Some Very Very Good News...

As some of you may know we have been in the process of applying for the Children's Long Term Support for Autism. It has been a lot of paperwork and stress. Last week we had our home visit where they asked alot of questions about Tom and also gave us more paperwork to fill out. When we met with the doctors at the Wisconsin Early Autism Project (WEAP) they told us that though they felt like Tom was a perfect candidate for the intensive therapy that the waiver provides there was only a 50/50 chance that he would be approved. As I sat at the table with the county worker last week she explained exactly what we were getting ourselves into with the application. She said that during the intensive period of the waiver which would last anywhere from 1 year to three years that we would have a team of therapists in our home 40 hours a week. She said you need to understand that time alone with your family would likely be very limited, it is a very invasive program, your life truly would change. As I listened to her describe everything there was no doubt in my mind that I was willing to do whatever it takes. After she left I felt completely drained. As a mother my natural instinct is to focus on the good, talk about what he can do instead of what he cannot do. Numerous doctors and therapists had talked to us about this visit and how we would need to approach it. For over a year in fact we had been preparing for that one visit. Every word that came out of my mouth was weighed, considered and then reconsidered. The woman that we met with was very friendly and explained everything in very understandable terms, but still her job was to find something wrong with my son. As she left that afternoon I wanted to run after her and shout "wait a minute I didn't tell you about his art, or his vast knowledge of space, or how happy he can make you feel when he laughs" Instead I had told her about his struggles at the dinner table, his need to have me do all of the washing in the bath and all about his temper tantrums. It is true that there are many things that are difficult about Tom, but there are many wonderful things too. I want people to know that. The past week has gone by fairly slowly for me. Everyday I have thought about how the phone call that we are waiting for will change Tom's life. If he is not found functionally eligible for the waiver there are not a lot of options and if he is found eligible it would change his life forever. The doctors at WEAP have told us that with this therapy Tom would likely eventually be able to keep up with all of the kids at school in every subject, be able to make friends easily and best of all feel good about himself and his world. I tried to prepare myself for a denial, I figured that was the most pragmatic approach! We need this, we have to get approved. If we get denied there is nowhere else to turn. Those thoughts kept running through my head. This morning I checked the voicemail and there was a message from the county worker. The message said Tom had been found functionally eligible. My eyes filled with tears and I listened again. I listened to that message four times to be sure that my ears were not deceiving me. Tom has been found functionally eligible. The road will still be long, it will still be about 4 to 6 months before we are actually given a slot number and officially put on the waiting list. Then it will be at least an 18 month wait but more realistically more like 2 years until Tom will begin the intensive therapy. What we have starting immediately though is hope And it feels wonderful!