Handling the making of meeting up with Soma.  Lately I've been thinking about going to Austin a lot.  Caring about working on my independent typing.  Soma might be answer to my incredibly big challenge.  Really haven't seen Soma in a long time.  She will make me challenge myself.  Didn't think I was going to see Soma again, but I'm so happy our family is going down to Austin.  Pipe dream, or so I thought.  I'm thankful I asked people to make that my Christmas gift.  Illustrates how important making wants known.  Increases your having the perfect Christmas.  I told meeting Soma was all I wanted for Christmas.  

I'm so excited!  Since I last worked on this blog, I found out that I'm going down to Austin.  My wish came true!  We are meeting up with Soma in February!  Was so making big money investment.  My loving parents realized how important this is to me and handled the travel arrangements.  Lame having nothing to complain about, but I got exactly my Christmas wish.  My life lately has brought me makings of a good future.  Lately I have been meeting people who very much admire me.  Like being me.  This can only make gains in my abilities even more important.  You might prefer to think I'm always liking my lucky life, but the older I get the more I want out of life lake.  There is so much more to accomplish going forward.

Poetry

Halt It's Fall
by Kaylie

The trees are lovely and full of fire in autumn.
My soul crackles along with their colors.
I am prismatic.
I long to show people the rainbow that waits inside of me.
All I need is the right light and the right climate.
When I reach my autumn, everyone will see my colors burst.



The Day Gave Love
by Kaylie

I like to write my feelings out.
I want my words to overflow the page like the sea over flows the shore.
I want to flood that world with my thoughts.
I want to leave everyone breathless.

Back when I was little, I didn't offer many options to my parents.  Very overwhelmed when I would try new things.  Breaks were needed often or I would meltdown.  Can you try to imagine being some sort of parent who is afraid to take their loved daughter places?  My parents frantically had to live that way because I would have screaming fits all the time.  No one could calm me down once I lost it.  

Because of much meaningful work, have changed almost completely now.  I'm able to make much better noises when we're visiting new places.  Might be because my family communicates ahead of time and lets me carry my iPhone so I can free myself from my anxiety.  This is often the case with autistics.  We want to participate big time, but our anxiety makes it impossible for some managing of our fears.  

What makes me push myself is my belief my parents will scale things back if I get too overwhelmed.  Wish that lots of other autistics managed pointing to communicate.  It can help your many fears lessen.  You have an ability to let people learn another side of you.  Amazing how little my family landed correctly when they would try to guess what I was thinking.  Landed on thinking that I was making a play for food all the time.  Managed to eat amounts I always thought were too much.  Nearly appled myself out.  Soon mean to write a blog about how I overcame my anxiety.  Maybe learning from my experience, lots of others might be able to make progress trying new things.

Paper has done the hard work of hearing the thoughts inside the heads of many great writers.  My needs grow all the time.  I'm a teenager now and I'm sort of thinking about what I'm going to do with my life.  Have been thinking about using my writing to help others with autism.  

When I was little, my parents didn't think I would offer much to the world.  Mom and Dad thought all I could do was lay around and play on my iPad, making me nothing more than the furniture.  Our make many candy trips and dvd purchases was all they knew to do to make me happy.  There is something they didn't know.  I've always made it my priority to get educated.

The main thing I'm using this year small years ago didn't exist.  I'm talking about pointing and spelling with lots of different people at school.  People think it's impossible for autistics to use RPM, particularly with looking to spell with lots of people.  I'm proof it's possible.  When I'm in Mr. Barkley's class, I'm able to because everyone believes in me.  This makes me not uncomfortable.  Love some of my other classes too.  My teachers are meeting the challenge of including me.  Might make my life lately almost perfect.  My classmates this year have also made pointing easy.  They are paying me nice compliments.

My friend is learning his way around high school.  I will be there next year.  I'm excited for my possibilities, but I'm going to miss my teachers at Heim so much!  Maybe people in high school will be great also.  Now learning is so easy because I have such great people supporting me.  High school might take awhile to adjust to.  Maybe you didn't like school, but to me it is my lifeline.  Learning makes me feel so happy because I went so many years learning the same things over and over.  Now I have the chance to graduate and go to college someday.   Who knows, I might even be homecoming queen!

