As I was combing through old files on our computer, I came across several old entries from before we started findingjackson.com, and I thought they were worth mulling over as a benchmark and reminder of where we started on our journey with jackson’s autism. This entry was written almost 2 years ago as we were getting ready to move into Oregon and find help for Jackson.
“Stones of Remembrance
“We were preparing to move and the girls were selecting the best of the best from their rock collection remarking over each red speckle, green stripe, and sparkely lump that made the paring down process virtually impossible. With a sigh and a smile I turned over several of my own stones of rememberance found the last two years in California. I remember when we were seeking the Lord about our move from Texas to California.
“We were at a real crossing point, and we needed confirmation before making such a radical move. In my daily reading, I had come to Joshua 1, where God is encouraging Joshua as the next leader of Israel with the words, “Be strong and very courageous, I am with you.” Later that day, Jason mentioned that a student had handed him a note after class. He’d forgotten all about it until he found the paper in his shirt pocket while sitting in church. The scripture referenced the same portion I had just read. Okay, that got my attention! We were on the right track, but what did we need to be strong and very courageous for???
“I wasn’t sure I wanted to know. Here we are, not quite two years later, and I can see how much the Lord was gracing us with His courage, His strength, and His awesome peace. Three months after we moved, my Dad went home to dance with Jesus, our 4th child, Samuel, was born with a hole in his heart requiring open heart surgery at 6 months. One month later, our third child, Jack, was diagnosed with autism.
“Now looking back on this intense period, I can see that God supplied the strength and the courage to carry us through. We have been bathed in the prayers of hundreds of family and friends of friends. Samuel’s completely recovered. Surgery couldn’t have gone better. The Surgeon patched the hole, removed blockage in the pulmonary artery, and completely rebuilt a valve using Sam’s own tissue. Later, the technician running the echocardiogram had to ask the cardiologist which valve had been rebuild; it was indistinguishable. Our hearts are so thankful.”
Wow! What an intense, rocky period in our lives: the hardest we’ve faced so far. We’ve come farther in the last two years than I even knew was possible. Of course, we hoped for an instantaneous miraculous recovery, and we are far from it, but Jackson likes us, is talking, is following directions (most of the time, unless he doesn’t want to!), and is showing that he understands us most of the time. We have learned so much in giving him processing time, using strategies to get language and communication out of him, and understanding better how to teach him to be more independent. I’m thankful that seasons change, and we know Jack has a future and a hope because God is with us. He breathes hope into us day by day, and from one moment to the next pours strength into us. We can be strong and courageous, because we are not facing this alone.
What a lovely and powerful reminder to consider – and reconsider – the stones of remembrance in our lives. It is precious to read your recounting of the hardships and blessings of life, and see how Jackson is growing – and growing well – and how far your family has come. Thank you for sharing.
I just stumbled upon your blog and after reading this first post I landed on I am looking forward to digging in an learning more of your family’s journey – especially as Jackson has developed over the past 2 years. As a fellow Christian, with 3 boys on the spectrum, I can assure you that nothing…absolutely nothing happens in the lives of His people without first His blessing. He provides us adversity in life to forge our character to His plan and purpose. Because He loves us he never gives us anything we can’t handle.
God bless you for your testimony. I am eager to read more!
In Christ and in Advocacy,
Mike Barrett
I wanted to let you know about something we discovered when my third son developed a sudden onset of Tourette’s at age 9. He is now 16 and completely free of symptoms. His neurologic symptoms were a complication of the common strep virus. Please look on Facebook or research PANDAS (pediatric autoimmune neurologic diseases associated with strep) and PITAND (Pediatric Infection Triggered Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders). There is sometimes a connection between strep and autism symptoms. The regression symptoms are very telling. the complications of strep which cause neurologic symptoms are very sudden and sometimes parents can give a date and time of when the symptoms began.
I ran across your website just surfing the net and thought you might be interested. Your son may have had a strep infection without any overt symptoms. My son had no fever, no complaints of sore throat, no rash, etc. Yet when we took him to his doctor with the sudden neurologic tic symptoms when the doctor examined his ears and throat he was diagnosed with strep! At the very least, get some blood testing done such as a strep titer. An MRI of the brain will not show the damage strep has done.
God bless you in your fight to help your son.
Sherry Mayer