Criscollrj’s Blog (2003-present)

autism, chris, sleep

Overnights —

101_0016Actually took this picture at dusk in December, but it was a neat example of darkness outside and how I captured it with my new camera at the time.

But overnight, such a peaceful time.  You want everything dark, and quiet, and to sleep solidly and restfully.  And you want that comfort and peace and routine for your children.

I don’t understand why many children with autism cannot sleep at night.  Chris is up now, it is 2:45 a.m.  We thought he would be up – he has this weird giggle that starts about 5 or 6 p.m. on nights that he won’t sleep, and strangely enough, like the beginning before they say “Wipeout” in that famous song.  Whenever he makes that giggle Rog and I look at each other and usually say, “Wipeout,” and then say, or think, “Up all night.”

 

I am glad when he stays up all night at our house, as that means the next night when he’s at Rog’s mom’s and dad’s, back with him staying there too, with him, he should sleep.  We all need to share the care.  I just wish I knew why he doesn’t sleep.  We have tried about 20 different medicines, many of which make all people sleep all of the time, seemingly.  But not Chris.  He is on melatonin but it doesn’t so anything – – – Clonidine worked for 6 years but wore off – we tried it again but it didn’t work.  Geodon worked for about 3 years, then wore off.  Those were the only two meds that ever worked.

http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/helping-your-child-with-autism-get-a-good-nights-sleep?page=2 may help some individuals who can’t sleep with autism.  Hmm.  I hadn’t heard of the ending item, bright-light therapy.  Maybe something to bring up as another treatment?

 

birthdays, chris, colleen, speech delay

17 years ago – Colleen’s birth

colleenbaby

 

Yes, another birthday today!  Amazing how fast it all goes.

 

Was just reviewing some entries from my journal from back then – actually 5-12-94:

 

“First things first, I’m 2 cm dilated (as of last Friday) and am working only one more week.  I’m ready to enjoy this summer off with my children.  It will be beautiful.  I know I will be tired and frustrated sometimes, with a new baby, more work, less sleep, Chris’s reaction, Chris’s speech delay, worry over finances.  Financially we are feeling pretty secure right now, but I have only eight more weeks of pay coming.  We must be very careful.  We’ve not charged anything since February/March except for my car repair.

“We are praying earnestly for Chris’s speech.  He still adds another word (some of past, some new) every one to two weeks.  But it’s trying how slow it goes.  He said “baby” at school yesterday, but didn’t say anything today.  I will list in a little while all his words as of now.  Praise God for them!  In January he had none.  Here are his words:

“January – present, 35 words:  Bye-bye, hi, waffle, see ya later, all done, night night, no, juice, come here, Ma Ma, Pa Pa, Mommy, Daddy, Baby, Bear, Big Bird, lay down, sit down, ears, nose, shoes, socks, binky, hot, cold, yogurt, ice cream, truck, up, binky night-night, car seat, thank you, cracker, horn, beep beep,

“Plus, one time he said to mama, “Now, where did they go?”  Now we ache to hear him speak several words daily, and to answer questions, and ask for things by name.  The words now are random and to himself, not as a real conversation with us.  We are grateful for the words, but pray for their increased purposeful use, and frequency.  Sometimes, especially when Chris has been quiet a lot and/or throwing things (today).  I cry for a while, a fear comes over me that he will never speak and communicate normally.  It is a scary feeling. . . . I have to face these fears, cry over them, then put them at Jesus’ feet and leave them there.  If this is what is willed by God (permanent disability) we must face it day by day through prayer anyway, so we will do that through this period of not knowing.

“Chris will be attending preschool for two more weeks, then we’ll be off for two weeks (with me and baby!) then will attend a Friday preschool for six weeks, then a gross motor movement class two days a week  for four weeks mid-July –> August.  This will be good for him – still a “summer break” from going four days a week, but something to keep him learning and occupied one to two days a week for a few hours (and give me a nap period!)

“The Lord really had worked some miracles – he is great and holy and is taking care of us, and we have a beautiful family:  a beautiful loving son Chris and a coming treasure of a baby (boy? girl?) and a wonderful husband (who I wish I could see more).

“I need to get this house organized and check over budget tonight and it’s 7:30!  I also need to make dinner!  I just spent the evening playing with my Chris and writing in here.  Chris and I played color matching, play dough (creepy bugs game!) and snuggled.  After dinner I will get him in bed 8:30 – 9:00 and start straightening.

