I am sitting here reflecting on 2013 and I can't help but to get chocked up. This year was filled with so many ups and downs. January Brendan got to go to the snow for the first time. He then went to his first Giants spring training game in February. In March Brendan got his "at risk of autism" diagnoses at 10 months. In April he began therapy. Brendan went from learning to crawl at the beginning of April to pretty much running 2 weeks later. He turn 1 in May with his Mickey Mouse party. On June 17th my husbands birthday Brendan got his official," Autism Spectrum Disorder" diagnoses. We spent the summer fighting with state for Brendan to get services. We got to go to Iowa in July where Brendan got to ride his first tracker. In September we went Disneyland, California Adventure and the beach. Brendan got to meet his favorite person Mickey Mouse. Also in September he started the Jump Start program at SARCC as well as ABA therapy. Which both of those programs got him to say his first couple words. October we participated in our first annual "Team Brendan" walk for Autism Speaks. For Halloween he dressed up as a dalmatian. In the beginning of December Brendan story was featured on channel 15 news for "Operation Santa"with saarc. Then santa came and Brendan and Haley got a new backyard with a play set and a big trampoline. Brendan pretty much lives in the trampoline. He loves it!
Now that I have reminisced about 2013 we are now in full swing in 2014. This was one year that I actually didn't want to get started. I know what is about to come and I am terrified and overwhelmed thinking about it. First thing I must do is get my 2 appeals into the state by January 15th. I have my speech therapy appeal and my occupational therapy appeal. I spent close to 12 hours just writing my speech appeal and about 6 hours on my occupational appeal. But Monday morning they were mailed out certified mail. They have 30 days to get a decision to me. However if they don't give me the hours of therapy I am asking for then we will head to court where a judge will decide Brendan's fate. I hope that the countless hours of research and money we spent to get new evaluations pays off.
The next focus is on Brendan's hab M program. We have been on a wait list for a couple months at AZA United waiting for there to be a hab M therapist. At the end of December I got a calling saying that he was going to start the program in January. I will explain how this program works. Brendan will be getting a 2 year 40+ hour a week very intense program. It is structured very much like his aba (applied behavior analysis) therapy. The hab M (someone with a masters degree) person is actually the person who puts his program together for him. He will only see this person 1-2 times a month. Then there is a hab b (person with a bachelors degree) and they will come see Brendan about 2-4 times a month. The hab b will make sure that the hab girls are doing what they are supposed to do. So then you have your hab workers who are actually the ones that spend the 40 hours a week with your child following the hab M program they have given your child. The hard part is you are really responsible to find your own hab workers. Well this was super hard, but I ended up interviewing a bunch of girls over the holiday season and I have hired 3 girls to split the 40 hours of therapy each week. Brendan had his hab M evaluation last week so now I have to wait for the state to approve the 40 hours a week before we can have them work that much. However they are starting off with about 25 hours a week with Brendan so they can get to know him and so he can get used to them. Right now we are doing about 30 hours a week of therapy. This has been an adjustment for us. I will have someone in my house 6 days a week from about 8am to 7pm doing therapy with Brendan. I just have to remember that this is all going to help him and it will all be worth it. I am actually now getting excited for this program to start. I day dream all the time of Brendan just one day starting talk to me and I also dream of him showing emotion and coming up and giving me a big hug and kiss. I have no idea what the future holds for him but I know that I have big hopes and dreams for him.
Brendan is so obsessed with the IPad. It honestly amazes me that a 20 month old can work the iPad the way he does. His therapist really encourage him to use it as often as he can. So my iPad no longer belongs to me, Brendan has taken it over.
