Towards the end of summer in sunny Colorado, my entire family wanted to get one last outdoor swim in. My husband and I swam and played with the kids in the large pool, enjoying a game of keep away.

As my son jumped wildly with excitement to catch the water filled sponge ball, which almost careened our heads from the other team, (my husband and daughter), he accidentally elbowed me with a left jab to the right side of my face.

As I heard the crack in my jaw, I didn’t think much of it at the time, except that it hurt…a lot! I wanted to shrug it off as my son’s apologizes overflowed.

I hesitated to show the pain and tears for fear it would upset him even more, my son has Sensory Processing Disorder, and does really well, but at times his feelings of empathy and concern are over whelming for him.

“It’s an accident, I’ll be fine” I repeated several times, attempting to stretch my jaw from side to side.

Letting the aches and challenges of eating go on and on for months, as each day I thought it would get better, I finally surrendered to the fact that I need to get some help; perhaps there’s something really wrong?

The kids and I went for our routine dental check up and cleaning. After explaining why I couldn’t hold my mouth open as wide as they would have liked, my dentist recommended that I visit with my orthodontist first about the jaw, then perhaps see a specialist.

I scheduled an appointment with the orthodontist, and had extensive x-rays taken; a cool kind of X-ray that circles your entire head giving a panoramic view of your jaw.

From what they saw, there was no “visible” crack in my jaw. Big time relief! Prior to leaving he adjusted my retainer so that the muscles of the jaw would relax, and fall into place. Ah…pretty easy fix, I thought, just have to wear a big bulky upper retainer 24/7 for the next couple of weeks.

As the weeks passed, I felt better but still as I opened my mouth it veered to the right, the bite was off and caused me to frequently bite my lip…not a pretty sight.

I will preface this by saying that I am a firm believer in both acupuncture and chiropractic work when done by a trusting and experienced professional: Next I was off to the chiropractor.

After an in depth consultation and some minor tweaking of my body, the chiropractor said that I have a dislocated jaw, and we need to work on it for some time…Yikes, what is ‘some time’? Did I have the time, could I make the time? Who has time?

Throwing in the towel about now sounded good; I’ll live with the pain.

Knowing that this treatment can make me better, I opted to continue. Thank goodness for insurance and the little positive voice in my head!

So, I scheduled several appointments at a local holistic healing center for adjusting the jaw back into its proper spot.

The treatment at times was definitely painful, however, using relaxing techniques, heat, cold, massage, the adjustments and Advil, I got through.

While in the waiting area of Whole Health Center, I noticed that there was a brochure on the treatment called Facial Rejuvenation. Hmmm…After all these months of pain, I could really use a “lift” in my face, and tackling the fine lines and wrinkles could be a bonus!

I started seeing my acupuncturist for the muscles surrounding the jaw. The chi (energy) and blood had stagnated contributing to the discomfort, getting needles stuck in my face was a welcome relief, if you can believe that!

Feeling much better, yawning with ease, more relaxed around my family, and realizing that if you don’t take care of yourself, there is no way you can be the best mom and wife to your family.
If you are on top of your game, everyone is a winner!

Marla Roth-Fisch, award winning author and illustrator of Sensitive Sam

Tagged as: Autism, cerebral palsy, date, First Things First, friendships, guest post, Landau-Kleffner Syndrome, life, medical, Motherhood, parenting, self-care, SPD, Special Needs, therapy

{ 4 comments }

I am honored to be a part of a new writing series put together by Hartley Steiner, of Hartley’s Life With 3 Boys, for parents of special needs kiddos called “First Things First“.

Hartley says: “The series is dedicated to reminding parents that they need to take care of themselves. A renewal of our commitment to take the time required to nurture not just our children, but ourselves. We have dedicated all of our energy to making sure our children are taken care of, but now is the time to remember to focus on our own physical, mental and emotional health, our spirituality, as well as our relationships with friends and our spouse. This year, I want to encourage all of you to take care yourself. And I hope each month our guest writer will inspire you to do just that.”

The First Writing is from Marla Roth-Fisch.  I personally know her, have reviewed her book, Sensitive Sam, and am proud to call her a friend, mentor, an inspiration.  Her contribution post follows.

