Allie's Grand Adventure

[peglem]

Allie had her neuro appt. today. (the one made last October!). Yesterday, I went to scope things out because trips never go well when I don't even know where I'm going. I brought my 21yo son along, because one never travels alone with Allie unless she is familiar with where we are going. Allie's fear of elevators is really bad and since the appt. was on the fourth floor and stairs are usually right next to the elevator( she's afraid to even look at them, not just ride) I decided not to deal with the stairs/elevator in the parking garage as well. So I had my son drop us off between the garage and the medical building(very close together) and then "valet" park the car. While we were waiting for him to emerge from the garage, I was trying to prepare Allie, assuring her we would take the stairs instead of the elevator. As soon as she heard the "e" word she took off running into the street (not busy, but still way too dangerous). Well, I shouted for her to stop and gave chase (I can't believe I caught her!) and finally caught up with her in the parking lot on the other side of the street. I must have been a site- this big, fat lady dashing after this little girl who is just going berserk. So, she was trying hard to escape my grasp *whew* and finally my son comes out of the garage and helps me get her back across the street.

Now, this medical building is set up so that the 1st floor stairwell is only accessable from the outside(good we won't even see the elevators on the way in!). But, it is kept locked. So, yesterday, when I was scoping the place to plan my "getting her there" stategy, I asked the security guard about it and he said, no problem, just let me know and I'll buzz you in.
So, I leave my son w/ Allie at the door to the stairwell and go to ask the guard to let us in. I don't know where the guard went, but he wasn't there. I waited a few minutes, no guard in sight, so I decided to take the elevator to the 2nd floor so I could go down the stairs and let them in myself- sure took a long time! My son said she checked things out through the window and was calm when she didn't see an elevator, but was knocking on the door and trying to find a way to get it open. So we trooped up 4 flights of stairs-I sure am glad they moved down from the 9th to the 4th floor! But, the office we need to go to is.......RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE ELEVATOR! So, we spend the next several minutes finding a route where we don't have to actually pass in front of the elevators.

Once we got in the waiting room, everything went fine and dandy...very calm.

Before the appt. was over, i sent my son to the parking garage, letting him know I'd call for the car when we were all done. While I was talking to the receptionist about setting up the tests and Allie just decided it was time to leave and headed to the door....until she opened it and saw ...................THE ELEVATOR! This was rather behing my back as I was trying to get instructions from the receptionist. When I turned around, she was just gone! The people in the waiting room noticed my confusion and told me, pointing, that she had just run through that door. Turns out she was running around in the office area- but when I went through the door, I just saw a long passage with many, many doors- no Allie. One of the employees waved to me from the other end of the hall and said she was down there. She was running around maniacally, avoiding all attempts to be caught. When I did finally catch up with her (by now, I'm lost in a maze) they direct me back to the exit into the waiting room. As soon as she saw the waiting room, back she dashed to the office area. So, I explained that she was terrified of the elevators and would not go that way. These were sure patient people and I'm glad they didn't fail to see the humor in all of us being flummoxed by this crafty little girl! They showed me a back exit to the stairwell and we managed to herd Allie in that direction. Once she saw that it was stairs, she was fine and we exited. She was even careful on the stairs. My son was on the way with the car, it looked like we were homefree. At, the bottom of the stairs, she dashed out the door and was headed for the street. I guess she's not accustomed to valet parking! Anyway, I got her on the grass before she got to the street and held her down (got bit, but...) until the car got there...and then she was fine. *whew* I always feel such a sense of victory and accomplishment after something like this...like I'm some kind of hero or maybe survivor is a better word!

So, the neuro is going to set up a 24hour video EEG and an MRI for her.

[Lara]

Wow, quite the adventure alright. LOL Poor Mum!
Glad it's over and done with for now, peglem. I wonder why she's so afraid of the elevators. Did she see something scary on the tv, or do you think it's just the concept of going in a small room and the doors locking and the moving feeling? I wasn't always afraid of these sorts of things, but after I had my children I developed a fear of heights, just out of the blue. It was weird. I cured myself of elevator fears by riding up and down the lift on the outside of the space needle in Seattle. :eek: I'm still not really good with them, but much better than I was for a few years.

