Creating #Autism Awareness and Providing Support Through Honestly and Android
Posts tagged special needs
Stealing from a special needs family: update 7
15 days ago
by Lost and Tired
in Autism
Well, the final numbers are in and producing the receipts for the repairs has yielded a whopping $200 extra. I gave them $6600 in receipts from the past 12 months and they gave me $200.
I guess $200 is $ 200…..right?
I’m currently working with Downtown Ford to finance a 2004 Freestar. We have a good amount to put down but that will completely tap us out.
The problem is I don’t see any other option at this point. I absolutely do not want to finance anything. That is the worst thing we could do right now but there aren’t many options.
This is quite frustrating that we are forced into this position because some jackass and his friend decided to steal our family van.
Some people just don’t care how their actions will affect others……
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Stealing From A Special Needs Family: update 5
41 week ago
by Lost and Tired
in Autism
Total loss. That is the final verdict and the unavoidable fake of the Lost and Tired family van.
The updated estimate came back this evening and was in the neighborhood of $3700. Keep in mind that the idiots that stole the van only had it for about 2 hours. I haven’t quite decided if this is a good thing or not. It’s bad for obvious reasons. However, depending on what the settlement ends up being, it could be a step in the right direction.
I produced all the receipts for repair work we have had completed on the van in the past 12 months alone. The receipts totaled out to $6,610. They said they will take that into account and give me a number some time tomorrow.
Hopefully, it’s enough to go car shopping.
I have decided not to be angry anymore about this. The boys are worried enough and they can pick up on my emotions.. If I can take a positive approach to this whole mess then the boys will hopefully absorb some of that positiveness as well.
Lead by example. That’s what I’m choosing to do with this.
**Thanks for reading**-Lost and Tired
Stealing from a special needs family: update 2
42 weeks ago
by Lost and Tired
in Autism
We received a rental car and can use it until the van thing is settled, which should be next week.
I very specifically requested a van but instead got a brand new Lincoln Town Card Limited. Are you kidding me?
What part of 3 special needs kids don’t they get?
I don’t even want to sit in this thing. I don’t even want it parked outside of my house. If they were willing to steal our crappy van, I doubt they’ll hesitate to go after this.
I’m totally grateful for the rental and don’t mean to sound otherwise but really?
They apparently were out of more appropriate transportation, so this is what we get.
Sigh…..
Posted from WordPress for Android
**Thanks for reading**-Lost and Tired
The road of life
22 weeks ago
by Lost and Tired
in Autism
Sometimes it’s easy to get swept up by the raging tides and forget about just how beautiful the ocean can be. The same thing cannot be said about Autism.
In my own personal situation with the Lost and Tired family, I find myself failing to see the beauty behind the challenge.
It’s so easy for me to get overwhelmed by all the challenges we face, day in and day out. Honestly, the weight or responsibility and be absolutely crushing at times.
So many times, I’m asked how I manage.
I never really know what to say to that question. In truth, I really don’t know.
However, after thinking about this for some time, I have come to have a better understanding of how and why I keep going.
While the challenges facing the Lost and Tired family may be different than yours, the driving force behind behind our seemingly never ending strength is, I think, the same as many of yours.
As a parent to 3 special needs boys, I never imagined the challenges I would face while traveling the road of life with my family.
This road has many twists and turns as well as blind corners. These blind corners are some of the toughest to cope with because many times all you have if faith that you’ll safely navigate your family through.
It’s true that all three of my boys are in the Autism Spectrum. It’s true that some of our boys are dealing with other health issues, some minor, while others are more serious. It’s also true that we struggle with behavioral issues just about every single day.
It seems like we are always, either going to or coming from an appointment or therapy session.
It’s exhausting, overwhelming and demoralizing at times.
With all that said, there is something else you need to know a out my boys. Despite the challenges associated with raising them, they never cease to amaze me.
My boys are intelligent, loving, compassionate, creative, generous, courageous, brave, courteous, inventive, genuine, inspiring and most importantly, well worth the effort that goes into helping them to navigate the road of life.
