New Journey

Well now that I am done working.....again.....I hope to have more time to sit down and write out my thoughts.   It's very theraputic for me - and I am often thinking how much I need therapy...he..he...

As I sit to write this post I am heavy hearted.   About 5 or 6 weeks ago Tanner had a low grade fever for two days and spent most of them sleeping in my arms. When the fever finally subsided, he had such weird behavior that I sent him up to Children’s with Eric to make sure there was nothing serious going on in his little body. He was screaming in pain, arching his body from head to toe, wouldn’t let me change his clothes, put on or off socks, and started hating baths and started screaming in the car again. Though they didn’t find anything but some enlarged lymph nodes in his abdomen, I was fearful that the immune response brought on by the fever had triggered some sensory issues and I had hoped that I was wrong and that it would just go away.

But it hasn’t – he now hates sand or anything stuck to his hands or feet, hates being wet, and screams like crazy when I try to apply lotion or sunblock. He still hates getting dressed or undressed and hasn’t been sleeping very well. Though I am not saying Tanner has Autism, sensory issues are a sign that the potential is there or that future infections or diseases could trigger further Autistic symptoms as long as his digestive system/immune system aren’t functioning properly. He is still progressing, talking more each day and very engaged socially – but today I could no longer deny that he was having sensory issues.   I find myself cherishing his eye contact each day....just in case it should go away like his big brother's did.   I'm not dwelling on this though, we have already formulated a plan to get his gut, damaged by the large amount of antibiotics he's had thus far, back in shape and will be starting some tactile/reflex therapy which I have been told is usually successful if caught early. 

Prayers are definately needed though.   The new diet we have to embark on to fix his gut will be brutal on all of us and likely expensive.  Prayers for a miracle to stop Tanner’s sensory issues would be welcomed, but also prayers for patience and persistence for all of us as we embark on this plan, as well as peace for me, that I will continue to trust God’s plan for him despite the things I have no desire to go through again.  I am grateful I knew what to look for, and a network of people who could answer questions I didn't know the answers to.