“I dream of getting this house beautiful and organized!  Will take years.  Yard too!  Gotta make dinner.  The next time I write there will be probably ‘a waah!  a waah!’”

So similar, yet so different – 17 years ago!

 

autism, God, life

About running –

As the spring arrives, I have been thinking about running in various ways.

  • I have used it as a thing to worry about – as spring comes every year, the boys would get more boisterous about escaping the house and running off (or in Chris’s case, usually walking very fast).  As far as I’ve heard, Chris has not started yet this year with this; and here Ryan has not either.  But last year, it was very difficult with both boys, with both households having installations of backwards locks where we need keys on the inside to let anyone out!  This has not happened at all yet this year, but we wonder when it’s going to occur.  We are hoping and praying by this time the boys will be able to communicate by words or icons that they wish to go somewhere consistently and not feel they have to “escape”!
  • In Ryan’s case, I am praying when we go to the park this spring (whenever it dries out enough!) that he will not run away from us in the parking lots like he did last year, not that we didn’t hold his hand, but he did it in a different way, just suddenly taking off from the middle of the playground where he had been swinging or climbing, as a game where he would want us to chase him suddenly, but in a dangerous way, usually ending up in the street or parking lot.
  • In a different vein, with all the challenges we have been having, sometimes my (and all of our) thoughts can lead to wanting to just run away, run fast, run far, to a place where there aren’t quite this many challenges, where people think clearly and act rationally all the time, and there is no more pain and sickness, and sleep is sound and not interrupted, and – wow, sounds a lot like the heaven we’re waiting for, doesn’t it?  Yes.
  • Then of course running reminds me of exercise, and how little of it I’m getting at this point – lol!  Time to get the Wii fit going now that I’m done with school in a week, and only going online for summer.  Time for the whole family to start getting fit –not necessarily running, but walking, indoor cycling, calisthenics, et cetera!
  • And finally – 1 Corinthians 9:24 – “24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”

Lots to ponder as spring gets into full swing, my winter/spring semester is almost over, the kids’ school is winding down, Roger is healing in his body and preparing for when he will return to work, and I look forward to a break and time to get my house (and mind!) organized, and start a new semester.  May I not be so close-,minded with school and duty that I forget including time for us to enjoy the summer weather, playing outside in safe areas, and also making sure I take time to have devotionals, prayer time, and, yes, exercise.

 

Happy spring!  (this is last year, but they’re already budding now!)

 

Photo260

 

God

The powers and exponents of faith

“Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him   must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

Wednesday, May 30, 2007 (2)Our pastor yesterday was talking about faith vs. feelings, and how if you depend on your feelings to walk your walk of faith you won’t get very far.  He also compared the power of faith to the power definition in physics. 

Now, I have not taken physics, but strangely enough, when he asked, what is power, in connection to faith (and then to physics in his discussion) I immediately thought not of the traditional definition of power, but of powers in math.  (I’m taking college algebra right now); He said, “what is power,” and I thought, immediately, exponents and logarithms.  HA HA! 

But then I started thinking about it, and it is not that off base.  One Christian has the power in himself/herself through Christ of the faith he/she has, and that is one person.  But when you add exponents (powers) to a number, it not only adds, it multiplies.  At a very fast rate.

So as people of faith and prayer, standing together, what can we do?  Exponentially more than just addition.  Let’s move mountains through prayer.

 

chris, colleen, college, health, Ryan

Transition to spring —

100_0714100_0712100_0713100_0710100_0711

 

The Snowmen — they are ready to go to the attic, all condensed and ready for their box as soon as I get it packed (Monday?)  Still have two lone snowmen decs on the mantle where half of them were before —

conversation – (“NOT CHRISTMAS, MOM!” lol – she put the Christmas bow with them – “that’s not right,” as Ryan would say).  Have to keep emphasizing that Christmas is the red, green, etc., and WINTER is white and blue and can stay up into March!

Bought these awesome bunny baskets – 3 of them for 3 kids – at Gabriel Bros.  ($2 each!)  Also bought the bunny hanger – loved it!!  The hyacinth (I think that’s right) was from Ryan’s spring concert – think I can finally put it outside if it’s not going to freeze again?  Also want to buy some daffodils and tulips in pots, to plant later in the fall.

Roger had his surgery on Monday, and after a brief struggle with temp and not feeling well from some infection he is finally feeling better today and is eating!!  So hopefully he’ll be home in a few days.  A new beginning to a new part of our lives in many ways – Roger with his body hopefully fully healed now from all the troubles he had from his gall bladder (this was related to that, from last year), and Ryan and Chris both adding new skills to their getting independent and ready to fly to what they will become, and Colleen getting ready to be a senior next year, with college decisions to make – wow.  And then me, on to Kent State in August – to take my first two speech therapy classes, phonetics and hearing science.  Another time of change. 

