am trying to get back into the swing at the gym, so I am going to be hopping this week.