Let's be real about stress!

Hi all,

I am writing today because you need to know that with Autism, the stress truly never goes away.  So many have said it will get easier.  Sometimes it does and honestly, sometimes it gets even harder.  In my last post, I shared how school has gotten better for JB but then, there are other things.  You see, my son escaped this week.  He literally escaped the house.  There are many things that run through one's mind when this kind of thing happens.....

First, it's panic.  Panic and worry.  Where did he go?  Will he be able to handle himself?  What if someone takes him?  Will he remember our address, even though we have practiced it 500 times? Will our neighbors, who all know the situation, come through for us?   It's so scary. 

Second, I feel like I cannot leave JB for a second.  It's so silly to say that but honestly, my husband and I were trying to have a quick, private conversation.....JB ran knowing we were out of sight.  It's almost like there is some manipulation there.....I hate saying that but he does know what he is doing, some of the time!  Maybe even most of the time.  Who knows....the Autism brain is so hard to figure out.  And that's obvious since there is no cure!

So....I bet you are wondering what happened.  Well, my husband and I opened the garage and ran.  We were screaming his name.  Turns out he ran back through our front door when he heard us coming.  In the meantime, I was bawling my eyes out screaming for him.  Our daughter came out yelling he was back home....it only lasted a few minutes but it felt like forever!  That adrenaline, the heart just pumping!  Stress!

You see, with Autism....stress never leaves.  The worry is always gonna be there.  Always, ALWAYS!  We do the best we can to problem solve.  In fact, we are thinking about a service dog for JB.  But that is a cost beyond belief.....hard on us folks. 

Look, with Autism, you have to always be on your toes.  You have to be ready for whatever comes!  Because every single day is different.  Some are easy, some are hard.  The stress you see....never leaves.  It's tough on all family members.  But we manage because we have to.  This is Autism.

TTFN
Martha