Just Josiah J. -Autism Adventures: Roller Coaster Week

This week has been so full of ups and downs. Monday we had to go off schedual and go to a GI apt when we would normally be swimming. This was fine in the beginning because he loved playing with the frog in the waiting room. Then waiting for the dr was not so great. He did not sit still to get weighed and was 20lbs 8oz (daddy had to hop on scale get 0ed out and then hold him). He was measured at 21.5in long. We were just thinking yay, you gained some weight. Well, the new GI who is just a PA comes in and says: well, he is failure to thrive. This was just about the first thing to come out of her mouth, other then hi nice to meet you I am so and so. She is not familiar with Josiah's weight and last time he was measure there was over 3 months ago. Well, during the time there she discussed his poop, which is normal, his energy which was apparently normal, his strength which astounded her (he was pushing her around the room while she just sat in the round wheeled dr's chair), and then she also gave us a list of "super foods". The only thing super about the foods on this list for the most part is calories. There was margarine, ice cream, heavy cream, PB, eggs, cream cheese, cheese, and yogurt of what I cam remember off the top of my head. Josiah gets PB, cream cheese, and eggs already daily. I do not feel good about fitting some of the other items into his daily eating habits or he will not eat it. Josiah normally does not eat yogurt, but one time this week I got him to eat a whole 5.3oz container of greek yogurt now that was a great thing. The GI other then getting in our face and saying his bones and brain are not going to develop at this rate and then telling us she was not trying to scare us but it was serious, she also told me that breastfeeding had no caloric value at his age and that I should just quit, go down to one time a day, then wrote on the paper for check out that I should cut him down to twice a day and only 12oz of water. The next day hubby talked to his therapists and I put a call into his ped. She very much disagreed with the failure to thrive and said he has always been slow to gain and slower lately then in the past but she would never mark him as failure to thrive and suggested we call her superior to say that her plan will not fit us. She seemed to ignore the fact that he could/will not eat certain things due to texture. She asked who diagnosed his autism and then stated that he did not have autism since he was diagnosed with PDD-NOS. She also said that gluten allergy only shows signs through a rash and nothing else is a sign of having that allergy! You would think a GI would have knowledge on allergies! The phone call to his pediatrician made me feel a bit better. His ped agreed that we could use some help with his eating, since she knows it is not behavioral for why he eats when he eats and how much he eats but probably more the lack of feeling hungry. She again put a referral to a nutritionist and trying to get us into some feeding program. The GI put into referral a swallow study. If it goes anything like last time Josiah is going to refuse the barium and he is going to have a tube put down his nose to go to his stomach. Most of the week Josiah has been a little stinker when it comes to swimming. He will go for the wall like he is supposed to figure it is too far and turn around and come back to me. He has not wanted to float and only wants to stick his head to the side to get a quick breath before continuing to swim. He also decided to do a wash machine looking move where he sticks his head up and spins around instead of just relaxing and going into float. Thursday was my last day of pottery. It was nice to get all of the items to take home, so I can get them too who I made them for or put them around the house. I made Mikey Mouse for LM's birthday, a fish for him, a heart shaped top with round container for Jason for our anniversary, a fish for his instructor, a fish for his friend's 2nd birthday, a couple of autism awareness things, a really cool water fall, and a few other things. There are some pictures after all the writing. Saturday is Josiah's friend's birthday party and then the following Sat he will have his birthday party. Monday, Josiah will be visiting Michael again to see if he he does the same things with him as he does mommy. We seen him today to give him his present. The power was out in the area and we were going to head home, but Josiah started to yell Michael, Michael and crying because before he went to sleep we had told him we were going to go see Michael and when he woke up and we were not there he was not happy. So, after getting what we needed at Walgreen's we headed that way (we were going to grab stuff at walmart, but no power). Next week should be interesting since LM does not have therapy on Th or Fri and the pool is closed on Th. Jason and I are hoping we can find another pool to take a dip in Th otherwise we might have a melt down. Sitting with Josiah right now waiting for Jason to get off of work in a half hour (then a 45min drive home). We are singing to songs on youtube and chatting to people on FB. Hubby and I had a conversation today about the thought of becoming an ISR instructor for myself. My field of study is early childhood education already (birth through age 8-kids being taught swimming are 6m-6y) and I love children to be safe in all areas (care seat safety, water safety among many other things). When I get a job it is more than likely going to be a seasonal position with summer's off and so it might be a possibility for our family someday. Just not sure. Right now LM needs so much one on one it is not possible, but it is in the future side notes. If it does not happen it was not meant to be and not the end of the world, but if it does happen it would be nice for the families in the area to have one more instructor so more kids can learn how to swim by this amazing program.