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[rockfisher]

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[oak]

A dry tough situation indeed.
Do you and your wife have a plan for their futures?

Are they likely to be able to hold down jobs?

[rockfisher]

I think our daughter will be able to hold down a job doing something. I'm not sure what. She's going to a high school that focuses on art and music and things, and she is an excellent ice skater, so I imagine she will be able to get a job at some point. Our son, idk what his future holds. He's nonverbal, and has OCD really vad on top of his autism. I hope he finds his calling at some point, so it's hard to speculate or predict where they will both end up. My wife and I are trying to plan for their futures and sock some money away for them, but it's really hard to do with just one income. I'd really like to take a giant leap at some point and start a business that gives them each a job, but that is just a fantasy at this point. Life is so expensive, and it's so hard to just keep up with our day to day things, plus all of the extra things we have to pay for for autism related things, such as gluten free diet, specialists, ect. I work away from home a month at a time and I leave my poor wife dealing with this all herself while I'm gone. I have had these fucked up fantasies before where we are all on a plane and we all die in a plane crash. It's some really fucked up Walter Mitty shit. Sometimes that seems like the only answer. I'm not about to do anything drastic or anything, but I'm just saying. That's how bad it can get. As far as services go, we are in everything we can be involved with and are always looking for more. I really don't know how I do it sometimes, and I really don't know how so many other people are doing it either. We go to these autism parenting groups from time to time, or these special needs get together and I look around, and some people have it way worse then we do with our kids. Everyone's battle is different with this, which doesn't make it any easier either. As fucked up as this is to say, sometimes i think it would be easier if our kids had cancer or something like that. It would be easier to deal with than this on a day to day basis. I know that sounds really shitty, but at least you know what to do for it. We have been to so many specialists and experts that seriously don't know Jack shit about what they are talking about. I wouldn't wish any illness on anybody, but sure as shit never autism.

[oak]

Oh man. That is a rough situation indeed. It certainly defies easy answers.

I suppose the only good thing is that people are more aware of autism nowadays.

Knowing that you and your wife won’t be around forever, would you be able to accept a group home?

From what I hear some of them are really good.

[rockfisher]

Yes, a group home would be fine, I just really worry about them. Whatever it is I hope it's a stable situation and that they are able to remain together or at least in close proximity. I read this story a few months ago about how our local police department dumps the unwanted or unclaimed remains of people in our county about every 6 months in a ceremony. It was the saddest thing to read and think about. All of those unwanted and unclaimed people who die alone. I just don't want that for our kids. That might sound a bit dramatic, but I certainly get upset by these situations i dream up.