By Shirley Blaier-Stein | January 22, 2012 at 08:57 AM EST |
4 comments
During the Spring of 2006, I did my testimonial at Ladies Bible Study group in front of over 100 women. The first thing that I told them was that I am an Autism Mom.
I did not set out to become an Autism Mom.
Yes, I thought I'd choose what my 'mom title' would be and it would surely be something exciting! Let's see, the possibilities were endless....Soccer Mom, Stage Mom, Stay-at-Home Mom, Cheerleader Mom, Football Mom, Working Mom, The Fun Mom.
Sure, I can still be all of those things, but Autism Mom is the title that I have identified myself with for as long as my son has had the diagnosis.
I ate, breathed, researched and did everything Autism.
From the day of that diagnosis I was an Autism Mom.
I so desperately looked for answers from 'Autism Doctors'. Sometimes I'd get them, but I soon realized that the other Autism Moms who were a few steps ahead of me had some answers.
I'd look for other Autism Moms everywhere.
Sometimes they were easy to find. There were the moms with Autism magnets on their car, in the school pick up line or in the waiting room at the therapy of the day.
Other times they were hard to find and it was a pretty lonely road. These days, I am also the Football Mom, the Jewelry Business Mom, the Christian Mom and I'd like to think of myself as the Fun Mom (not sure what my boys vote on that would be!), but Autism Mom always seems to lead the pack.
Rena, this is exactly it! You said it. While each of us has so many definitions: wife, daughter, friend, granddaughter, sister: the one definition that is the strongest for me is being an autism mom. For me it means that I am the strongest woman I could ever be. I was chosen for a task that only I can do best: heal my child.
And the way I choose to do it is what matters. I chose the happy path. I chose to walk it with my friends, the other autism moms. I know we cry together sometimes, but most of the time we laugh. Together!
I love this Rena. It's so true we always refer to each other as Autism Moms! I say it all the time...\"She gets it because she's another autim mom!\". I would say your boys would agree you are a fun mom!!
WTG Rena! And I hope you add, friend to THIS mom too:)
Thanks Shirley and Sarah! It's not an easy road, but that doesn't mean we can't have fun, humor, happiness and friendship along the way. It's nice to be understood only the way another autism mom or special needs mom can understand.