Temple Grandin

I finally got to watch the movie... I have to say that for a long time I said I did want to see it, but again i didn't...
You see, Gabby is in between, we are not a right fit for the Down Syndrome groups... or the Autistic ones.. although more and more I find us relating more and more into the Autistic world...
Watching the movie gave me some hope.
I really haven't put a lot of though on the future for Gabby. It is very overwhelming as it is right now, enough to just focus on our present and figure out how to make it work today, this week, and plan just a week ahead, next month... enough to plan her next year IEP, small things... But her future?? what will she do when she is a teen? an adult? what will her life be like? what kind of job will she have? hobbies? interests? friends??
I really have a hard time setting my mind into thinking about that. Not an easy task. Yet I saw this woman having an amazing life in her own way, tons of struggle with the society who cant understand what life for an autistic person is like... and here I have Gabby... who is more particular that most... but with the same challenges (or more maybe) than Temple....
But then, I saw something great... Mom related to her sister, her teachers, and never gave up... I watched a second time the movie, but with the comments from Temple herself and other production people... the one thing she said was.. My mother pushed me... she made me keep going.. we cant just let our kids stay without a change...

and I just came back from yet another meeting at her school, asking for better services, for things I know she can do. for things I know she needs and just needs guidance in order to achieve..
My daugther might never be like Temple... but she will be GABBY... herself and no one else. but it is my job to push her.. and never let her fall behind.
I have a wonderful husband who has been there supporting me on this, keeping me calm when things go insane.
He might not be at her therapies but he is there when I need him to be.

It does take a village...... but we will make it work...

Dia de las madres...

Que rico... que delicia poder decir.. soy mama...
En verdad doy gracias a Dios por esta bendicion tan grande.... No fue facil.. no fue nada facil poder tener este tesoro en mis manos... ni es facil trabajar con dos diagnosticos que son complicados... y es mas dificil todavia cuando la gente a nuestro alrededor es ignorante de la situacion.
Pero cuando tu vida es complicada como la mia,.. te olvidas de esa ignorancia y te enfocas en lo positivo. Te encuentras en otro mundo donde todo es distinto donde mi atencion esta total y absolutamente enfocada a esos pasitos de caracol que tiene mi nena....

Hoy tuvimos uno .... Ya he mencionado que usa una tableta para comunicarse... (una maravilla si me preguntas) y fuimos a festejar el dia de la mama al lugar que ella prefiere.. :Cravings" que es comida americana y helados....
al terminar de comer sus chicken nuggets y sus papitas fritas ... le pregunte si quiere helado.. y contesto que si.. (duuuuhhh pues claro.. si siempre esa es la intencion!!)
Pues mama que nunca termina de tener un dia de terapia.. dijo.. ok si quieres helado tienes que pedirselo a "Daniel" que es el dueno del lugar y siempre nos atiende...

Gabby no queria.. no se si por pena (lo dudo) o porque ya me lo pidio a mi y espera respuesta de mama.... pues despues de varios intentos y su negativa le pedi a Dan que viniera a la mesa para que Gabby le pidiera su helado.... Y Dan vino....
Gabby enseguida escribio en su tableta sin dudar un instante" I WANT TO EAT SOFT ICE CREAM PLEASE".......... mama tuvo lagrimas en los ojos.... Pidio un helado SOLA....
Dan inmediatamente le trajo su helado y ella tuvo una sonrisa en los labios....

Entonces... cuando mi vida es tan distinta... pequenos gigantes pasos son los unicos que me recuerdan que aun en este caos mi vida es increible, es perfecta y la disfruto minuto a minuto...

ese helado fue el mas delicioso que hemos comido... y no fue necesario que diga Feliz dia mami... porque en mi corazon yo soy feliz.....