This month you won't believe all the great things happening.  Don't you want to hear about what has been happening?  My mom and her friends Lisa and Laurie made the first presentation on RPM to a big group of parents.  Learned so much about my life story from Mom's viewpoint.  Made me another inspiring story like Ido and Tito.  You think having sheets of paper is all you need to give a good presentation, but what you really need is to be passionate about what you're talking about.  They right away caught everyone's attention by having me spell a welcome.  It was wonderful showing people what is possible.  Meeting people interested in RPM makes me feel like I'm working for Mom's proud new non-profit, Buffalo RPM.  I'm glad to be helping other autistics change their lives.

Lately I've been trying lots of new things.  Point in case is my recent trip to Disney World with my family.  I loved this vacation.  Mom worked phone app to perfection.  Love how Mom worked so hard planning our days.  My love grows for her every day.  Packing was pretty easy this trip.  Our family doesn't require all the stuff we used to like really big mobile for Brooklyn.  Learning to pack light so we can fly instead of drive.  I love flying and renting a minivan when we get there.  Our first day we met our cousins Chad, Christina, Valentina and Hudson at Disney Springs for lunch. 

I'm hearing people talk about how learning to make yourself do something is so hard for autistics.  It used to be hard for me, but I've realized how much more fulfilling my life can be if I try new things.  This trip to Disney World I managed to go on three different roller coasters.  I had never been brave enough to go on one before, but this trip people in my family really wanted me to make an effort to shame other scaredy cats.  My favorite roller coaster, Expedition Everest was so much fun.  I was so nervous, but I just held on to Mom and she kept me calm.  She was incredibly happy.  Meeting that Yeti on the ride was my favorite.

Long to have more new experiences.  Mom makes my life more interesting by signing me up for things like horse back riding and biking in the Special Olympics.  I'm also hoping to do ice skating this winter.  Soon I'm going to visit New York City.  Yearning to go more places also.  Like meeting people too.  It moves me when people make an effort to know me.  The monumental task of making a real effort with me was taken on by our cousin Chad.  Became one of my favorite people when he hugged me so much.  Most people can't be that comfortable.  Meet you in NYC!

I have a good friend who really should try RPM.  Years go more quickly the older you get.  He spends lots of his time meaning something different from what he says.  This must make him so frustrated.  I'm sorry lately for my friends like him who are so intelligent but make people think they are mentally disabled because they say things that don't make sense.  My dream is for kids like him to give RPM tomorrow some serious thought.  It's not only for my good friends who are non-verbal.  Many kids who can talk do great.  My friend Reagan is a great example.  She can say a lot but her inner voice shines through when she spells.  

More people really must give RPM a try.  Hearing it from me might not be enough. You might need the push my mom and her friends are going to present at their first informational meeting they are holding in October.  People can come hear more about RPM.  I might be presenting also.  Lots of people watching makes me nervous, but I am going to try and answer your questions about RPM.  Having people small makes me large.  Mad that some people doubt that I'm actually typing my own thoughts, but seeing is believing.  Meeting Soma and her son Tito will also help convince you.  He is amazing.

Pointing to communicate often is not perfect.  I'm only able to easily spell my thoughts with Mom.  Learning to be comfortable with more people is most important goal of mine right now.  I am pretty good with Dad, Emma, Miss Parcheta, and Mr. Barkley.  Learning to type with no one holding my keyboard also.  My mom learned about using dictation as practice.  Love doing it.  Makes me feel empowered.  Makes me excited for the future.  At last no one would doubt me.  Name mans greatest achievements...most were laughed at at first.

