How My Boy Kicked Autism
A journey journal
By Frank Fictitious
Chapter 1 Introduction: Who is “My Boy?”
“How My Boy Kicked Autism’s @!#” presents the challenging journey one father embarks on during the life of Blank’s special needs legal case. Blank is his five year old son who was diagnosed with autism at 28 months of age. Perhaps his name caused some self-fulfilling prophecy? The journal entries are fictitious; however, their content is very real. The entries for the first 12 months of life follow Blank’s vaccine schedule because Frank is kind of dorky that way. They are written before Frank knows that there will be an autism diagnosis.
Once Frank realized this journal may contain data and information necessary to make a legal offer of proof, he changed his focus and began recording everything, again, kind of dorky that way. The California Professional Ethics Rules prohibit us to disclose confidential information, however, Frank’s journey journal closely resembles the story told by all of our clients. The diagnosis of autism is the focus of this scenario; however, the story applies to any special needs child, regardless of specific diagnosis. The story begins at birth in an effort to illustrate the importance of early intervention and the male gender is being used because the ratio of boys to girls with autism is 3:1.
My Boy Blank – Day One:
Very early….
Why I’m writing the events of today down in this journal? Posterity I guess. Well that and I am an engineer, so can’t wait to record every detail of your milestones. I have been known to be called a bit of a dork sometimes if you must know the truth. I don’t want to forget any little thing and at my age, I am afraid that keeping a journal is the only way to go. Also, there are some details about your big sister’s birthday that never got recorded; something about the lens still being on the camera, so, today, mom asked me to stick to writing! Those girls sure are bossy sometimes but after you come, it won’t be two against one anymore and order will be restored! This is for both of us. Until you can talk to me, this is how I am going to talk to you. For today, I want you to know that you are the luckiest little boy in the world because you are about to meet the most amazing mommy and sister ever, they even shine when they are bossy. Me and Mommy and Sassy are all eager to finally meet you and will always be here to protect you.
Much later…
There is no way I could ever forget today. The day my son Blank was born. The day you took your first breath on this earth. You and mommy worked so hard today, did your magic, no complications. I plastered a loving smile on my face and looked calmly at your mom when she seemingly tried to maim me in the delivery room. I cried when the doctor said we had a healthy baby boy. I cut your umbilical cord. I have a giddy grin on my face that won’t go away. I am so going to be “that” dad.
The nurse just wrapped you up, tiny feet and all, and took you away. As we learned in our pre-natal preparedness course that I dragged mom to, you are about to get cleaned up, measured and weighed and then be given yet another rude awakening on your very first day: a Hepatitis B (HepB) shot. As soon as you get back in here you can stay with me and mommy for as long as you want. I’m not sure why you need to get a HebB shot when you will be sleeping in the room with us and we get to take you home tomorrow, but who cares? Your sister went home with my sister, Auntie, to craft some welcoming things for you and take a nap. She can not wait for you to get home-she has been talking to your mom’s belly every day for the last six months!