Anything that starts with A is a bad word

The two most pivotal life changing moments in my life have all happened after I heard a word that started with the letter "A". Your daughter has "Autism" and your father in law has "Alzheimer's". I am more comfortable at this stage in my life with Autism because after brief denial I took charge by immersing myself in all aspects of it. Alzheimer's is proving to be way more challenging due to the denial of the family member diagnosed. I always thought of this person as the President of my life. Unfortunately, he has chosen to be no Ronald Regan. Ronald Regan did the right thing.Instead he has chosen to go into hiding and not get proper treatment with assistance from his long time girlfriend whom has proven to have her own agenda. When Regan was first diagnosed he accepted his diagnosis, realized the consequences that were to come and in order to protect his family he legally made his wishes known so they could not be influenced by anyone in the future. Regan dealt with his disease with dignity, courage, and selflessness and completed it by writing one of the most touching letters I have ever read in my entire life. I thank god I had the wits not to stay in denial about my child's diagnosis and therefore was open to be able to obtain the therapy she needed. It doesn't matter what diagnosis you receive, if you never move on from the denial stage you hurt not only yourself but most importantly your family and the people you may come in contact with just living daily life. By ignoring any diagnosis you are being irresponsible and reckless while also choosing not to get the therapy that could better your life and make the lives of people around you easier, to me this is the ultimate selfish act. The matriarch of our family and the main support for "G's" therapy has abandoned his family after 20 years of love and commitment . My father in law looks like himself but inside he is an alien and his decisions go against a belief system he has had his entire life. I am forever grateful for the years of love and support he provided when he was his true self. G.H.B was the most intelligent loving person I have ever known and I am so angry and hurt. So another "A" word has affected our lives in such a profound way. Life moves forward as long as your heart beats, as wounded as it may be. From out of the ashes comes the positive, as with everything in life there is a trade off. With something lost there is something gained. I started my own business this year not intentionally but due to the need of another mom in a similar situation seeking the same academic therapy intervention that saved my own. Inner Imaging Instruction LLC was born. I am looking forward to assisting children with learning differences in North Eastern Pennsylvania soon. Everyone with a child with learning differences is looking for the best results. it is up to you to move on from denial of anyones diagnosis in order to get the help they need. It doesn't matter what diagnosis you receive, if you never move on from the denial stage you hurt not only yourself but most importantly your family and the people you may come in contact with just living daily life. By ignoring any diagnosis you are being irresponsible and reckless while also choosing not to get the therapy that could better your life and make the lives of people you will come in contact with in life safe. You can get the best results for any diagnosis by looking for the warning signs and abnormal behavior is a huge warning sign that you must take action for that person. You can get the the results for your unique child ONLY if you live, eat ,breath and sleep their diagnosis. Reading for pleasure, e-mailing your friends, chatting on the phone, playing a video game, and watching T.V. is OVER! It is a full time job, educating and advocating for your child. I have zero guilt due to every waking moment being spent on "G's" progress.Find your child's PLP(present level of performance), set measurable goals, and monitor mastery of goals. Best outcomes come from not giving into their strange behaviors yet changing them to fit the norm. The goal is self regulation and it starts with changing any behavior that keeps them from achieving academically and socially. I have dealt with and conquered the oddest behaviors. My child's crib looked like a beaver chewed it down which transformed to chewing her hands and feet until medical attention was soon to come. Please, observe your child at school! If you are not aware you cannot change it. My child had a form of self stimulation that needed to be corrected ASAP. There is no substitute for an observation while the child is in the midst of a normal school day and they are unaware you are watching. There are things the school has trouble putting into words without offending you. Knowing and being able to face the truth head on "Priceless". Ticks and impulse control are just many things she has overcome with years on a behavior modification chart. A behavior modification chart is only as good as the parent enforcing it. YES, you must be the bad guy daily until it clicks and yes it takes years. Giving your child with a learning difference or anyone with a disability a free pass is the WORST thing you can do. The best shot at giving them an acceptable standard of living is to provide the tools to change behaviors that interfere with learning into ones that can be an asset and socially acceptable to society as a whole and this is only achieved by not lowering the bar but raising it. You must determine how much is behavior and how much is actual disability. When some of the behaviors start to subside it will leave you with a clearer picture of what you are dealing with academically. Anyone who has advice on dealing with Alzheimer's please contact me, my "G' has no idea why her grandfather has abandoned her. G.H.B was her only extended family member in Florida.  I will dedicate this post of Ronald Regan's letter to America regarding Alzheimer's in memory of the greatest man I ever knew my husbands father also known as G.H.B. I love You!

I have recently been told that I am one of the millions of Americans who will be afflicted with Alzheimer's disease. Upon learning this news, Nancy and I had to decide whether as private citizens we would keep this a private matter or whether we would make this news known in a public way. In the past, Nancy suffered from breast cancer and I had my cancer surgeries. We found through our open disclosures we were able to raise public awareness. We were happy that as a result many more people underwent testing. They were treated in early stages and we were able to return to normal, healthy lives. So now, we feel it is important to share it with you. In opening our hearts, we hope this might promote greater awareness of this condition. Perhaps it will encourage a clearer understanding of the individuals and families who are affected by it. At the moment I feel just fine. I intend to live the remainder of the years God gives me on this earth doing the things I have always done. I will continue to share life's journey with my beloved Nancy and my family. I plan to enjoy the great outdoors and stay in touch with my friends and supporters. Unfortunately, as Alzheimer's disease progresses, the family often bears a heavy burden. I only wish there was some way I could spare Nancy from this painful experience. When the time comes, I am confident that with your help she will face it with faith and courage. In closing let me thank you, the American people, for giving me the great honor of allowing me to serve as your president. When the Lord calls me home, whenever that may be, I will leave with the greatest love for this country of ours and eternal optimism for its future. I now begin the journey that will lead me into the sunset of my life. I know that for America there will always be a bright dawn ahead. Thank you, my friends. May God always bless you. Sincerely, Ronald Reagan