For years, I was content with society's norm with the structured employment system, but in November 2004, autism unexpectedly greeted me at my door. I wasn't prepared, but what parent is ever prepared to hear the word autism in the same sentence as their child's name? I was devastated and confused, and at that point my views of the American dream were no longer aligned with societies.
Since childhood I was given the criteria for the road map to success which started with going to college and ended with a great paying job. From there the sky was the limit. I was on target with surpassing these standards, but nowhere along my journey did anyone mention autism, a life-changing condition not just for the person who has it but for everyone in the home. Where was the map for this detour?
Initially I was in denial but quick to intervene with hopes that this diagnosis would just resolve spontaneously. Early intervention was critical, so naturally I did everything on my end to ensure my child received all the necessary resources to prevail. I strongly believed that I was the key to unlocking the mystery of my child's mind.
