Tag Archives: Advocacy

Medicate or Not?
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Posted on April 19, 2018 by

Somehow in my long journey dealing with autism, I became comfortable with the concept of treating my daughter like a guinea pig of sorts. Comfortable might not be the correct word. I’ve accepted that neither Katie nor I have any … Continue reading →

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Letting Go of Practicality
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Posted on March 22, 2018 by

One of the coolest things about Christopher, my new boyfriend, is that he never tells me to think smaller or be more—dare I say it—practical. He calmly nods and says, “Yes, you can do that.” So when I told him … Continue reading →

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More Cha…cha…changes, Part 2
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Posted on February 22, 2018 by

After an 18-month lapse in services and an autistic child in the throes of puberty, I was eager for a fresh start, behaviorally speaking. But my struggle to re-secure applied behavioral analysis (ABA) therapy for my daughter, Katie, hadn’t exactly … Continue reading →

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More Cha…cha…changes, Part 1
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Posted on February 15, 2018 by

While Christopher and I were settling into our new relationship, I had a tough decision to make. After fighting for 18 months to secure applied behavioral analysis (ABA) therapy for my daughter, Katie, I was now struggling with how to … Continue reading →

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Transportation Woes, Part 6
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Posted on October 19, 2017 by

My daughter Katie was quiet and subdued for the next two days. She slept on and off, which was odd given she wasn’t sick. If I needed further reason to fire the taxi company, they were a no show Tuesday … Continue reading →

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Transportation Woes, Part 5
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Posted on October 12, 2017 by

As promised, Officer S waited with the parked cab until Melissa arrived. My daughter was still locked in the back of the taxi. Katie was lying face down on the back seat, head pressed against the door. Officer S said … Continue reading →

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Transportation Woes, Part 4
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Posted on September 28, 2017 by

I will never know exactly what happened on the drive home from Open Mind School’s new location in Menlo Park. I know the driver, Mari, showed up 30 minutes late with a window taped shut. It took 45 minutes for … Continue reading →

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Transportation Woes, Part 3
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Posted on September 21, 2017 by

The following week, school was closed as Open Mind School (OMS) moved from Redwood City to Menlo Park. There were a few days of makeshift classes, but without a sensory gym, I didn’t think Katie would fare well, so I … Continue reading →

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Transportation Woes, Part 2
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Posted on September 14, 2017 by

No surprise, the taxi driver had problems on the bridge, which frankly, serves him right for waiting in the cash line. I wondered if this had been an issue in the past. Whenever my daughter had a problem, it usually … Continue reading →

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Transportation Woes, Part 1
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Posted on September 7, 2017 by

Open Mind School (OMS), the wonderful, magical place that embraced my daughter Katie last fall after years of struggle to find her an appropriate educational placement, is MOVING! The long awaited move to Menlo Park is finally happening—or will once … Continue reading →

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