[peglem]

I've often wondered why the great fear of elevators. She used to like them, then one day, she just didn't. Its a hard thing to work with her on, because we don't have an elevator here at home. Out in public, well, there are just too many people around elevators. Her school has one, but I have yet to get them to try...they get too freaked out when she melts. She's only been there since xmas, so there is probably hope still.

[Isabelle]

:D lol peglem
we share so much in common !!!! :D :D :o

my boy too is an unexpected runner. He loves elevators,though, just annoying people in there by pressing all buttons, stopping at every floor, saying the numbers aloud, cute when young, scary when old with his deep voice.

If there is no people we allowed him to presses all buttons putting our hand on the alarm :D asking to count the numbers to distract him. But if there is people, we literally put our bodies in front of him and the buttons, block every attempt to reach them while taking softly, trying to keep a relax, calm, smiling faces (we do not use the word NO, he would get angry and fights).
I usually go with my daughter who is in better shape physically than his younger brother and has a shining smile.

People are more relax when they see a pretty girl smiling, running gently, after this young man wearing a helmet, than when they see an old, chubby, gray lady puffing behind him.

I used to go alone everywhere with him, but after drugs, not anymore.
In side streets I let him run to our car reminding him to be careful with people, if somebody is on his way he gently stops, says "move,please" with a smile and pass quickly. Wearing the helmet scares some people, though. So we smile, saying, "has epilepsy" and the people nods understanding.

And, to stop at the curve, to look for cars and he still does it, saying to himself, "look right, left, no car, goes".

Sometimes we do the "valet parking" dropping him and his sis closer to the hospital or medical building. Yes, you have to be resourceful and be a "survivor" :D :o with our children.

But, lately we used the 911 ambulance and he is taken straight to "his" room and has "his" own security guard placed at the door :( :(

[peglem]

We're both so blessed to have such great sibling helpers!

[Mother's Heart]

whenever you tell allie tales, and isabelle tells hers... I hear such a familiar ring. :) nice to have friends.
I'm thankful for my sibling helper too.

I've also proven a fat old woman can move pretty fast when her child needs her to.

[AKF]

Wow! What a trip! I'm glad it finally turned out OK and that the people in the office were so understanding. It sure makes things easier when others try to understand. So much better than when they are jerks about it.

I hope you get some good info from the tests.

[peglem]

No matter how well you prepare, you just never know what's going to happen. We went to the dollar store after, which is fine because she's accustomed to this store- but she won't go out of sight of the front door. She dashes around selecting whatever she wants-the lady that usually works there recognizes us and takes it in stride, too. She always gets a few helium balloons-doesn't matter the message on them, a few toys and some snacks and candy.

[Mother's Heart]

Hey Peglem.....just the person I needed to run into today :) so...about how much does it cost to buy a helium balloon?

(I'm wanting to do a happy CELEBRATE for my boy and thought I'd get him a bundle of balloons. I was in the store this morning. They didn't sell helium balloons but had a 'party kit' with 30 balloons and a pre-filled helium canister you could fill 'em yourself. ($20) Well, I thought that'd be grand but I hadn't planned a do-it-yourself and wanted to comparison shop. I'm just not feeling well so didn't have the mmmph left to go to another store in the rain. Sooooo.....about how much for a balloon, oh great experienced one? :D

I think the kids would love the fill it yourself fun.

[peglem]

Well, at the dollar store...they cost a dollar:D . I know they're more than that other places. If you buy the do it yourself helium thingy, let me know how it works and if its easy to do. I've considered buying one of those.

[Mother's Heart]

Thanks Peglem. :P.

If the helium thingy were refillable it might be no-brainer. But it is a one-time use deal. sooooo...hmm. still....up to 30 balloons for 20 IS less than a dollar@. but then, it most likely won't make 30. I want to get him a mylar balloon too. I guess I'm off to the Dollar Store...and/or the party outlet.