 

God, health

God’s family in prayer –

b736Seeing examples with Roger’s surgery this morning, as well as other prayer requests we have had through the years, it is amazing to see how so many from God’s family come together in so many ways to pray for those in need.  I am touched to know that individuals from two of the churches we have attended in our life, as well as other friends and family, are all praying for Roger right now at the same time, largely through the technological advances of Facebook.

Technology is a neat part of this for many people, where even people that may not be able to attend church right now can put a prayer request on Facebook, or even do something as simple as call a prayer line on the telephone and someone else then spreads the request technologically, and believers then pray en masse for that request.

Daniel 12:4

American Standard Version
”But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.”  Heard the end of this verse since I was a little girl, and we always interpreted it to mean that at the end times knowledge should increase – though this seems to have been happening for a long time, at least to my human mind.  Wonder how close we are to what we always called “The New World,” when:  (Revelation 21:4)

English Standard Version (©2001)
”He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”  Wonder how close that Is?  May we be dedicated servants here on earth, until then, and not just waiting, but working for others and seeking His Will.

anniversary

27 years

27 years ago I made a decision to be what at the time I was pretty sure was your life-mate, even though we were just starting to date!  March 25, 1984 we went out as “friends,” but felt it, both of us, that evening, the fact that we were falling in love.  I was actually dating someone else; you were not.  I had dated someone else for about 5 months, and he was nice and very kind and generous, but there was something about you that drew me, like a spiritual connection.

We dated for 2 years, 2 months or so before we got engaged, and then we got married, one week after I got my associate’s degree, June of 1987.  Never did we know what all these years would hold.  What a wild ride we have had!  Still you are there, the father of our three children.

I love you, and I pray for you as you have hopefully your last surgery for your recent troubles, next week, and pray that God will sustain you and give us many more years together.

scan0151

 

chris, health, residency, work

Guilty again!

P2270722P2270732100_0326100_0357100_0358100_03590312111505100_0422100_0442100_0446P3130802100_0473100_0477

 

 

Yes, I’m guilty again, of not posting because:

  • I don’t have time.
  • I don’t have anything new to say.
  • What I’m interested in saying really won’t interest anyone.

That is really ridiculous, though, as even if no one else reads this, I read it.  I do go back and look at these from time to time, and to see something that makes us smile, or brings a memory, or even makes us cry a little is worth sharing.  Even for ourselves.

So, what have I been busy with?  Well, school until last Friday (Now on spring break, working out of town with Rog) was very challenging (math!) and kept me busy nonstop.  I was also working some at the same time.  During the week break I am on now from that, as you can see by the pictures, we had a snowstorm, and I went on a trip to gather geographic information on Ireland (the obviously Irish pictures) and now we are on our trip out of town for work, and met our friends for dinner last night. 

So I go back Monday, and need to spend double the time on math, as my grade is not so hot right now.  I still have two months to bring it up.  I will be also sending my computer back to Asus for some repairs before the warranty expires, meaning that I will be using Ryan’s computer for the necessities, but won’t be working during that time as I don’t have Windows on that computer, just Linux giving the availability of Internet for bill paying, etc., and open office if I need it.  So I should get more math studied and completed with the addition of transcription projects not being an option.  I don’t know how long the computer repairs will take, as I have never done this before!

Roger’s surgery is now pending most likely at the end of this month, where after almost a year’s wait he will finally have a cyst and hernia removed (they were hoping it would all shrink on its own with time, but it has not).  Roger is probably about 95 pound lighter than he was in February 2010 when he went into the hospital with his gall bladder and related problems, and looks so nice!  I think he’s passing me up with his weight loss <3.  Prayers for him are appreciated.

Still looking for the proper residency for Chris – this is all taking so long it’s driving me crazy.  He’s going to finish off the school year staying with his “mama” and “papa,” and then we’ll see if he’ll come home to our house as he still awaits his residency or I/O waiver caretaking arrangements, or what we’re going to do.  He’s a sweetie.  He stays at our house every weekend, sometimes sleeps, sometimes doesn’t, and still loves to laugh!

To end, I wish everyone a Happy St. Patrick’s day, and in memory of that:  https://criscollrj.com/2010/03/17/miracles/.  We will have our corned beef and cabbage dinner this weekend, as we will be out of town.  I can’t wait!  And a big thank you to our parents that are keeping up the ship at home while we are gone.

