Five needles in two weeks. Talk about rapid desensitization!

For as long as Matt has been in love with B.F. Skinner, he has emphatically believed that putting me on a behavioral plan involving rapid desensitization would be the best way to cure my medical-induced panic attacks. I think he might be onto something, but after today’s visit to the midwife I’d like to give credit where credit is due: BRANDY.

I have learned to ask for her by name. “Hello, I’m here to have my blood drawn and I’d like Brandy to do it in room six.” She is an angel from another world, and perhaps another life. She is faster than a speeding bullet and more thorough than a hitman covering his tracks. Put me in a room alone with Brandy, and I JUST MIGHT BE ABLE TO GIVE BLOOD!

If you’re not picking up what I’m laying down, today’s appointment went swimmingly. So swimmingly that when she told me I might need to come back in next week for another round, I nearly high-fived her. Anything for you, Brandy. Anything.

Matt might be pleased with the success of his behavioral plan, but I am starting to think he’s created a monster. I just might become so flippant with needles that in two weeks he will find me again, on the bathroom floor… this time strung out on heroine.

I had totally forgotten that I had signed up for this until I got a reminder email just a few minutes ago. So here is my obligatory blog post advertising the Walk for Autism that Matt and I will be participating in. I want to share with you our experience with Autism, but I’ll be honest… this is basically a plug asking for your $20 donation to Autism Speaks. More on that later.

As most of you are aware, Matt has been working with kids with Autism and their teachers and families for over five years now. He sort of fell into this role on accident and realized, providentially, that it was his dream career. Knowing what we know now, it’s impossible to see him in any other role. He is just SO GOOD at this. So a Masters and a Certificate program later, here we are.

Matt is a Behavior Analyst that works with kids using Applied Behavior Analysis. What this means is that he’s the mack daddy of molding inappropriate behaviors into those that are appropriate, and bring a better quality of life to these kids. This comes in many forms, because each kid with Autism is totally unique. Some of them are teenagers still in diapers and in need of potty training. Some of them have tantrums because they don’t like different food textures. Some of them are self-injurious – it runs the whole gamut.

Kids with Autism are in a remarkable situation as they often cannot communicate as they would like. Many of them also have other diagnosis such as downs or mental retardation. No matter what you might read in the news, NOBODY knows the cause of Autism yet. It has been found that early intervention can really help these kids live much better lives, so it’s important for Behavioral Analysts (B.A.’s) like Matt to interact with them consistently and often in their early years. Especially until the research has found possible reasons and/or cures.

As you can imagine, living with a child with Autism can really do a number on a family emotionally. These families are some of the strongest and resilient people ever. But that’s only part of what you see. The financial strain can be overwhelming. In really progressive states like Massachusetts, taxpayers pay for much of the early intervention as the school districts are responsible for providing it. But in other states like Tennessee, the school districts are incapable of funding this kind of intervention, so it is paid for by health insurance. Both have their challenges and both have a LOT of red tape. Many families wind up paying for services out of pocket, which can really drain them.

Over the past five years, Matt has been able to teach these kids to feed themselves, to use the bathroom, to stop hitting other kids, to communicate through many different methods, and to stop injuring themselves. He’s assisted their teachers in improving curriculum so these children can learn more effectively. He’s taught parents how to be more consistent, and they have seen results.

Your donation to Autism Speaks essentially funds more of this good work to be done. It funds research, education and support programs for families. It can remove some of the financial and the emotional burden for parents who are living with this every day. And it also helps to increase awareness and improve legislation so that educational standards and quality of life standards are raised for these kids.

If you feel inclined, here’s a link to Matt’s Walk Now support page and to my page as well. We don’t have huge fundraising goals, but every little bit counts.

Thanks for reading!

Inspired by Jodi Michelle, here is the first half of my life list.

1. Visit Africa and see all applicable animals.
2. Visit Tierra del Fuego and Antarctica and see all applicable animals.
3. Visit Ireland and drink all applicable beers.
4. Visit New Zealand and see all applicable animals and breathtaking scenery.
5. Bring myself to a place where I enjoy rock climbing with Matt. As of now, I only enjoy belaying due to my fear of heights.
6. Hike the Appalachian Trail, or at least portions therein.
7. Grow a vast and successful garden that supplies the majority of our necessary produce.
8. Have a patch of sunflowers in my backyard.
9. After taking on a mortgage, burn it in 7 years.
10. Maintain a smart enough household budget that Matt is able to retire at age 55.

11. Re-learn French to fluency.
12. Run a marathon.
13. Live long enough to see cancer eradicated.
14. Regularly volunteer time and energy to local nonprofits.
15. Obtain an official paella pan.
16. Forever be my own boss.
17. Raise my kids to be polite enough to have dinner at the White House.
18. Raise my kids to slurp oysters on the half shell.
19. Continually work to reduce my carbon footprint.
20. Play the tambourine while Matt plays the banjo on our back porch in retirement.

21. Own horses.
22. See the Pyramids in Egypt.
23. Travel down the Amazon.
24. Learn how to make perfect empanadas.
25. Wake up every day of my life next to Matt.

Matt has recently embarked on updating the photos we have of family laying around our pad. I’m not sure where he got the inspiration, but I’m thoroughly pleased that he did. We realized that we hadn’t printed off photos since the 3 most recent neices & nephews, and that I was ten pounds lighter in all the pictures. Those photos he’s not allowed to replace.

All I can say while looking at these new pictures is HOT DIGGITY. We’ve got a good lookin family!

We just got a new printer at Christmas that Matt uses for work, but does anyone have a photo printer that is actually worth the money? I would love to be able to print out big 8x10s, but is it just cheaper for me to do that on Snapfish than to print them at home? Do you have a site that you use for really nice printouts?

You might have noticed a few new glaring additions to the website. I’ve been accepted to the Blogher ad network, so go ahead and get used to them ads, y’all. Also, do me a favor and check out the advertisers. You’re single-handedly putting my babies through college. Karma, ya know?

This evening while I was in the park with Berlin, the realtor called Matt to let him know he planned on showing our current apartment to some people. Matt was in the middle of a consultation and didn’t answer his phone. The realtor came anyway.

Apparently the guy liked the apartment and put down a deposit. He’s coming back to show his girlfriend at 9 tomorrow morning. When I found out the apartment had been shown, I came screaming back to see what a disaster I had left it in.

Our kitchen is covered with full boxes, the bathroom has not been cleaned this week, our bed is unmade and there is cat hair everywhere. When I starting picking through my dresser to make sure my pearls were still there (I AM my mother’s daughter!) I saw the worst of it… my sexiest bra tossed on top of the dresser.

I’ll be sure to put that away before the girlfriend shows up tomorrow morning.