Oh what a day!!

So today I knew I was pushing Sam to do too much. I really had no choice. I am surprised he held it together as long as he did but when he popped Oh man did he ever! The morning started out ok. He woke up at 4am played for a bit. I kept telling him he wasn’t going to school today and he seemed ok with that. He had his yearly neurologist appointment in the early afternoon. The Hospital he had to go to is about 45 minutes away from our house. I will be the first to admit it that I am a TERRIBLE driver!!! Especially when I am not sure where I am going. I have a GPS….Actually I have 3!! I use my IPhone, my car has one and I have a portable one. The 3 of them never say the same way to go. Like ever!! I trust my IPhone the most. My car and my protable have told me to make left hand turns across major highways or turn down streets that aren’t there. The plan was to have my hubby drive. My other son Josh was also complaining that his ear hurt so I made a doctors appointment for him for 4. We figured one of us would stay home with Sam while the other took Josh. As we were getting ready to leave my hubby called my father-in-law to see how he was doing. Turns out he had the same problem as last time he had the cardiac catheterization done. He had internal bleeding in his leg. He had called 911 and was in the Ambulance when my hubby called. Of course he went down to the hospital which is about an hour away from us.  So I took Sam to his appointment. Sam hates going to the doctors. HATES it. He is terrified for some reason. He freaks out and cries and I feel terrible. Once the neurologist came in he started to play with Sam. Sam calmed down and he told me how much progress Sam has made. He was also very intrigued with Hagrid and never heard of an Autism Service Dog before. It was a good appointment.

On the way home I knew it would be easier on Sam if we went to get Josh and take him to the doctor early so that’s what I did. I took Josh out of school a bit early and his doctor let me come in early. Sam got a little upset there but we kept reassuring him we weren’t there for him. Turns out josh has an ear infection so on to the pharmacy we go.

I knew this was going to put Sam over his limit. I knew it had all the making of a disaster!  I really had no choice though because I needed to get Josh’s prescription filled. We go to a Mom & Pop type pharmacy. They all know all of us there and I like that but the store is small and has a lot of breakable crap.  We went to the back to drop off the prescription and they said it would only be 5 minutes. When it was time to go pay that’s when all hell broke loose!  Sam started having a meltdown. I knew I was in trouble…Even Hagrid knew. Hagrid was looking at me like “Whoa lady! I can’t handle this!”  Sam was trying to run down one of the aisles but he couldn’t because he was tethered. Hagrid was in his “Stay” position and man was Sam PISSED!! He yanked and yanked. I tried pulling him back to us by the tether and he was pulling the other way. I grabbed his arm and pull him towards me. At this point I am a hot mess!!! My purse and Sam’s Dynavox are falling off my one shoulder (most annoy feeling in the world is to have straps falling off your shoulder), and my other arm I am trying to hold him close to me so he doesn’t break anything. The pharmacist was waiting for me to sign my receipt during all of this and the entire store was at a standstill. Everyone was watching us and I knew it. I could really care less that they were. The pharmacist told me to take my time and I felt like yelling “Take my time?! I need to get the F&&K out of here like now!!”. I signed my receipt and asked Josh to take the bag for me. I am trying to quickly decide which aisle is the widest to make my exit…. This entire time Sam is still in full meltdown mode. I pick my aisle and am walking as fast as I can. Oh man did I pick the wrong aisle!! Two of Sam’s favorite things in the world Crayons and Play Doh!! I quickly dragged him past them because he is so far gone that he wouldn’t have been happy even if I brought every one they had. I am fumbling through the store when FINALLY some man offers me some help! THANK YOU GOD!!! He cleared the way for me and opened up both doors so we could get out. I thanked him a million times for helping me as the other 20 people in there just stared and did nothing.  So the saga continued outside. Josh and Hagrid both got in the car and Sam wouldn’t get in. He kept trying to close the door on me and hitting me. Finally I got him in his seat and he did the arch your back move. I had to use all my force to get him in and buckle him. Thank the lord for my 5 point harness child seat for big boys. Once he is in he can’t get himself out. So he is still having a meltdown. My good friend Anne calls at that moment. She always seemed to know when to call. She asked how my day was. LOL She then quickly heard Sam freaking out. He cried all the way home. Once we got home he put on his PJ’s and was exhausted. So was I!! I feel terrible when he gets like that. It doesn’t happen often these days but it does happen.

I feel like people who know us and know how GREAT Hagrid has been maybe think that Sam is more like a typical kid. That is far from the truth.  Sam still struggles daily with things. Now before Hagrid came along meltdowns like today used to happen many times in one day. Now they happen rarely. Thank god.  But people always seemed so surprised when they do happen. Sam still has Autism. Sam gets overstimulated and has meltdowns. He doesn’t sit and watch TV. He doesn’t stand still and let me have a conversation with someone while we are out. He doesn’t play with others like a typical kid would. He will destroy your house. But he will make eye contact with you. He will try to talk to you in his own way. He will try to play with you in his own way. He will love you. He will melt your heart. He will try to make you understand his world.  I am so thankful for the progress Sam has made over the past few months. He has come such a far way.  He is my world. Everything I do is for him. But I hate days like today!! Now he is sleeping and tomorrow is a new day!

My father-in-law is still in the hospital but seems to be doing well. The bleeding has stopped. They told him he needs to stay in bed until tomorrow and then they will have him move around and hope everything is ok.