Scared to Death | Autism Moves Out

Archive for Scared to Death

New Normal

December 10, 2017 / Kathleen Williams / One comment

It’s been five months since my post. Five months. Long enough in real time. Light years in CJ time. We are a million light years from graduation, and nobody gave me a map from there to here. CJ graduated from high school in May. Seven years of high school and at the age of 21, CJ graduated. I have never been so terrified in my life. He walked out on the commencement stage to the call of “Christopher Williams.” Who? You could have heard a pin drop. Nobody knew who that was. Then the crowd saw CJ step out on the stage, and it was pandemonium. They clapped. They cheered. They jumped to their feet. “CJ! CJ! CJ!” He walked across the platform as a celebrity. He hugged everybody and everybody hugged him. He reveled in it.

And then we came home. I could feel the void looming. The emptiness of the days coming.

We shoved it back for bit while CJ went off to summer “college” at the ARC Jacksonville LIFE program. For 8 wonderful weeks, we all pretended that life was going on as usual. CJ loved his time there, growing, living in student apartments, and living the college life without classes.

And then it was over. Life as we’d known it for 22 years was over. And there was nothing waiting, no people, no activities, no bus, no purpose, no place in the world for CJ, except to sit in front of the TV and stare the next sixty years in the face.

School started again in August, and CJ didn’t go. Instead, he and I stayed at home with our new normal. Me being me, I like a good schedule. Sitting at home isn’t an option. So, CJ found himself out and about with his mom doing the shopping , going to the gym, and lunch with mom’s friends. Worst of all has been going to work with Mom. None of these things should ever happen to a 22 year old, but this was turning out to be CJ’s life.

Our options are limited. He can’t stay alone. He can’t live alone. He could go to a day program where he’d sit for hours doing arts and crafts. He could sit home and watch TV all day.

Not good enough. Not for me. Not for him. His world had shrunk to a shadow of what it was before. And the only one who could put it back together again was me.

He needed to get a job, I decided. How, I had no idea, but he needs a busy world full of typical people. Anything less is a waste.

But how?

Challenge #1: Money. Not too little. Too much. If CJ makes more than $85 per month, his SSI benefits are reduced fifty cents on the dollar. Yes. I need to find a job that makes almost no money. Because, if he has more than $2000 in his bank account, he loses his benefits entirely. Good luck, me!

Challenge #2: Working with a job agency. I discovered the Vocational Rehabilitation government program which helps people with disabilities prepare for job searches and find jobs. We were passed off to an independent contractor, who only gets paid if CJ finds a job. Great. So, CJ now has to learn how to present himself for a job interview.

He takes it very seriously. He has a “uniform” that consists of black pants and socks, black shoes and a green polo shirt. It doesn’t matter if the job interview is at 2 pm, CJ is up at 6 AM, dressed and ready to go. It all makes me want to cry.

He tries so hard, going to training sessions, watching videos on how to act and answer questions. I know it must seem so strange and bewildering to him, but he never stops trying to make the grade. Meanwhile, I make phone calls, send emails, go to meeting and arrange more interviews.

Could he stock shelves at the food pantry? Take in donations? Do laundry at the hospital? Volunteer at the high school? Anything. I’d take anything to keep him out of arts and crafts for the next forty years.

Weeks went by. Months.

And then I got the call….

Category: Bound & Determined, Dazed & Confused, Frustrated & Irritated, Scared to Death /

Time is Ticking

December 4, 2016 / Kathleen Williams / One comment

Time is ticking….

May 23 is the end of the school year and the end of the only life CJ has ever known since he was four years old.

May 23. In case you were wondering, it is just over five months away.

This terrifies me. There’s no blueprint. There’s no official plan. There’s no more track of upward and outward. In fact, unless I figure something out, it’s basically the opposite. What happens next? What are our short term goals? What are our long term goals? What are the backup plans? What does CJ’s future look like after he ages out of the school system?

Nothing has ever terrified me more.

He really (really, really) wants to go back to “college” . He attended one of Arc Jacksonville’s Summer Experience four week sessions last summer. He was out and living large, without mom or coming home each day, and with an invisible army of support behind him, he was making it happen. Yeah, that sounds like college.

He might be able to go to both sessions this summer. College x 2. And after that…? After that, it is all me, all the time. Me with CJ at home. Me without the daily break for both of us. Me without the system support to help me help CJ make sense of his changing world. I had one friend describe it as being CJ’s the cruise director on the Good Ship Nowhere to Go. That is NOT what I signed up for. I would be miserable. He would be miserable. What 22 year old wants to hang out with his mom all day every day?

