My name is Stacey, and I am a wife and a mother of 2 adorable kiddos. My first child did not come with an instruction manual (as so many don’t), so I embarked on quite a journey to sacrifice any life I had of my own to figure out not how to fight autism, but how to conquer it. My second child, Vivienne came along at the hardest time with the biggest hurdles when Joshua was just turning 3. Juggling them as babies was the biggest challenge I could have imagined, but I embraced it. I truly believe Joshua is meant for greatness (this is one little Einstein), and I loved my job as a cosmetologist, but giving Joshua the life he deserved meant any of my career plans went on the back burner. I’d give up anything in the World at that time to help him…and I’d do it all over again.
This was suddenly becoming a widespread disorder and I kept hearing terms like “treatable, fixable, overcome able”. I decided at that time, we were not victims to this disorder. With all the success stories I had heard about, I was going to make us one of those stories. One where Joshua can say, I became an inspiration to others, not just because I’m autistic, but in spite of it.
After seeing so much progress with my son, with every tip from a therapist or “Google searching” (this is a double edged sword with some of the negative answers you will find), I became obsessed with every minute of the day trying to gear towards his progress. At first it was just with speech, but then I was learning I could help him regulate his hyperactive tendencies with occupational therapists tips at home. I completely changed our stay at home life to a very structured routine, and I had to transform my once free-spirited ways, to not only a stay at home mom…but super mom. That means you will turn into their everything, their every minute will take over your every minute. I became the speech therapist, the translator, the physical therapist, the time manager, the master of their destiny. This disorder has transformed from out of control, to not only manageable, but a blessing. Every milestone your child makes will feel like the first time they smiled at you, or the first time they walked. There are years of stories and advice I am so excited to have the opportunity to share with you. I have seen so much rain through this disorder…but I promise you, the rainbow is worth it!