Raising Cane

Okay.  This is a two meaning title.  First of all, on Thursday we had the Autism Speaks fundraiser at Raising Cane's in Lincoln.  We took Joseph for dinner and were met by more family and a few friends.  It looked like a great turnout.  Hopefully, at least one person out there learned something more about the mystery of autism. 

The ride to Lincoln was during traffic hour and it was raining, cold and nasty outside.  He was really bothered by the whole thing and just sat in the backseat rocking and talking to himself then screaming to me (in a loud overpowering voice) asking when we would be there because he was "starving to death".  The restaurant is located on a very busy intersection and when he got out of the car he panics.  He covered his ears, froze, looked terrified and wanted to get back in the car.  My fear was that he would run.  As I am trying to figure out what is wrong and thinking, of course, that it was the traffic, he screams that it is the "stupid music!  Why do they have to have that stupid music blaring like that!  Make them turn it off!!!!"  The music was a single speaker OUTSIDE the restaurant with some music playing at a volume that could barely be heard above the traffic.  But THAT is what set him off.  Does anyone wonder WHY the puzzle piece is used as the universal autism symbol?

And secondly, I intend to write about how the weekend was FULL of raising cane.  I just wish it could have been in the form of more yummy chicken dinners and not stress.  I got my granddaughter Friday afternoon for the weekend.  In hindsight, that was not such a good idea after the past week we had with Joseph.  I think I should have waited for the medications to really start working and for him to get stabilized.  Everything was okay Friday evening as Joseph was actually sleepy and very calm.  But Saturday both grand baby and Joseph were not very happy.  The baby was very whinny and seemed to not be feeling well.  The crying baby totally set off Joseph.  He became louder, aggressive and kept screaming to make her shut up!!!!  The louder he got the more she cried.  It was total chaos.  Thank God for a husband that was on top of things and took the two boys to work with him for most of the day.  I was able to get the baby settled down and some housework done.

Sunday was rainy again.  This is never a good thing with Joseph as it keeps him locked indoors and his energy MUST be released.  He made me very nervous at church.  He looked scared and pale.  He was saying that his eye was blurry and he was seeing two of everything.  I figured a migraine was coming on and watched him closely.  But after mass he played outside with the other children, ate well, and seemed to be doing fine.  The weather cleared and he played outside when we got home.  I gave him his sleep medicine on time however he was not asleep by bedtime and I was concerned.

He feel asleep around 9:30 but was up at 11:45 and was up the rest of the night.  The whole night!  Moving around, eating, watching TV, playing video games and talking to me!  LUCKY ME!  I feel like a truck me this morning but he just bounced off to school happy and alert. 

Awww.....sleeping like a baby....as a baby.  This may be close to what

he looks like today at school!!!!

As to me, I guess I will just remember this quote:

"I'll sleep when I'm dead." ~Warren Zevon