 

Family

To say really nice things about my family is my goal of this blog post.  To say they are the best is an understatement.  Mom is the person who interrupts my stimming to get me to write these blog posts.  We have been a team my whole life and now more than ever.  To say I lean on seeing her each day would be accurate.  Other kids aren't as lucky.  My parents pay us so much attention and keep us happy.  Our family treats everyone with respect even if they don't deserve it.  We want people to treat others that way also. 

You might perhaps think having a truly perfect family isn't possible, but most people owe my success to their learning how to do the right things to help me.  People yearn to understand my living wants.  Each year my wants take a great name.  Wearing largely on me this year has been all the people who make teaching RPM another thing to doubt.  Weeks have gone by that could of been used learning new incredible things.  I'm teaming up with really proper kindred people to really promote RPM on our blogs.  Try tomorrow to meaningfully make someone included who otherwise is excluded. 

Learning to make my wants known has greatly improved my life.  Emma, my sister makes an effort to talk to me.  We have gotten really good at spelling together.  Mom is so proud of us.  Maybe once (my little sister) Brooklyn learns to spell, we can spell together also.  She is so interested, but she needs to pull great learning off before she's ready.  Part of me thinks she is my person who accepts me the most.  She has always loved me as her smart older sister.  People ought to follow her example.  Love doesn't need words.

 

Friendship

All my new friendships I'm nurturing right now are owed to my ability to communicate.  I'm so happy to have friends.  People that understand what life is like being autistic.  Paving the way like me with their writings is Reagan, Philip, Ryan, Fox and Brayden.  

 

Philip has been my friend for a long time.  He inspired me to work my butt off so I'm able to chat with him.  He always keeps wanting me to try new things.  I'm pushing him to overcome his shyness and anxiety, making our meetings more productive.  Love texting with him.  Reagan is my other best friend.  She is one year younger, but we have a lot in common.  Girls like us need each other

 
 

Had people sometimes, myself included, thinking I'd never have friends.  Now loving all my new friends and the time we spend together.  It lessens my loneliness knowing I have so many people who care about me.  My learning to be a good friend is important to me.  Renovating listening skills makes me another ear people can count on. 

The newest friend is Bella.  Managed to make her my friend on another continent.  The boys live in another country, but are still in North America.  Man are we a worldwide group!  Emulating my mom is my goal.  She has patience and is a good friend.

 

The last few weeks have been chances for new experiences.  Mom went to Austin to train on RPM with Soma.  She came back invigorated to make more of a difference working with me and other kids.  Must have myself included because I am also benefitting from what she learned.  Soma talked such wisdom. 

Even though I can communicate by typing, there can be many other things my Mom can work on.  My small theory is that I'm picked to make other people aware of what is possible for everyone.  We are making a difference.  Using RPM to work on other skills is important. 

Once I was able to type Mom was really proud, but there is more to work on.  Taking the time is yearned for.  Some of the things we have used RPM with are piano, drawing, writing and dictation.  These things are skills often neglected.  I'm actually pretty good at piano.  I need more practice if I'm going to write love songs someday.  Presently the songs perform only in my head.  I've also pointed working with my incredible tutor, Miss "P".  Mom hired her to come work with me on Tuesdays and Thursdays. 

Gave learning how to ride a bike a try this summer also.  It was a hard school.  Finding the right bike seemed like the hardest part of the process.  Right away I felt comfortable with my bike.  People were impressed how quickly I picked up on it.  I was trying to impress the boy who was my assigned helper.  The whole process was awesome. 

Meeting new goals has made my summer great so far.  Was hoping awesome things would happen this summer and they have.  You just need to give things a shot.  Autism doesn't stop me anymore!

 

Pressure picking a topic for a new blog post makes me not want to spell.  No amount of my babyish antics show how I'm really feeling inside.  My likely emotions are actually much more complicated.   The problem incredibly is not great.  Like that so many people read and feel inspired by my blog, but it makes me nervous that my readers might not like how the blog names my success being the result of my hard work and RPM.  RPM may not be a choice. 

Using RPM outside of my great home is what I'm hopeful I'll be able to do more often.  I'm thinking really nearby caring friends of my mom ought to get a chance to talk to me.  They seem really nice and I think that we could have some nice conversations about autism and my opinion rates high because I'm living with my autism every day. 