Tagged as: Articles, Autism, cerebral palsy, date, First Things First, friendships, guest post, Landau-Kleffner Syndrome, life, medical, Motherhood, parenting, SPD, Special Needs, therapy

{ 0 comments }

Last week, I found myself literally standing before school administrators, tearing.

Driving into our designated handicap parking area, our meeting area for Alex and his para to meet, I was crying; he was crying.  It was stifled as much as I could possibly manage.  A few quick, deep breaths promised to keep it under control.  The promise was broken.

Alex was heartbroken.  He looked worried, unbearable sadness threatened to overcome him as his mind struggled to grasp what I had been discussing with him.  Another teacher is leaving.  Another teacher, para, who has been with him since his first day of school 1.5 years ago.  A para for whom he has obvious fondness for; he brings home jokes and thoughts about his days with her.  She doesn’t want to, but she is leaving and she is the third.

His first para, the woman specifically working with him the majority of the time, the one who figured out how he works, what motivates him, when to push and when to back off, left just before Christmas.  His daddy is not able to be involved with him as much as either would prefer right now, the second para is no longer there in the same capacity, and now he’s losing another person he relies on, counts on and is comforted by.

So much loss.  So hard to explain, to describe in a way that he can understand.  His ability to express his feelings about all that’s transpired, about the future hole that will be left in his days.  He is overcome, and so am I.  For the pain that I can not take away, for the events I can not explain, for the loss I can not fill, for all I can not control.

Tearing now, I know that my heart is broken for him.

Tagged as: Alex, Autism, cerebral palsy, Landau-Kleffner Syndrome, life, Motherhood, School, Special Needs

{ 3 comments }

Tweets from long ago and the recent past.  Some inspire, some bring a chuckle, but all have been me in the last two weeks:

@ToyGuru: When my kids become wild and unruly, I use a nice, safe playpen. When they’re finished, I climb out. ~Erma Bombeck

@MarvinTowler: its not wht happens 2 us, its wht we choose 2 do abt wht happens 2 us that makes difference in how R lives turn out.~Rohn

@1PrincessSharon: RT! Failure is the only opportunity to begin again more intelligently. (Henry Ford) #quote (via @ChangeJourney)

@L_Antanaitis: To not allow yourself to cry is to deny your own humanity

I thank God for the gift of one another to get us through the challenge of special needs parenting! @BarbDittrich

Have a saying or quote that inspires you? Tweet me!

Tagged as: humor, Special Needs, Tweet Me, Twitter

{ 1 comment }

I know some time ago I said I was going to get back to the business of blogging.  Not the “business” necessarily, but the personal business, the business of explaining, describing as best I can the joys and the…quite the opposite of joys…that come along with parenting a special needs child, parenting more than 1 child (typical or not), losing yourself to motherhood and finding yourself again.

I haven’t done that lately.

I’ve found myself under circumstances that I can not fully explain, but which take more attention than I’ve ever had to give over such a long period of time.  Cryptic, I know.  I apologize.  But the hats I now wear have doubled.

I’ve also found myself concentrating on discovering my voice as an Examiner as well as reaching towards national exposure as well as local exposure for the Examiner.com.  (This is the part where I beg you to go to my page there and grab that feed too).  It takes some time, effort, concentration…I don’t have much concentration lately.  It seems thoughts scamper away as soon as they make themselves known.

I also “know” some plausible readers of my blog and that has silenced me in many ways.  My mouth appears to have tape plastered upon it and yes, my hands tied.  But the truth is, to anyone who “knows” me and might decide to read a post or two…this is a blog of personal, human, natural thoughts and encounters (you can tell by the number of paragraphs that begin with “I”).  This is a blog developed to enlighten those who seek it and reinforcement to others who believe themselves alone; to reinforce that they are not bad parents, teachers, friends because the words they read here could be spoken by them.

Lastly, my reading.  UGH.  My reading.  I can’t even look into me feed because of all that I’m behind.  I’ve felt I’ve lost touch with so many, so my attention will also go to catching up about them, with them.  So…here I go again…

Tagged as: Examiner, friendships

{ 3 comments }