[peglem]

We get our balloons at Dollar Tree. They are all mylar, but not all Dollar Tree's have balloons. There's h3ll to pay if this store is out of helium or balloons when we visit!

[Mother's Heart]

thanks peglem. sorry to sidetrack your thread.
these were not mylar balloons in this kit.
it would be nice to get him some mylars. try to avoid latex with him anyway, though it's not lifethreatening to him.

I want to tie them to the trellises I have around our patio. I wish it weren't so rainy today...and snowy tomorrow. we'd have a picnic! hee hee. spring's on the way. soon.

[Mayzoo]

How ironic--I have just given my daughter her 5th birthday party today, and we used the home helium kit. It is very easy to use, and it does make about 26-28 balloons if you use the balloons that come with it (9 inch or so)--however, they do not hold the helium very long. Most the balloons lasted about 6 hours...a few longer. If I had to do it over, I would have bought the foil helium balloons because they can hold helium for up to a week it they are fresh filled.

[milivica]

Vince was terrified of elevators as a toddler, we'd have to hold him, the sensory feel was the problem I think. Yet, crazy rides he loves - go figure.

If Allie once loved, and now hates elevators, I'm taking a guess that something polluted the experience for her.

Vince used to LOVE having his tongue sprayed with the sink sprayer...I'd do that when he got his bath, still little enough for the sink. Well, one day, his dad decided to have him stand in the sink to spray the soap bubbles off of him with the sprayer, Vince didn't like that and made sounds to show that, but dh continued despite Vincent's and MY protests. From that day forward, Vince did not like the sprayer, and it had been his favorite thing. Broke my heart. I understood, I'm the same. Of course back then I did not yet understand he was autistic, or that I was either.

Vince now tells me he still fears the elevator in case it breaks, cause he doesn't know how far it would fall. I told him elevators have breaks, they work a lot like how he climbs the hallway wall, so it wouldn't fall. He still gets a sensory zing riding the elevator, but not fear anymore.

And I am proof that an old fat lady can run, dive, and tackle a child my own size who is far faster and more coordinated than me. I am also proof that you can have several strings of grass in your teeth, and no one will tell you except your autistic kid an hour later....cause he didn't know it was important.

I sure DO wish you were closer. I'd love to hang with Allie. I know I'm supposed to want to hang with you cause we're both parents, both adults, but she sounds like less anxiety and more fun (if I don't have to catch her I mean). My friend with the girl who is LFA (so called) is a doll, I adore her, and think her mother is just doing so many things that have kept her true spirit in tact.

Talk to you soon, loved your story peglem, you need to make a poem out of it! Send it to some magazine.

[Mother's Heart]

Thank you Mazoo. I want the balloons to last awhile. :)

[peglem]

If Allie once loved, and now hates elevators, I'm taking a guess that something polluted the experience for her.

I think so, but I sure can't figure out what it is...she has the exact same deal with carousels, but they're easier to avoid!

I sure DO wish you were closer. I'd love to hang with Allie. I know I'm supposed to want to hang with you cause we're both parents, both adults, but she sounds like less anxiety and more fun (if I don't have to catch her I mean). My friend with the girl who is LFA (so called) is a doll, I adore her, and think her mother is just doing so many things that have kept her true spirit in tact.

Would be nice, although, I think I'd like hanging with you. Allie is fun to hang with, too, especially if you're one of those people who "get" her. A couple of years ago, she had an assisstant in her class, who really understood her and it was so cool. When Allie communicates, she uses "near misses" and you have to cull her meaning from context. (I'm good at this SOMETIMES). This lady, could really figure her out!

WHEN you become an RDI consultant, we could work together and you could view video tapes of us and I would so love your feedback!



Talk to you soon, loved your story peglem, you need to make a poem out of it! Send it to some magazine.

Sure is nice to have you back here, Mili, the forum is missing something when you're gone! No way I could write a poem- I so suck at that!

This says my message is too short? so I'm adding this line.