Having another great conversation with my friends Reagan and Philip needs really to happen soon also.  Years have passed where I'm ill-equipped to make friends, but now I'm able, so adding more great friends is important.  Picking time when I'm able to get together with my meet to talk friends can be difficult.  I'm needing my mom to schedule the hangouts.  Peaceful talks with my friends is something I'm craving more and more.  They are the only ones that can truly make me feel like someone understands what my life is like.  Each autistic has different challenges, but we make the best of the kind of tearing down of our really ice creating isolating lives.

 
 
 
 

Want people to accept people for who they are and not judge them based on what they see on the outside.  Whether people are meaning to or not, they look at me and automatically assume that I lack intelligence.  Kaylie makes a nice friend and will always mean what I say.  My leaned on parents like to have conversations with me and hear my opinions.  The teaching that people need is to learn from blogs written by myself and other autistics like me.  There are so many of unsung heroes out there who are working tirelessly to make the world a more tomorrow. 

Long tomorrow for everyone to make an attempt to get to know someone better who is autistic almost more than they do today.  Making an easy really good friend would be the result.  The best friends are good listeners and I've had a lot of practice.  We try naming kids as retarded and living in their own world, but actually we are smart and living in the same world, we are just locked in bodies that won't listen, making us seem weird and indifferent. 

Really more spots in which I'm interested in improving.  Tried tomorrow to order interesting things to like to try doing with my time.  I'm bored with YouTube.  I'm sick of stimming on the same Barney videos I've been watching my whole life.  Need caring attempts to do new things with me.  As I get older, meaningful activities don't seem as overwhelming.  I am sorry time is poached by my sister's many interesting and time consuming activities.  We really pine so much for something positive to look forward to.  Take a chance.

 
 

 

Outside people live their lives much like I'm living my life.  On the inside my life is very different.  Please try to understand how just getting through one day can be challenging.  Sometimes things such as going to the bathroom. 

Family didn't invite me to do as many fun things as my sisters because they were always unsure if I could handle the activity without having crying meltdowns.  Teaching myself to control myself dearly helped me have more opportunities to do fun excursions and vacations.  The way I'm able to control myself makes me really proud.  Need to work on my aggression.  Also, sometimes I pick accidental fights with people.  I might head butt or grab a finger.  Long to stop doing that, but my body doesn't always listen to my mind.

Like having really good tomorrow.  The things that will make tomorrow good make me excited for my future.  Yesterday I saw a video of Carly Fleischman interviewing Channing Tatum for her new talk show.  Seeing an autistic lass making such an awesome video awed me.  I also awed each person who saw my news story. 

These videos are changing people's perception of autistic people.  We are capable of so much more.  Need to give us a chance.  Someday my dream is to meet the President and show him or her some eye-opening things.  Landing an interview with Adam Levine wouldn't be too bad either.  Although he's married and too old for me, meeting him would still be awesome!

 

Having wonderful loving parents does lately lean me towards being a more loving person myself.  It's my dream to believe I might still talk someday.  I'm lucky to be another RPM success, but talking would sweeten my life.  I would love to participate in family conversations and just be able to speak the words "I love you." 

My parents know meeting Soma truly changed my very awful life for the better.  Now we talk using my iPad, but it's not as good as your lives.  Even people meet me and don't know I'm wanting to talk to them.  Living without a voice makes days long and monotonous.  Much of my parents time is taken.  People need to try and include me more.  Really pleased now that my Mom and Dad and sisters take the time to talk and teach me new things.  That part of my life seems better. 

I'm jealous of my sisters.  They can talk and sing and I'll never be able to live some of the experiences they do.  They don't appreciate how lucky they are.  People ought to count their blessings.  My goal is to try to keep pushing myself so my life is autistic persons door to incredible possibilities.

