THE DOCTOR

Every two months Jack has a meeting with four professionals from the clinic, including the psychologist that runs it.  After having a two-week delay, we finally went to our first progress review last week.  The psychologist (who I'm now going to refer to as THE DOCTOR) observed Jack for almost an hour and then talked with me and our senior therapist and supervisor about changes he thought we could make to Jack's therapy.  One of the truly wonderful things to hear him say was, "I think Jack is talking really, really well.  Let's move up his language programs to something more difficult."  We waited for over a year and half for Jack to start talking, and by waited I mean stressed, prayed, and bit our fingernails...  always hoping that he would start expressing himself.   THE DOCTOR also mentioned the magical words, potty training.  They call it habit training because its interval based, and they create bathroom habits before they actually start potty training.  Apparently, it only takes 2-3 months on average to potty train their clients. CAN. NOT. WAIT.  I will do anything, including deed my house to anyone who accomplishes this seemingly insurmountable task.  Ok, maybe not my house..   but possibly our car, bikes, and my parents SUV.  Thank God for psychologists, therapists, and autism research!!  And for Tony's new job with awesome health insurance that pays for intensive autism therapy.

Favorite Mildly Autistic Jack Moment last week:  While in the Chicago area, we took Jack for a ride on a commuter train for 20 minutes.  Before we got on the train, he got it stuck in his mind (and would NOT let it go) that we were going on a freight train.  He started crying, and yelling, "No train ride!  Stay in the car!  No train ride for Jack!"  Knowing how much Jack loves trains, I was confused and frustrated (we prepped him for this all week).  Finally, I remembered that he and Grandpa had walked up to a train station as a freight train was passing by.  I turned to Jack and said, "Jack.  We're going on a passenger train.  Do you want to go on a passenger train?"  In a very quiet voice he says, "Oh yeah.  Yes, I do.  I want to go on a passenger train."  Instantly, he was fine.  Happy, even.  So, the four of us enjoyed our ride through the suburbs - complete with more trains passing by, train gates (for those of you who know Evan, this is important), train stations, lots of cool buildings, and a conductor who only charged us the price of one ticket.