The Cotton Anniversary

June 22, 2010.

The day where nothing changed, yet everything did.

It’s a big date. Much like our wedding anniversary, the kid’s birthdays, or Christmas – it holds special meaning for us.

It’s the date we got the “official” diagnosis from B’s developmental pediatrician. PDD-NOS. The acronym that sent me scurrying to the Interwebz once we got home to understand exactly what was going on.

The day where we exhaled and looked at each other and knew that, no, we weren’t imagining things. That we weren’t making excuses for what was going on. That we now had something to work towards.

In the past two years, so much has happened. With the help of a growing network of teachers, therapists, and support staff B has thrived. And crashed. But, mainly thrived.

With the bumps in the road with his various aftercare settings, we have learned what works, what doesn’t work, and what will cause fireworks of the not-so-good kind.

In reaching out and meeting more people with children on the spectrum, we have learned that we are not so alone. That there are people who simply get it. Or, at the very least, try to understand.

I’ve learned about new programs and opportunities. We raised money and walked as a family. We’ve enjoyed some monumental milestones that I wasn’t sure we were going to get to.

Don’t get me wrong – there has been pain. Frustration. Screaming matches. Timeouts (not just for B). Days where I get through the workday and not sure exactly what the evening will hold. Where my own thoughts get jumbled and distorted because I cater to the demands of autism.

So, Happy Annivesary to you, autism. It’s been a bumpy ride, but we are still together.

B in June 2010. Still when he had mainly blonde hair.