I think that’s why I keep going.
As to the how, I really don’t have a solid answer for that. I just think that when it comes to my children, I will cross raging ocean waters and climb the highest of mountains for them. I’ll fight anyone or anything that gets in their way.
My wife taught me, that no matter what the odds, you never give up. She is the glue that holds the Lost and Tired family together much of the time.
I’m not really that different than anyone else.
I get overwhelmed, beaten down, demoralized and sometimes even want to give up. Lost and Tired is a way to basically sum up how I feel much of the time.
As special needs parents, I think we’re all hero’s, maybe not the conventional type. However, when the rest of the world would have given up, we keep pushing forward and never give up on our precious little angels. We are absolutely hero’s to our children.
I think it’s very important that we never lose sight of that.
Just because I choose to write about my adventures doesn’t make me any more amazing than you.
My hat’s off to all of you…..
Cheers.
Posted from WordPress for Android
Commitment
21 month ago
by Lost and Tired
in Autism
I’m currently sitting at therapy with Gavin. He has OT, PT and speech therapy today, back to back to back.
Every Monday, I sit here for at least 1.5 hours while he received the therapy he needs. I’m so grateful that he has this but honestly, it gets old after awhile and the time just sorta drags on and on.
Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s, Emmett has the very same back to back to back therapy sessions.
By the time it’s all said and done, I spend over 5 hours in therapy with the boys and that does not include when Elliott starts. It also doesn’t include the other therapies and doctors appointments through out the week.
I figured that many others out there do similar things and so I thought I could help give a bit of perspective to those out there are not walking the special needs journey, but knows someone that is.
Special needs parenting is a huge commitment and is very, very time consuming.
This week alone, I’ll spend about 10+ hours at doctors and other various therapies for my boys. Believe it or not but some parents actually spend more time than that and some spend less.
This is actually a slower week for the Lost and Tired family but we will make up for in the weeks to come.
This is also just one small aspect of special needs parenting. It’s one small piece to a much larger picture. However, I’m hoping to shed some light on just a small part of the commitment, we as special needs parents make for the kids we love more than anything else in the world.
Posted from WordPress for Android
**Thanks for reading**-Lost and Tired
How do you know?
21 month ago
by Lost and Tired
in Autism
I’ve been a special needs parent for almost 11 years now. In all this time I have learned so much, not only about my kids, but also about myself.
I could say that special needs parenting is such a pleasure and just so rewarding. The problem with that is that it’s simply not true, at least for me and my experience. While it’s true that special needs parenting can be rewarding, in my experience, it’s also tedious, overwhelming, exhausting as well as financially and emotionally draining.
My experience raising three boys in different places on the Autism Spectrum, has been one of great challenge.
I often find myself constantly putting out fires as apposed to actually making forward progress.
I was thinking today about why that is, and I think I have figured out some of the problem, at least as far as the Lost and Tired family is concerned.
I think the problem for me is that there is often no clear cut right or wrong. When we arrive at a problem on this journey (which we so often do), there is nothing, to tell me how to proceed. Many of the problems we encounter, revolve around health or behavioral issues with my wife and kids.
With the health and behavioral issues, there is never a definitive right or wrong approach, at least not an obvious one. Most of what I do is guess work, based on past experience. Sometimes it works out and other times it doesn’t.
The very nature of Autism, is one of profound dynamics. Meaning that, at least in our case, things are always changing. What works to manage a meltdown today, may not work tomorrow. Along the same lines, something that works with one child, more often than not, only works on that child.
The biggest questions I’m left with is, How do you know.....anything for that matter?
Attempting to navigate this treacherous road is often like trying to hit a moving target while blindfolded. It’s not easy and so often feels down right impossible.
With my children, the only thing that is consistent, is inconsistency. Trying to predict behaviors or reactions is extremely difficult and is likely why I have such a horrible track record of behavioral predictions with my unique kids.
When faced with these challenging situations, how are you supposed to know what the heck to do?
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