October
9th, 2013 already… I haven’t written much lately, we all went back to school
and life just accelerated. General Conference has come and gone. And fall is
taking hold here in Minnesota. Although I love all the colors that colder
weather brings out in nature, I most certainly do not enjoy the raking of
fallen leaves that it also causes… But we certainly have to bear the bitter to
behold the beauty.
Today
I have been given an unexpected day off from tutoring at the middle school.
What a perfect way to catch up on this blog… Well, not catch up really, because
so much is going on that I cannot ever hope to say all that I desire to... But here are some thoughts about some of the events that have happened to Ben lately.
Life
has been difficult lately, but interesting as well. Ben started getting sick
again as soon as he went back to school. Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome is not a joy,
let me put that out there. Yes, it is exactly what the name implies… Throwing
up that recurs chronically, for weeks at a time sometimes and several times a
day. We have learned since Ben was diagnosed that this affects many children
with autism. Ha, something else to add to the bunch of symptoms that plague our
Ben already.
But in his misfortune, we can always find a silver lining. CVS
reared its ugly head in Ben’s life when he was in 7th grade, so only
5 years ago; it sometimes affects some poor babies with autism as early as 18
months of age. At least Ben was 13 and could (sometimes) make it into the
bathroom, and somewhat verbalize his needs and discomfort (what a charming and
subdued term to explain what goes on for him when this happens!)
Anyway,
life goes on, as it always does. He was prescribed different medications to control
the “problem” and my poor child now takes as many pills as you would imagine an
elderly person needs. Thank goodness for modern medicine! Without it I am not
sure Ben would even be with us –due to some other conditions he suffers from--
so yeah, let’s count our blessings!
In
other news, Ben received his recommend for his patriarchal blessing. It was a
year in coming. Our bishop wanted to
make sure that Ben well understood the process and what it really means before
recommending him.
Ben
keeps announcing to all who will listen that he is graduating at the end of
this school year and that he is going on his mission right after. Well, as much
as we have tried to explain to him that he needs to finish another 2 years in a
vo-tech type of establishment, he doesn’t budge: “I am going on my mission after
I graduate”! And just to be clear, he means a full-time proselyting mission “in
England, Italy or wherever they choose to send me!” Yeah, yikes… There is no way I see a “regular
mission” in the cards for him, not with the level of care Ben requires.
Sooo,
receiving his patriarchal blessing might prove crucial for him to hear what the
Lord has in store for him, after graduation, for a mission and also for the rest
of his life...
...A life
that autism has ruled for so much of his 18 years. It is time for him to learn
what his destiny is and what he can receive, if he lives worthy of the
blessings God wants to bestow upon him. Ben is a good soldier for the Lord; he
is patient in his many afflictions, loving, pure and innocent still in his
views of the world. I know whatever God wants him to accomplish in this mortal
sphere, he will try to do with a heart single to the glory of the Father.
And
we, as a family, will need to assist him in this service. Ben loves without guile,
serves with all his heart according to his abilities and just loves Christ and
his Heavenly Father. He might have
autism, but autism does not have him, as I have said before. And just as with fall
weather, we have to bear the bitter to behold the beauty that God will
certainly send to Ben’s life.
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