Is there help? Yes. Are there other services? Yes. But there’s no framework of the school system to help me sort it out. It is once again a labyrinth filled with flaming hoops to jump through, over and over.

What about a job, you say? What about putting all these life skills and experiences of CJ’s out there in the community where he can keep growing and contributing? Right. There’s the Vocational Rehabilitation, which is part of the DOE. They work with people with disabilities to help them find jobs and provide support. Sounds great, right? In reality, they are overworked, underpaid state employees doing their best with limited resources. Like so many services since we started this journey, the squeaky wheel gets the oil. Guess who gets to spend the day squeaking now? And the nicer the squeaky wheel, the faster, sometimes. It’s a delicate balance between pleading and demanding, and most day’s I favor the latter.

CJ’s school has a program where he goes to “work” at local businesses for a few hours each day. The school provides transportation and someone to go with him and coach him. He has worked at a YMCA, Goodwill, a grocery store and several restaurants. He has enjoyed almost all of them. He loves to feel useful. Don’t we all?

The problem with all of this is after he is out of school, that program goes away. What will I do? Once that plug is pulled, where do I turn to plug it in again? If he manages to get a paying position, even for a few hours a week, how does it all work? How does he get there and home? Who helps him to make sure he is doing what he is supposed to be doing? Who helps him keep the job? Who lets me know when there’s a problem so I can jump in with support? So many of the people who manage to get jobs lose them when they can’t perform without the supports they so desperately need. And if he gets a job, I am now the taxi, personal assistant and job coach. What will that do to my sanity?

There is a bus service through the local public bus. We had to apply, get a doctor to fill out a form and go for an in person interview. He was eligible. This will provide transportation to and from work. I have heard the bus trips can be quite long as they go door to door to pick up and drop off. CJ has always loved riding the bus. I am hoping it will give us both more healthy time apart.

He wants to move out. A week doesn’t go by without him asking about “college”, the apartments (“the ones over there with the pool”), or the “little houses” at the Arc Jacksonville. Not “if”, but “when” can he go. What on earth do I tell him? What if the answer turns out to be “no?”

I’m trying to make sure he gets to do every senior year moment possible. His name is on the senior class shirt. He went to the Homecoming dance. He walked in senior night with the football team. He already has plans for prom. I know his experiences will always look a little different, but I want to make things as “normal” for him as I can. But I’m always aware that I’m giving him this normal, knowing it’s unsustainable for much longer.

I still wake up in the middle of the night and I can’t breathe. I still wrack my brain trying to think

of one more thing, one more option, anything I haven’t done, anyone else I can contact.

I love my son, but he is almost 22 and the world is coming at us both. Both of us are anxious. Both of us are hopeful. But the future is all on me. And so far, there’s no real answers and no real plan.

Help.

Category: Arc Jacksonville, Frustrated & Irritated, Scared to Death /

How to Get Into College

March 2, 2016 / Kathleen Williams / 6 comments

I have many friends with kids near CJ’s age. They are in college, applying to college or even just graduated. I have spent many hours talking about requirements, distances from home and especially, money. I have spent even more hours talking to moms and dads of special needs kids about our options. There aren’t many. The State of FL alone has 12 state colleges, 28 community colleges and 33 private colleges. What are the options for young adults that can’t go to a typical college setting? There really aren’t many. There is a big difference between going to college as you and I would, going to a trade school or getting a job and what it would look like for CJ.

Homes and Communities

But first things first. First, we need to find a place that CJ can live as independently as possible as HE can live. How independent does he have to be? What does he need to master before he can move in?

There are residential facilities more similar to a retirement community where there is some level of supervision. These are more like somewhere that you would expect to visit your grandparents. They can have a home or apartment with room mates or even their own place. They can offer meals and recreational activities or be completely independent. They will often offer transportation. The idea is to live as independently as possible.

Right now, I am focusing on two prospects. Both require CJ to be more independent that he is now and both are still in development. I have not toured either of the facilities. I do have a target January 2018.

I have a friend whose son moved to a “Group Home” under unpleasant circumstances for the safety of all involved. It was not what she had planned. She had dreamed and planned of a home or community atmosphere where he could live a full life. Things did not work out that way. Currently, in the State of Florida, the only way you move to a group home is “Life or Death” situations. I have actually said those words to the “powers that be” and been told “yes.” Yes? Seriously? That’s the best we can do? Basically, the person must be a danger to themselves or others. There must be no one able to care for them. (unwilling does not count) You can’t drop these kids off at a fire station. I had one friend ask seriously in desperation what would happen if she left her son at a hospital and she was told they would “pursue her for abandonment”.

