The Start of Summer Camp Part 1

Well, today was the first day of summer camp!

Some of you may remember that I got a call earlier in the spring from

the local Developmental Disabilities center saying that they had

three spots left for summer camp for young adults and wanted to offer

 them to our boys.  So we filled out what seemed like a mountain of paper

 work and got physicals from our doctor.  The Mister and I took a

 tour of the facility and then I took the boys back for another tour and

consultation.  After feeling good about the place, we accepted the spots.

I told them that since this was the first completely new venue for our boys

since kindergarten, I wanted to come with them the first day,

 including riding the bus that was going to pick them up!  They said that was fine, 

so this morning we got picked up and were on our way.

I've sat here staring at my computer for a good 20 minutes trying to 

decide how much I should ramble on about all of my thoughts here.

This is a really big deal for us!  

 The boys have attended the same 

school K-12, just 1 block from our home.  They have always known the

same kids, same building, same bus, and the teacher/aide turnover

was very low.  One aide was there all 13 years!  I personally know

the principal, the school administer and several school board members

and teachers.  It's a nice, quiet, small public school and I felt

the boys were very safe there.

We know a family in town that sent their son out of state to a

home for disabled people after graduation.  He had some mental retardation

 but could function quite well for himself

 and he could talk and communicate well.  He loved

the place and did very well for the first year or so, but

things started unravelling and it took quite a while before he finally

broke down and told his parents that one of the staff had been

sexually abusing him for over a year.  He has never recovered,

turning to rage and tantrums.  Anger, fueled with adrenaline, and

gaining a couple hundred pounds made him 

him very powerful and dangerous.  This happened probably 10

years ago and he is still being bounced from group home to group

home.  It's such a tragedy and a ruined life that haunts me.

Even though he isn't my child, I watched him grow up and

think how if this happened to him...who could talk...how much easier

 it would be for one of my boys to be abused and I might never know!

I expressed my concern to a few people over the last month and

most people said, "Oh, but you would know if it happened because

your boys would act differently... become introverted or upset." 

 Hmm....but that would mean it already happened!  

Not good enough!  Geesh!

So that is the concern that I've had!

I waver between keeping them home where they are safe,

sound and happy and letting them get out and experience life

in a broader way.  

Anyway, back to today....I insisted on coming with them the first

day and riding the bus...and they were very agreeable to that.

The boys were happy to see their friend Heather on the bus.

She was in their high school class.  She said she was especially

happy to see Harry.  haha.  Kim, looks like you have some 

competition.  haha.   We liked the bus driver

and the aide...both older gentlemen who were helpful and sweet.

They were thoughtful and asked really good questions about the 

boys. The driver even pulled out an umbrella and walked 

me into the building so I wouldn't get wet in the rain. :)

What happened the rest of the day can be categorized as good,

bad and ugly.  ha. But the good was 90% of the time I spent there,

so I don't want to give you the wrong impression. 

The boys came home all smiles!

I have to say I was totally exhausted when I got home.

(I left them with 3 hours remaining in their day and let them ride the

bus home without me.)  I cried my eyes out, sobbing in a towel,

when I got home. So not like me...not sure if it was just the pins

and needles I was on all day, sheer exhaustion in explaining

three non-verbal kids to aides, teachers, bus drivers, etc.

Or maybe it was just that every once in a while, the 

sadness of having a child with a disability is overwhelming.

You mourn for what will never be.  And even though I look on the

bright side most of the time, it does strike me as sad the things they

will never do or understand and the things they must go through.

And the responsibility I feel for their welfare is overwhelming.

 So, good, bad and ugly... I've decided to share it all...

mainly because I have other parents with kids with autism

who read my blog.  We need to connect with each other

 and keep it real, sharing the nitty gritty as well as the good.

And since this is already as long as one of Pat's rhymes,

I'm going to call it Part 1 and continue tomorrow. :)

The photos above are all that I could take.

I wasn't allowed to take any photos that showed other

students without their parent's permission.

So we have some of the bus ride and then a few 

of them sitting in their room.  And then one with a

train documentary playing on the big screen.

Yeah, that was a wonderful surprise! :)

♥