What Keeps Kids Up At Night? - Ask Dr. Weil

What Keeps Kids Up At Night? - Ask Dr. Weil

Website started by alum of Roosevelt University

Website started by a fellow alum of Roosevelt University: http://specialchronicles.com/

Friend Requests

Interesting article regarding social media and ASD teens.

Friend Requests

A Heart for Mary

Below is info about a benefit for a friend of a friend:

Please help us help Mary! Mary has touched so many lives through the care she gives
animals, it is time for us to give back. Please read on for how you can help!

 

If your life or your pet’s life has not been touched by Mary Callopy, please allow me the time to tell you about Mary. Mary has been an instrument of healing in so many animals lives throughout the years her story needs to be told. Mary is a Certified Veterinary Rehabilitation Technician. She started in the Veterinary industry as a groomer and after some personal experiences with her own pets, decided to further her involvement with animal care. Mary attended Joliet Junior College to become a certified veterinary technician where she graduated with high marks. She then pursued additional training to become a licensed rehabilitation technician, and has since dedicated her life to improving the quality of life of animals with a variety of orthopedic and neurologic disease. Mary has been instrumental in re-training a plethora of animals to walk again after injury, surgery, or disease.  

  Recently Mary was at work and began to feel faint. In her traditional stubbornness, she tried to work though her discomfort, but her co-workers were concerned and called paramedics. After paramedics arrived, her conditioned rapidly worsened. Mary had a massive heart attack. Paramedics rushed her to Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn where she was resuscitated en route. Upon arrival to the hospital, Mary underwent emergency by-pass surgery. She then spent several days in cardiac intensive care. Mary has since spent a prolonged period in an extended care facility where she is re-learning how to manage day to day activities.

 

There will be a benefit entitled "A Heart for Mary" at 115 Bourbon Street in Merrionette Park, Illinois on Friday, March 22, 2013 at 7 p.m.

 

For more information "like" the Facebook page for the benefit, "A Heart for Mary Benefit."

 

:)

Story Trek

While watching an episode of “Turning Point,” I saw a commercial for “Story Trek” and DVR-ed an episode. The premise of the show is:  A random town in the United States is chosen (think pin the tail on the donkey).  The crew goes to that town and a spot on the town map is blindly pinned.  The crew then goes to this particular block/street and knocks on doors, approaches people getting out of their cars, to ask if they’d like to be interviewed.  Some people are naturally weirded out by this, but some agree to be interviewed.  They are asked basic questions about their lives – the story of how the person or their family came to live in the area, childhood stories, family stories, stories of family relationships, jobs, tragedies.  There are surprises – in one segment, a seemingly nice old lady is interviewed, in the next her daughter is interviewed and talks about how her mother abused her.  The point of the show is that everyone has a story to tell.  Everyone has something fascinating, special and/or unique about them.  Every life matters for one reason or another and every person in your life has an impact, big or small, good or bad.  I am sorry if that is corny, but I found it to be sweet in its simplicity. J

Determined Beauty Queen Doesn't Let Autism Get in Her Way | Video - ABC News

Determined Beauty Queen Doesn't Let Autism Get in Her Way | Video - ABC News

10 Subscription Box Services for Moms & Kids | workingmother.com

I may try a few of these.  Please let me know if any of you have tried any of these services and if you were happy with it or not. :)

10 Subscription Box Services for Moms & Kids | workingmother.com

Mary Ann Switalski

This is a link to the Facebook page for the missing cousin of a high school friend of mine.  I can only imagine how painful it's been for the family decade after decade, not knowing what happened.  I think keeping the story out there is important.  Hopefully the family can have closure someday.

https://www.facebook.com/maryann.switalski

Turning Point

I’ve been watching a show called “Turning Point” that airs in my area on BYU, the Brigham Young University channel.  I’m not sure why we get that channel here in Chicago, but they have several shows I enjoy.

I often do a topic search through my DVR for any programming to do with autism.  That was how I came across the show “Turning Point” and the BYU channel.  The first episode I saw was about a surfer dad of an autistic boy who started a surfing/wakeboarding experience for autistic kids.  As those of us in the autism community know, any sensory experience can trigger a breakthrough – theatre, water, music, horses, whatever may work, right?

I taped more episodes of “Turning Point.”  One recent episode was about a woman who opened a home to rescue women from prostitution and other abusive situations.  This endeavor turned into a company called Thistle Farms.  The women are trained to make bath and body products, candles and scented oils. The skills they learn there – creating beautiful things – a metaphor for how they are empowered to take their lives in a positive direction toward a better life.

The episode I saw this morning blew me away.  It’s about a product called Eagle Eyes.  The product is designed for people with severe physical limitations.  Electrodes are attached around the eyes.  Eye movements cause a computer mouse to move and click.  This enables the kids/adults to communicate in ways never before possible. The training begins with very basic computer games and eventually they are able to create sentences.   A boy showcased in the story who had the physical abilities of a three-month-old was actually able to gain his high school diploma because this technology allowed him to participate in schoolwork.

The joy in the eyes of the children and their mothers was so lovely.  Below are a few links to more information on Eagle Eyes and Thistle Farms.

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=939612

http://www.bc.edu/schools/csom/eagleeyes/

http://www.thistlefarms.org/

Family Flexibility: How To Ask Your Boss For A Flexible Schedule - Parenthood.com

This article shows a doable way to pull this off - it's very close to how I managed to go part-time.  I have set hours, but they are very flexible.  It helps that my employer is very understanding about special needs kids and how that makes our schedules volatile at times.

Family Flexibility: How To Ask Your Boss For A Flexible Schedule - Parenthood.com

Sensory Friendly Monsters Inc. at Kendall 10 in Oswego, IL

Go!

Part of this year's New Year holiday was Todd's obsession with both the "Go Diego Go" theme song and "Hold Still"(with the lyrics "wiggle wiggle wiggle go!") from Yo Gabba Gabba.

This morning, Todd pulled me out of bed and toward the kitchen for his breakfast while saying, "Go! Go!"  A few hundred YouTube views of those songs paid off!! :) Happy New Year!!

 

Fundraiser for Gigi's Playhouse at the Oak Lawn Children's Museum this Friday, 1/4/13