So much for the self-imposed isolation. Two weeks in we enthusiastically raised the white flag, announcing we were done! There are only so many days one can thrive with limited sleep at night, then provide constant care during the day. Rick and I just aren’t that young and energetic any more. We had to weigh the risk of bringing caregivers back into our home versus the risk of sheer exhaustion. It was a difficult decision.
It became less and less difficult as time wore on.
What an AMAZING day!
Two months ago Josiah was extremely self injurious, aggressive and destructive. His quality of life was deplorable. His future at best, looked bleak.
This morning, he boarded a plane.
Josiah checked his baggage, secured a boarding pass, breezed through security, walked a very long way towards the gate, rode an electric cart, waited in the boarding area, walked through the plane, buckled his seat belt, enjoyed a snack on board and even visited briefly with the pilot in the cockpit before deplaning.
Josiah wears a batting helmet with a face guard. He wears it all day, every day. It’s big, bulky and cumbersome. It makes eating and drinking a bit more interesting, navigating around the metal guard, but it works.
It protects his face and ears from self injurious behavior.
Prior to the face guard, it was extremely difficult to protect Josiah from himself. For reasons still unknown, he constantly punched his ears and cheeks.
It’s heart wrenching to witness someone inflict self harm and not know how to help. When it’s your child it’s devastating, overwhelming and exhausting. It was beginning to feel hopeless.