Bummer. My complaint is a good one compared to that. My neighbors have turned on their heat. Between that, the sun, and my cooking, I am having to open my balcony door wide each night so temperatures can cool off here. Do I have air conditioning? Yes, but I know it shouldn’t be run when the temperature outdoors is below 55F. Therefore, open balcony. Thank goodness I can do that.
I feel so lucky to go to a church that’s pretty liberal. It’s a Lutheran church that’s had a Spanish-speaking service (even Up Nort’ dere, eh?), an LGBTQ+ group, and a food pantry (mostly for “furr’ners”).
Five straight hours of work today and it was almost exclusively reading and sending emails to people.
Tomorrow is part one of five(!) of my son’s third autism evaluation this year. Despite the fact that he’s already been diagnosed, the insurance company won’t approve ABA services (which we may or may not need) until we get a second, ten hour evaluation, which we’ve been waitlisted on for the last year.
This confuses providers to no end. When we told the neurologist about the upcoming Autism Evaluation Center meeting, he looked at our first evaluation report and said, “But, this is really comprehensive!” No kidding. “But he already has a diagnosis!” I know, right?
Our best hope is that we learn something new from this otherwise complete waste of time. I mean since this is for ABA maybe they can give us a clue whether ABA is a good choice for him. The first psychologist said it wouldn’t make or break his success, but I’m curious what these people think. Also we’re on a year-long waitlist for ABA right now.
Early Intervention is Key! See you in two years!
ABA is?
I Googled “ABA services” and this was the first result:
Applied Behavioral Analysis, considered the gold standard treatment for autism intervention and also the single most controversial, due to many adult autistics who consider it tantamount to child abuse. It operates by ignoring undesired behaviors and rewarding desired behaviors, which makes some people think of training a dog, I guess. Another thing about ABA that contributes to its poor reputation is that it used to do objectively abusive things, like punish children for stimming with electric shocks and that sort of nightmare stuff. But it’s not like that any more. (My husband is a behavioral psychologist and I’m theoretically oriented toward behaviorism myself, so I don’t find reward for good behavior an inherently dehumanizing concept, I use it all the time on myself, but YMMV.) The truth of ABA - good or evil - is likely somewhere in between - it works for some kids for some issues, and it can be damaging, or have no effect, or be great, depending on the specifics - sort of like most therapy. This is the conclusion we’ve come to after speaking exhaustively with clinical psychologists who specialize in autism interventions and who are autistic themselves. The current online situation makes it look like all adult autistics are against ABA, but actually their feelings about it are as varied as, well, people.
One notable thing about ABA is it is extremely intensive. Up to 8 hours a day, five days a week. This can be hell for some kids or just an extended play session for other kids. Depends on the kid. Depends on the specific kind of ABA.
What I want is for someone to evaluate my child and tell me if they think ABA is a good fit or not. I’m personally leaning away from it, as I ascribe to the rule of thumb that my son should be getting the minimum amount of intervention necessary and I don’t see any problems he’s got that can’t be helped with his current regimen of PT, OT, Speech and Early Childhood Special Education. Typically ABA is recommended for behavioral issues, like self-injury, head-banging, that sort of thing, and my son does none of that. But I’m curious what they will say.
Thank you.
Thanks. I guessed you weren’t talkinbg about the American Bar Association, or mispelling a band name (Mama mia! Here we go again). I didn’t know exactly what you were referring to though.
Back to the ranting- I bought a box of savory granloa bars. I love their white cheddar taste. They are sure to be cancelled and off shelves within a week. 
All of human society is built around that. One of the most basic human traits can’t be called “dehumanizing”, that’s an oxymoron.
Yes, and I think also relevant is that, given who this kid’s parents are, we’re kind of already doing what you might do in ABA. Our at-home approach is behavioral. Unless ABA can teach him how to hold a conversation, I just don’t know what else it can offer that the other therapies can’t. I feel like there’s this part of him that may not be affected by any therapy, which is that core social piece. Maybe Special Ed can help him with that, but he can’t learn reciprocal social interaction, the way he can learn how to use a crayon, can he? I mean this is what we’re going to ask, I guess.
A lot of this seems like it will grow to at least a regular-sized rant. Due to circumstances beyond my control, I had to move out of my apartment. My new place is smaller, up three flights of stairs, and $75 more a month. The neighborhood also seems just generally ‘worse’. For reasons I don’t want to go into, we told the movers to throw out almost all my clothes. We told them, repeatedly, verbally and in writing to save the olive drab coveralls in my bedroom closet (they belonged to my Zeyde Herman. His wife, my grandmother made him throw out almost everything he had from his stretch in the Army. He secretly kept the coveralls.). We did the same with the terry cloth cut away coat I made (you’ve seen it. It was my first attempt at a clown costume and nobody loved it but me) and the matching hat. On Saturday, I opened the tote marked ‘clothes to keep’. As you’ve guessed, the coveralls and hat were not in it. They included several other things (two of which were on the keep list) but left out the hat I was planning on remaking (I wanted a top hat. It came out a thin stove pipe) and my beloved grandfather’s beloved coveralls). I am furious and despondent.
I’m really sorry. It sounds like those items meant a lot to you.
I am so sorry; that really, really sucks. Though it is no consolation to you, I seem to be missing a box of my kitchen stuff from my move. It included the Best Pizza Pan Ever ™. So yah.
But I did finally uncover a second kitchen box I have been missing for these last two months. And I found the neti pot that had been in hiding for 5 years, along with a bunch of outdated medication. At least I can use the pot.
Next election cycle, just remind them that it’s a sin to vote for a Republican.
… and if he needs a Cite…
Holy cow! And I thought that I was a late adopter.
That’s what I was given when my knees were diagnosed with osteoarthritis about a year ago. I can take it on an empty stomach with no problem.
Ask my mom. She helped us move, and for weeks we’d have to call her: “Mom, did you pack our long wooden spoon?”
“Oh, that’s in a box with other Long Versions of Normally Short Things. That tall toilet brush of yours should be there, too.”"
No concept of Kitchen Things or Bathroom Things, nope! She packed with unwritten concepts…
I’m on meloxicam now! Which, as it goes, is okay, but it means I can’t take any over-the-counter NSAIDs in addition, and it really doesn’t work all day.
Such is life - osteoarthritis and colds are two things modern medicine hasn’t been able to improve much. I suppose the impressive gains in cancer and heart treatments are enough.
My favorite spatula has gone missing. 
It’s very likely that it fell down into the cabinet space under the lowest drawer, but looking for it means cleaning out cabinets, and I don’t want to do that right now.
(I’ve also reached a point in my life where I have a favorite spatula??)
He wouldn’t care. He attends church, but I’ve seen him wesr a baphomet necklace.