 

 

 
 

 

My Vacation

Liked my vacation to Florida.  My family of five really more or less had another great trip.  We rented a house on Marco Island.  Picking the right house took my parents a long time.  Mom wanted the best house.  Pleasantly surprised the house had lovely pool in addition to four nice bedrooms.  Liked it so lots treating our great family.  Our weather made the trip a little challenging.  People sorry that a couple days were cloudy.  We made it fun anyway.  One day spent at the Naples Zoo was fun.  I rode a camel with my dad. 

Grandma liked seeing us.  Pleasing to make loving memories.  Time was passed so easily at Treviso Bay's lovely pool.  I love swimming in the deep water.  It makes me feel present.  I feel pretty in control of my body in the pool.  I may want to malign the beach.  Marco Island's beach was possibly the worst beach I've been to.  It was hard to get to and the sand was filled with seashells that hurt to walk on.  One day we went to the beach in Naples and it was much better.  I'm going to push staying closer to Naples the next time we go down to Florida.  Loved to go out to eat - possibly more than the beach. 

Long time I've loved going on vacations.  Want to go to many different places.  Mom and Dad love traveling too.  Mom loves the idea of going to London this summer with Dad.  Long to go with them.  Maybe next time.  I'm also interested in going to many other places like Lake Tahoe, Punta Cana, China and Italy.  Most people assume autistics are not interested in travel, but I love every minute.

 

 

 

 

Often I'll point easily.

Tomorrow please be incredibly patient.

Tomorrow please point harder.

You can't give up on your loved autistic children.  Having someone that you love letting you know that they really make you a priority is great feeling.  You don't make mountains in a day.  Please make me happy and try introducing RPM to your most loved children.  Pointing makes life so much more tolerable. New opportunities have stimulated my brain.  Learning can have only a positive effect.  You won't believe learning can open up so many doors. 

Please listen to my words. 

Pointing tomorrow basically is going to make someone you care for over the top happy.  I'm the pretty much perfect example.  Now I'm someone that people look up to.  I'm doing great in my classes in really hard subjects.  I'm so proud of myself and so is my family.  Just like you, I feel like I've got a bright future.  My dear interesting life makes me keep pushing myself to do more.  I'm working on typing on the keyboard independently.  It's another challenge. 

More autistics are missing out on opportunities.  Meeting Miss Heather Ly from Channel 2 News really made Philip and I happy.  We finally got to show what is possible with RPM.  We tried really interesting news piece.  Our autism didn't get in the way the day we filmed.  We both knew how important it was that we show the world how great our lives are now.  Like people, tomorrow, tonight and the next day to share Miss Heather Ly's great news story.  She made me so happy with the way she told our story.  Thank you.

http://www.wgrz.com/entertainment/television/programs/daybreak/rapid-prompting-method-helps-people-with-autism-communicate/64258012

 

Kaylie, how hard was it for you to start RPM?

Looking back, starting RPM was somewhat of a massive undertaking.  First long year, we didn't make a lot of progress.  It took Soma's help hearing our struggles to finally offer up intuitive advice. 

It was my dream to be able to communicate.  After meeting Soma for the first time I really thought there might be hope finally.  Soma was so patient.  She believed in me right away.  Mom and Dad were somewhat sorry they hadn't realized learning was such a path to illustrating possibilities they had thought out of my capability.  After we saw Soma, they were determined.  RPM earned their trust and they were going to have success.  It was hard at first.  Mom really was busy with my baby sister and didn't have the time to work with me all the time.  Dad tried, but he was not very patient. 

Pointing to the letter board was really hard.  My careful pointing didn't go the way I planned.  Great pointing happened with Soma, but not with my parents.  The problem was hard to figure out.  Mom learned to put rolled pieces of tape on each letter on the letter board to increase the feedback when I touched the board.  It really made it easier for me to focus on what letter I was touching.  Pointing on the letter board became so much easier.  I decided I wanted to try typing on a keyboard.  Had an easy time transitioning.  Like using the keyboard. 

Learning to communicate is the best thing I've ever done.  Like my making people think that more is possible for their loved ones.  It's not often that great opportunities teach us so many important lessons.

