What a well behaved little boy :)

Today was a big day for me as a Mom!!  For the first time ever a complete stranger complimented me a told me what a well behaved little boy I had.  I must admit I had to pause and look around and make sure that she was talking to me.  She said that she was impressed when Hayden accidentally knocked over some boxes at the store and he picked them up with out me even asking him too.  It felt so good to hear a complete stranger complete my little man.  I am so use to getting the "stink" eye from people and horrible advice on parenting.  Once Hayden and I got in the car I broke down and cried!!

I can't believe how far we have come.  Our lives have changed so much in the last year my head is still spinning!!  I wish I could take all the credit for all of Hayden's progress but I can't.  We have been blessed with amazing people that have helped our son more than I could have ever dreamed.  He goes to an amazing school that loves him for who he is, embraces his differences, and pushes him harder than any other child in his class.  The way his teachers look at him and treat him amazes me.  You can just see it in their faces how much they love him and care about him.  They want to see Hayden succeed just as much as I do.  So hear is a huge shout out to Oak Farm Montessori and especially Candy, Lori, and Nefy you are our angels and have made a huge impact on our family!!  There are many others in our support system that are amazing, I wanted to focus on his school today :)

All in all Hayden had a good check up.  We are holding off on detox for another month (some lab results are still pending) and switching up his supplements a little bit.  His food sensitivities have changed.......grrrr.  It is good and bad news. He is now sensitive to almonds.  For the life of me I don't know why this caught me off guard, but it sure did.  This is the one food that he eats every day.  He loves almond milk, almond ice cream, and almond chocolate.  I now have to transition him off almonds...joy, oh, joy.   On the bright side he can have corn, pork, strawberries, and lemon again!!!  Woot, Woot.....I am excited!!!!  I have missed strawberries greatly!! I don't think we are going to eat pork.  We don't miss it at all and it is hard to get organic.

At Hayden's appointment his doctor looked me in the eye and told me she is 99% percent sure that Hayden is going to make a full recovery!!!!  It took me a very awkward minute to process what she said. I was speechless.  I have always thought that Hayden will live a happy, fulfilling life, but to be recovered from autism fully WOW.  I believe her, she has been right on about Hayden this far.  I honestly don't think she would say with out meaning it and she has treated hundreds of autistic children.

I know that there are a lot of people out there that think what we are doing with Hayden is a hoax.  There is a slight part of me that cares what they think.  All I have to say is, "The results don't lie."  If you would have known my son at the age of 18 months and meet him now you would totally get it!!!

Autism is treatable.  There is help out there.  Every day that you wait to get treatment is a day in your child's neurological development that you can't get back!!! 

What a Week.....

This week I was able to share Hayden's story in hopes of encouraging fellow parents to get help for thier autistic children.  I had no idea how emotional this would be for me.  It forced me to really look at the past three and half years of Hayden's life.  It hurts!!  I don't know how else to say it.   It hurts to look back and think off all the red flags that were there.  The pain that Hayden was in and the absolute caos that was going on in his body.  I didn't have a clue.  I really feel like I failed him during the first two year of his life.

I am beyond greatfull that the Riley Autism Clinic had such a long waiting list and the Neurophsycologist cancled his appointment the day before it was suppose to be.  I feel that God did this to me for a reason.  He pushed me to search harder and open my eyes to "alternative" treatment for Hayden's autism.  The day the neruosphycologist cancled on us I chanled my anger into finding treatment for Hayden.  I came across the Carmel Clinic website that night at about three in the morning.  I don't know how to describe it.  While on the website everything seemed to just click and make sense to me.  I felt an amazing warmth of calm come over my body and knew that they could help us.  We had an appointment three days later and what a ride it has been :)

Hayden continues to thrive and make amazing progress daily!!  He is a blessing to all who has the oppurtunity to be a part of his life.  Our family is equally blessed to have / had the therapist, dr's, teachers, friends, and family supporting us, encouraging us, and pushing us to better ourselves.  We have the best support system.  Hayden has so many cheerleeders cheering him on and keeping him in his prayers.  I thank each and everyone of you from the bottom of my heart.

We have a long road ahead of us, but I know that Hayden is going to do amazing work with his life!!!

When I was sharing Hayden's story there was not a dry eye in the room and it was an all male camera crew.  I really want to find a way to help others in thier journey of healing thier children.  I just don't know how yet!!