Amazing Week!

This post has been copied from our "Care Page"
Posted Mar 15, 2011 3:21pm


I have meet some really amazing friends through a very special hobby. You have to read this whole update to see just what these amazing friends are willing to do for us! On March 8th I had a meeting with Brady's development team. As you all know, Brady was diagnosed at 2 and 1/2 years old with Autism. Brady is almost 4 now and still is unable to speak. At this meeting one of his therapists suggested getting Brady an i pad. She said there are MANY MANY apps out there designed specifically for kids with autism, to help them overcome their disabilities. One of the apps suggested would help Brady speak, as long as he can not. The app is very similar to a Dyna Vox but rather then costing $4-5000 like the Dyna Vox...the apps for speech are around $150-200. AND the i pad would serve multiple purposes rather then just communication. There are apps out there that will help exercise his little brain and hopefully get him caught up to his peers by the time he is ready for mainstream schooling.
Some of you might be aware of a little hobby of mine...digital scrapbooking! Well shortly after I lost my mom in February of 2008 I found this new world of digital scrapbooking. It could not have been more perfect. Mom was and amazing artist...and me? Well, not so much. BUT I have met some really sweet women who also have a passion for digital scrapbooking. Through them I have learned to channel what little creativity I do have into a medium that I feel I have gotten pretty good at! It started as a way for me to honor and feel closer to my mom who I lost way too early at the age of only 53 to breast cancer. Now this has evolved into something new and VERY SPECIAL!! When I did a little net surfing and found out that some of the apps Brady would need were in the range of $150-$200, not to mention what an i pad costs, so, I decided I was going to make a digital scrapbooking kit, an autism awareness kit, for Brady...to help him get these tools no matter what! I mentioned my plans to a couple of my design friends and BOOM!!! This little idea of mine has blossomed into something COMPLETELY AMAZING!! I have a list of nearly 20 design artists who have jumped at the chance to donate their time and talent to helping Brady get what he needs!! AND the list keeps growing!!! In the last week I have been completely overwhelmed, and brought to tears on more then one occasion, with all the generosity that has been displayed from women, some half way around the world, who have stepped up to help. It truly has been an AMAZING week!
On am more progressive note...
Brady has continued to learn sign language. He now has the following signs that he uses fairly regularly:
Cookie, Candy, Cracker, Wagon, Swing, Movie, Eat, Drink, Please, Cereal, Help, Mommy, and Daddy.
We are also working really hard on potty training...but as you can imagine this is difficult to teach when he does not understand simple verbal commands. It started as a chance trial run. We had been putting him on the potty frequently and giving him mini m&m's just to get him used to sitting on the potty...and one day, he went! Well everyone was so excited and he got so many treats that now it has turned into a more regular occurrence! (He had been working on this at the Autism Center too, and had gone a few times there, but the first time at home...we were so thrilled!) No BM's on the potty yet...but it will come. We still believe that once we break through that language barrier...his world will open up and honestly he will be just fine. But we just have not found the key that unlocks that door...YET! He will always have autism...we know that. It is part of WHO he is...in fact both Steve, and I feel that it is that part of him that has made him SOOOO Special to us!
EVERYTHING happens for a reason!
If you are interested, you will be able to buy this special scrapbooking kit by visiting my blog at 4mybabiesscraps.blogspot.com as of April 2nd. But come by the blog now and click on "Hope For Brady" at the top on the LEFT hand side of the blog, and you will see what some designers have already donated!! April 2nd is WORLD autism awareness day, and will be the day we will release for sale this very special project in honor of BRADY!! If you have never digi scrapped before...don't worry a couple of my friends are even making up tutorials on how to get started in this very rewarding pass time! See you soon!

Disclaimer: The information on this blog is NOT intended to take the place of diagnosis and treatment by a qualified licensed healthcare provider. Any recommendations are for educational purposes only and are believed to be effective. However, since USE of any information provided herein by others is beyond the control of Michelle Bacon, RN, no expressed or implied guarantee as to the effectiveness of this information can be given nor liability taken.