 

Having autism can also be lovely sometimes.  My liked life more and more is my good grades, my blog and my time spent with my family. 

People make the hard choice to meet good wants of their loved autistic children.  I have seen many loving parents who don't believe their loved children are capable of more than PECS and another form of communication path called Proloquo.  You must need a lot of juice and snacks.  Picking Proloquo to use for communicating is not the needed solution that many parents and teachers think.  Proloquo uses pictures downloaded to the iPad, and the theory is based on the Picture Exchange Communication System or PECS. 

The problem with placing your hopes for communication in Proloquo is that pointing to pictures on an iPad isn't really communication. I couldn't communicate my thoughts the liked way I can now by typing.  Learning to point to a letter board leaning towards a miracle for me.  I could finally talk to my family the way I always dreamed.  More kids need to experience this life changing moment! 

I'm trying hard to offer up reasons for looking at RPM as an option.  Learning touches our brains and opens up pathways for communication.  Please earn your loved ones gratitude and go to Austin and meet Soma.  You won't regret it. 

Lately my life has been so exciting!  My news story airs next week.  Is everyone going to watch?

(Kaylie's news story is supposed to air on Wednesday, March 2nd on WGRZ Channel 2 in Buffalo sometime between 6-7am.  The story should be posted on their website, wgrz.com and Facebook/Twitter by 8 am the morning it airs. - Lisa)

For more information on RPM, visit HALO's website at www.halo-soma.org

Autism is not a walk in the park.  My life comes with many challenges.  People look at me like I'm really strange.  Please look past my exterior and get to know how I am inside.  My personality is much like loving people around the world.  My family offers me much longed for love and support, but I'm always longing for more.  I'm seeking to make another connection with autistics like myself.  Only they can understand. 

People want to know if life can get like mine.  They need to open their minds to amazing possibilities.  Don't each one of us have a purpose in this world?  My purpose is to make as much noise about RPM as possible.  Looking happily to make a difference.  Most of the time I'm ill-equipped.  Like my book might never lay it all out for loved family members of other autistics who are unable to communicate. 

My dream is to meet the President and get him on board with making RPM the make talking unimportant therapy used in our schools.  Need him to learn doing RPM can save so many kids from living a life led mostly by people made to think they are stupid.  Learning will really motivate. 

Really think our money drive treats the price of therapy as the indicator of success.  Having understanding of what autistics need in order to be able to communicate like long unheard members of this society.  We need people to understand that money isn't what's important.  Our lives is what's important.  Pointing to letters on a letter board or keyboard allows us to communicate way better than using pictures.  There is no picture that can express what I'm thinking.  All I can communicate is "I want juice."

People might think autism leans toward meaning that we lack intelligence.  I'm actually probably smarter than most pretty girls my age.  Learning makes me happy.  Learning gave liked purpose to my previously pointless life.  Now pretty much all my perfect scores on tests is making my teachers and classmates see my potential. 

Autistics might behave strangely sometimes.  My biggest thing people might notice is how my really touchy temper can erupt into what people would see as uncontrollable screaming.  Presuming my lack of self control longs to hear people make negative comments would mean I'm doing it on purpose.  When I'm getting upset about something I can't control how I'm reacting.  It's like this monster inside of me uses my body for its pleasure.  I'm helpless.  Learning your triggers is important.  I have some things that can set me off.  One person really lately helps me.  Patience can overcome.  I'm really grateful that my mom is my biggest supporter.  Mom has patience galore.  Mr. B at school is also a meaningful help to me.  We autistics prefer people who are calming.

People treat me like part stupid, part monster.  Using my iPad to communicate has helped a lot of people to see me as someone worth listening to.  There are still people in my life that doubt that I'm really typing my thoughts and not being helped to say these words.  You likely will be sorry someday when I'm a famous autistic advocate who types on my own.  Reading my blog means nothing if you don't believe I wrote it.  My mom got the news to do a story on me.  It will help convince many, because they filmed my ability to type.