My friend’s son was actually doing well. They had talked of him “going to college” for years. His older siblings had gone to college and moved out. It was what you did in their family. He was just the last to do it. He had the care he needed and was doing well. The interesting thing is that everyone I have talked to whose child has moved out has said that they are doing better outside the home as they are able to have their needs met. The families are happier as they are able to reconnect their marriages, friendships and families. They almost all, however, felt guilty. I had one mom tell me the house wasn’t up to her standards of cleanliness. All of a sudden it hit me. It’s not up to your standards. It’s not going to be. It’s not supposed to be. I looked at her and asked what she thought his living conditions would have been like in a dorm or worse, a frat house. Have any of you been in a frat house?

So, what will it look like for CJ? That is what keeps me up at night.

Tours

I took CJ with me when a group went to look at a property for a possible community. It had been a sort of boys camp prior. It was abandoned, but had buildings on it. He was VERY irritated with me that he was there. I finally asked if he would like to go to move there and live with his friends. It looked like a camp and he loves camp. I just wanted him to shut up. As he continued to run his mouth, I started to have fantasies about him living at a long term “camp” where he was safe and having a great time, but NOT making me crazy. I told him he could “Go to College”. “Oh, OK. That would be good.” Nothing came of any of it as the property was not usable. I forgot about it.

When school was starting back up in the fall we kept running into kids who were getting ready to start college or were staying local. One day we were driving and he asked out of the blue, “When am I going to ‘college’?” I was caught off guard. I would have just answered, “you aren’t going to college”, but there was something to this question. He stated it very clearly. He wanted to know. I probed further. “What college?” CJ-“That place where you took me with the buildings”. Me-???? Light bulb moment. “College”. “COLLEGE!”

He wants to go to “college.” He wants to move out. He wants to live with his friends. He wants his own life. He is 20 years old. What did you want when you were 20? I was at college and dating my now husband. I was certainly NOT living at home with my mom. You’re welcome Mom!!!
Now………How to make it happen?

Colleges

There are programs at colleges for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

UCF has a program for adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities http://ies.sdes.ucf.edu/

UNF has a program http://www.arcjacksonville.org/college-experience-oct/

Marino Campus in Fort Lauderdale has another program http://marinocampus.org/

I have met people involved in all these programs. They are all amazing. They all give individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities a chance to further their education. These programs are not designed to get a regular degree. Some individuals with special needs can attend colleges with or without accommodations and can complete degrees. There are persons with all different disabilities including autism with degrees even Ph.D.’s. These programs are not for those people. These programs are designed to be more of an assistance as a transition. They all give individuals a chance to move out and be with their peers. They are all “college” programs. They live in an environment where they are more like a dorm situation with organized activities and classes away from home and yet not completely independent. I have not heard one negative thing about any of them except the normal monetary concern about college. Here’s the problem for me. It will cost as much to send CJ to “college” as my daughter and we can’t do that. We certainly can’t do it indefinitely. I know people who were on a 5 year plan. If you get a master’s, you might be able to add two more years. Even with a Ph.D., you better be done in less than ten years. Ph.D. CJ is not likely and I need a permanent solution.

There are summer programs for adults like CJ. There is one offered through an assisted living facility in Jacksonville that is 4 weeks. It is on a college campus and is a sort of cross over that lets individuals try the program to see if they would like to attend the college or would like to move into the residential location. I look into the details and I was crushed. He has to be able to take his own medication. He has never taken his own meds, and I have always know he never would. We are out. I cried. It just feels like every time we think a door is opening, it feels like someone slams it in our faces.

Changes

BUT. Yes, but. Over the holidays he started shaving himself with a razor. A real razor. I have no idea why he decided to. He nicked himself pretty good. My first reaction was to panic and yell at him and tell him he shouldn’t be doing that, etc. Some how I managed to think before I spoke. (The magnitude of that is more than you know.) I realized that I have hacked my legs up with a razor more than once. I mention to a few men what happened and every one of them shrugs and tells me that he still has days when he cuts his face up.

Maybe I needed to reevaluate this whole situation. Several different people told me about medications options. You can order medications in packets by doses, so instead of bottles of medications, you get packets with the right combination of medications for the time of day. Some facilities will actually hand the medications to residents. They just have to actually take them independently.

Maybe I jumped the gun here. I call to find out what the facility will and won’t do. I spoke with a very professional young woman who put me on hold twice to get clarification. Answer: They can’t physically do anything. They can’t hand him anything. They can’t tell him which packet to take or not take. He must do everything independently. I had to hang up. I was so disappointed. Now, I was really crushed. There was nothing more I can do. He does have limitations, no matter what I want to tell myself or what others want to tell me. He can’t do this.

