“Sometimes, people start to treat me differently, because they think I’m not paying attention,” she said. “Or [they don’t] understand some of the things that I do, like hand-flapping, when I’m overwhelmed.” --Xolie Morra Cogley, age 37, and owner of a dog grooming business who describes herself as “an autistic woman…
Autism PonderingsHe is a flighty bird.This bird of mine.He doesn’t seem to know how to copeEven when he’s not caged. Go, I say.This is your free time to fly. My bird shoots up to the ceiling,And then takes a sharp left,Squawking as he darts down,Dangerously low. Please Stop, my sweet bird.This isn’t safe.Why…
What is autism?Explaining autism takes more than a sentence or two. It feels complicated. How does one explain it in a way that truly encapsulates the symptoms and varied external behaviors associated with this spectrum disorder?Will the reader or listener be able to understand what it is like to have…
“Does the tooth fairy collect dog teeth?” Brady asks me as I help direct our 5-month-old goldendoodle, Obie, up the hill towards the elementary school. As we stroll together, we walk closer to the “in-person” classroom where Brady will spend the day learning virtually. The reality is that he is…
It’s 3:00 pm on a weekend afternoon in Autumn. I drove my three boys to a skateboard park we’ve been to before. As we approach the skateboarding ramps, we notice a 16-year-old boy who happens to be our neighbor. “Carlos!!” Brady shouts out. Carlos looks up, nods but keeps his…
“He jumps down the stairs. He never walks or prances down our stairs. No. He thumps and jumps down the last few stairs every time,” I tell the pediatrician who has asked me what Brady does for fun inside our home. I’m sure the doctor wasn’t expecting my candid response. …
Brady was a fireman in 2017; after that Halloween, he became creative with his costume designs. “What are you going to be for Halloween this year, Brady?” his psychiatrist asks at the very end of his appointment on a mid-October day.He doesn’t answer. He’s squatted on the floor creating a…
I’m climbing into the back of my minivan so I can help my four children get buckled. I have a four-year-old, a three-year-old, an almost 2-year-old and a newborn. I tell myself you can do this. Indeed, we are almost ready to go. Before this car buckling scene, I’m helping…
It’s quiet and dark but it’s GO time. My oldest is now in middle school and that means we get up while everyone else is still sleeping. At 6:40am, Reagan and I walk out the door to head to the bus stop. The brisk morning air hugs our faces. I…
The door leading out to the garage opens. I know who is coming in. It’s Brady, my beautifully unique and incredibly challenging autistic child. At times, he moves like a reckless elephant. I can tell you if it is Brady coming down the stairs or not. He moves with speed…