My understanding about presenting my liked learning method of RPM to the people in the local community is that many people will be interested, and some will make my soul cry with their small mindedness.  People are afraid of people making fun of them for trying something that is not backed by scientific data.  Learning is what RPM is all about.  Don't be afraid.  It bases itself in naming answers.   Using RPM is like showing someone loved that you believe in them.  Getting someone to believe is the first step to clearing the way for communication.  Autistics need hand of a loved one.  Hearing people using my blog as inspiration is amazing to hear.  Most people still haven't heard of RPM, but likely they soon will.  Lately, the word makes me smile.

RPM stands for Rapid Prompting Method.  It was helpful in getting me to learn how to communicate.  The person placing her belief in me was Soma.  She is the creator of RPM.  I first met her many years ago when my parents and some other parents brought her to Buffalo for my benefit.  Loved her from the beginning.  She believed in me and made me feel smart for the first time.  Her methods worked.

Treating me like I was smart, really like an intelligent person made me feel like I'm someone loved.  Treat autistics like they matter and teach them grade level material and you will be amazed how we respond.  Point to my success.  Also my friend Philip.  Patience is key, we don't respond well to impatient people.  Soma would like that I am blogging.  Easy to talk with Soma from the start because she knows what autistics are capable of.  Mom and Dad didn't always believe in me the way they do now.  Really the child that was loved.

Plight of autistics picks us.  We malign our many children, treating autistics as less than other people.  Having my incredible family believe in me now is making a hard life more bearable.  Really think people have changed their opinions of me.  My mom's friends are so supportive of her and me.  Like learning that they talk about me and yearn to help autistics that they know.  Most loved girl now that having autism does mean my Mom will amount to make people care what happens for the future of my autistic loved compatriots.  Mark your calendars - I'm going to be on the news next month showing our community how great Philip and I are doing now that we can communicate using RPM.

My Life Now

Life now is pretty perfect.  Love my loving family.  The best thing about my life now is the ability to tell my parents things about me that they didn't know.  For example, they picked out a Lab puppy for my birthday because I told them I really wanted one.  Love having Scout as part of our family.  She offers so much unconditional love.

Like all people to perceive me as just like them inside.  I'm perceived sometimes as weird or likely to create a scene.  My true self is loving, empathetic and helpful.  My autistic traits sometimes makes people not see the real me.  Love that Dad and Mom have always loved me unconditionally.

Love my sisters.  Lately my loving Emma likes to get to treat me like another one of her friends.  She has been working on my homework with me and makes me feel really at ease.  Mom and Dad want her to make progress communicating with me in case an awful tragedy caused their deaths.  Getting a lot better typing with Emma.

Wearing nice clothes makes me feel confident.  Now that I can communicate I can tell my Mom and Dad what loved outfit I want to wear.  I'm pleased most of the time now, but sometimes life can sort of still be hard.  People don't always understand how hard autism can make days.  My parents try really hard to make me content.  Have a feeling life is going positive direction.

Paid trained teachers understand only what they've been taught in school about autism.  I'm wanting to take time with teachers, placing emphasis on the importance of presuming competence and being open to different kinds of therapy.  Love my incredible teachers at Heim learning how to do RPM so Philip and I can interact. 

ABA therapy treats autistics like we learn like animals.  We aren't always looking to be rewarded for performing.  Early on it was hard for me at school.  Went years without learning anything new because I wouldn't touch my nose eight out of ten times for three days in a row.  Mom and Dad finally told them to stop asking me that.  My nose is not hard to find, I just didn't want to touch it eight times a day.  Looking forward to learning new games in Spanish and interesting things about the human body in Science.

Really want people to make RPM therapy their first choice.  Each child can benefit using this method.  I'm another success story.  My life really improved once I started communicating.  Now my wants are being considered.  My family can ask my opinion on making decisions. 

Tomorrow please give out teachers my words.  Make them think about trying something new.  Understand years without being able to communicate are pure torture.  Make my dreams come true!  Long life ahead where I'll be speaking on behalf of those who can't.