I emailed a friend as I couldn’t even talk. She emailed right back. She wasn’t buying it. CJ has surprised us again and again. She said we just need time and a plan. There are all sorts of aids. She sent me several links for ways to package medication for seniors and others. I started to feel some hope as I started looking. You can make your own blister packs with the dosages. They even sell machines that lock that will dispense the correct dosage on the correct day at the correct time. It will even sound an alarm and/or flash a light. Who knew?

Hope crept back in. I started to get excited again. (tentatively) How long did we have? A Plan. A Plan. All I need is a plan. I can conquer the world with the right plan.

I order the simplest option, small zip lock bags with a write on label. I fill them with each dose and use a different color marker for AM, 3 PM and Bedtime. I wrote in the days and separate them in a plastic container.

I had CJ come in and started with giving him the packets. He got irritated, and I got worried. Maybe he can’t do this. And then tells me it is “not his job”. Now, I’m irritated….and hopeful once again. Step up, Boy!

As I watched, he took the crusher, crushed the pills and took the medicine.

?????

It’s that easy? All this time and worry and it’s that easy?

Well…..yes and no. We still have some fine tuning to do. He got upset with me one day because there was no Tuesday. There was an extra Thursday packet, but no Tuesday packet. He simply couldn’t take Thursday on Tuesday.

I can work with this.

I made a chart that is color coded to match the markers on the bags. I laminated it and got a green (of course) dry erase marker to check off each dose. I do love a good chart and laminator.

He tells me regularly that it is “not my job”. I tell him each time that he has to do it if he wants to go to college. Do you want to go to college? Yes. Then do your own medicine. Oh. That’s different.

He still needs to be prompted. He still isn’t opening the one capsule he needs to I still keep hoping that he will just wake up one day and swallow his pills. That would make the biggest difference. He routinely swallows huge wads of food. When it comes to pills, however, he is like the dog that coughs up the pill no matter what.

I can still work with this.

The biggest lesson here is that I need to remember that no one knows what he can and can’t do. We can only move forward and try everything. I have to continue to remind myself that it doesn’t have to look like it looked for me or will look for my daughter. We can’t keep underestimating CJ. His future holds amazing possibilities and the options are growing.

Category: Bound & Determined, Frustrated & Irritated, Scared to Death, Uncategorized /

B-Day is D-Day

August 12, 2013 / Kathleen Williams / One comment

Happy Birthday, CJ!

Well…here we are. He is officially 18…an adult. We are officially NOT in charge.

There were no casualties at the party. The cake was awesome and the friends were even better!

Now, I am stalking the attorney. I emailed the office 7/30 for an update. Tick Tick Tick Tick. Remember that while we can file the paperwork for guardianship with the court, the court can’t act on it until CJ turns 18. But the second he turns 18, he’s a legal adult and a free agent until the judge gets around to saying otherwise. If he gets into medical trouble or legal trouble before then, he’ll be treated as an adult able to consent to care or otherwise.

This scenario gives me nightmares at the moment.

I was told that everything was filed with the county and we were waiting for a response from them. We should know something “the next week.” I managed to wait until the end of last week (it was heroic) and emailed again. Again…the case is filed and will be handled by the attorney the beginning of next week.

A startling thought occurred to me: could it be that this is all routine for them and not the center of this known universe and any others that might be next door to ours? Could it be that they feel a legal play by play is unnecessary? When I agreed to a retainer in return for a legal perspective, maybe that wasn’t an unspoken agreement to make my perspective their own. Did I get it backwards??

Well…it is NOT routine for me and I can’t sleep at night. My son is legally naked, so to speak, and it bothers me. A lot.

I actually fell asleep while I was talking to a friend on the phone yesterday.

Oh fantastic. Apparently, the judges are all out at a conference. Ugh.

Category: Frustrated & Irritated, Scared to Death /

Autistic Guardianship or The Lid on Pandora’s Box

May 16, 2013 / Kathleen Williams / 2 comments

Well, I’ve done it now. I have actually started. I have a appointment to meet with an attorney about guardianship. I have started the research on a non-profit organization to build a house for CJ, his friends, and hopefully others like him. And I have let this blog go live.

There is a part of me that is so empowered and excited. There’s a part of me that is scared to death. There is a lot riding on this. My son really does need to “move out” and become more independent. He is happier when he is with his own friends, doing his own activities. He loves going to youth group and camp. He loves going to baseball and football practices and games at school. I love seeing him happy. I love the idea of restoring some balance to our lives.

There is a HUGE learning curve with all of this. There are big questions. Can I do it by myself? Do I need an attorney? Do I need an accountant? How does it all run? Will it end up costing more this way? Will it end up being more work this way?

There are so many unknowns at this point.

Category: Guardianship, Scared to Death /