Oh, That's Right. My Kid Has Autism.

I took the kids to the beach on Saturday, and I forgot sunblock.  Even though we were there for only a short time, all three kids suffered from sunburn.  Even though I spent just as much time outside as they did, my sunburn was quite minor, and I barely peeled.  I tend to tan more than burn, but all three kiddos have their daddy's Irish skin tone and they all fried, poor things.  Missy and Tiger took it like troopers.  They giggled over peeling skin and rubbed aloe on each other.

 

Bucket, on the other hand, reacted in a way I had not seen in years.  He cried uncontrollably.  Scratched his arms until they were bleeding.  Had issues with sleep and was just miserable.  On Tuesday, the school called me to pick him; he couldn't stop screaming.  The itch was apparently so unbearable that he lost control of his emotions.  I could hear him wailing while I spoke to the nurse.  I immediately messaged my boss to tell her I'd be out for 20 minutes, clocked out, and drove down to the school.  He was still wailing when I got in there.  I didn't even park the car in a spot; I parked in the parent pick up lane so I could get him out of there as soon as possible.  When I got him home, I made him strip and get into a cool shower.  He was still crying and choking when he came out.  I slathered him in more aloe, gave him his sleeping pill and put him on the couch with a sheet.  Poor kid fell asleep within minutes.



This is the burn 5 days later.  He seems fine now; he likes the sensation of pulling the dead skin off.  But i learned my lesson; no more sunburns, and buy an umbrella for the beach!

After he woke up from his nap, he came to me sorrowfully.  "I'm sorry I cried, Mama."  I gave him as much as a hug as he could stand, and said "I'm sorry you got burned.  We'll have to be more careful."  But he wanted to talk more.  Said he was embarrassed at how he acted but school "but Mama I itched so bad, I couldn't help it.  I didn't mean to act like that."  I told him that the adults at school knew that he didn't mean it, that they don't blame or judge him, and that they all hoped he would feel better soon.  He accepted it; but it made me think:  The near future is coming where the school won't know him, and I won't be there to rescue him.  Where he might be at a job, or out with his friends, and he will lose control like he did at school.  I wonder so much about what his future will hold; I see Mr. R's brother, who at age 36 still lives at home with his mom and cannot care for himself.  I want so much more for Bucket.  I want happiness, success, comfort, love, peace, acceptance.  I wonder if that is what God has for my son.  I pray for it.