 

organizing

Schedule that mess!

 

 

Household Schedule

 

 

JANUARY

THOROUGHLY CLEAN LIVING ROOM:

  • Wipe woodwork, wash walls, wash windows
  • Wash furniture, vacuum furniture
  • Rotate cushions, clean coat closet

MONDAY

  • straighten, dust & vacuum bedrooms
  • work on 1 annual chore 1st week

EVERY DAY

morning:

  • wash dishes
  • wipe counters
  • plan dinner
  • make beds, straighten bedrooms and bathroom
  • straighten and vacuum living room

MY CLEANING SITE from about 1994

Yep, that’s a tiny example of that schedule, which I started in approximately 1994 on my word processor back then, to try and get organized with my housework.  I would follow it in tiny spurts, and I even for a while had a following on an organizing site on the internet, in approximately 1998, where people said it was an awesomely successful schedule (maybe not those EXACT words, LOL), but they liked it, and followed it.  I was temporarily famous. 

I would like to try it again.  It’s been about 5 years since I’ve attempted it, as I felt I would just be overwhelmed with it with work and school.  However, maybe if I make an amended version like

morning:

  • if you pick something up, put it back
  • if you dribble on the counter, wipe it up!
  • and (Dorene) when you open the mail, PUT IT AWAY!

I have to stop stacking things.  It’s driving me nuts.  I don’t know that I’ll ever stop Ryan from dumping toys, or get Colleen to scrub the floor (without bribery), but if I could just receive my electric bill, open it, throw the envelope in the recycle box, and put in the bill file, my life would be so much easier.

I did make a place for my coat as we really don’t have a coat closet. See my basket – and I’m putting my hat, gloves, etc., there without fail! This is a step forward.

Now to see about redoing that schedule Smile  But first, back to studying for algebra test and then transcription.

 

children, college, life

Syllabi and phones —

(http://www.pcworld.com/article/173033/evolution_of_the_cell_phone.html

First I must confess I did have to look up if the plural of syllabus was syllabi – and certainly it is. I wonder where I came about that certain bit of information in my head – I’m certainly not sure – but slightly pleased to know that was right. LOL.

Since 1999 I have had a cell phone – a bit late on that front, but there it is. At first I shared with my mom a cell phone plan where I had a phone similar to the one in the photo. A little bigger perhaps, it was still an amazing thing to us! We progressed to having our own plan by 2004, where at first Roger had Alltel and I had T-Mobile – our workplaces and the connectivity thereto was of upmost importance, and Roger even had to have something of a direct connect right after with Nextel. I also toyed with Sprint before we both ended up getting Verizon in approximately 2006, and even with a brief period with AT&T we are now back with Verizon, as for us now they have the best connectivity of the bunch.

As everyone knows, cell phones are everywhere, and everyone seems addicted to them. They are precious possessions, connections with the world, comfort for parents that children can instantly check in, and entertainment for some, and internet connectivity for the lucky! Yet they are accident causers, confusion creating (remember the first time you saw someone talking on a Bluetooth?) and sometimes patience prodding (person in line online not paying attention – with embarrassment I admit I was that person in line the day after Christmas, talking with my daughter about some urgent question she had about a ride to an activity, where I didn’t hear the clerk say, “Please move your cart, ma’am, the stockboy needs to get through!”

After being in college now for a year, I am now in my first semester of taking three classes on college grounds. I have taken two other college classes on campus, one my first session (Spring 2010) and one in the Fall of 2010. The other 3 classes were online. I don’t recall what those syllabi said about cell phone use. What struck me this semester, is all three of the documents pretty much forbid even looking at the cell phone. I liked the humor in one of the paragraphs:

“Turn off and put away all electronic devices. This includes cell phones, pagers, Palm Pilots,
Blackberries, MP3 players, tape recorders, cameras, laptops, electronic notebooks, and all other
devices already in circulation or yet to be invented. For those who must be reachable, leave the
telephone number of Campus Police (440-525-7241) and your class schedule. Campus police
will be happy to dispatch an officer to your classroom. The person who needs to reach you will
be able to call Campus Police even if they lose the phone number. Lakeland is listed in the
phone book, and our police have access to your schedule.”

She does have a point. I actually am going to follow her directions and if anyone has an emergency they can call the campus police. Hopefully that policy won’t have be used, but it’s comforting to know it’s there!