When it All Began, Part 1

Editor’s note: I don’t remember all of what’s happened over the past nine years, but there are moments that will remain with me forever. This is Wesley’s story, and Seamus’, and the trials that I faced, from the heart-breaking challenges to the fun-filled laughter and warm hugs.

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Wes loved throwing rocks on beaches. Loved it more than anything else, until you attempted to redirect him when people were nearby and it wasn’t safe for him to throw rocks. When that happened, Wes broke down – the all out, crying and screaming that defined who he was at times and his level of distress from a seemingly minor redirect.

There were of course, the milestones. Those milestones that every parent waits for their child to reach – first smile, first laugh, first word, first step. Wes reached every one of them on time, and walked early – by the time he was 12 mo. Then, there was the one milestone we were a little bit late reaching – those two word phrases. His pediatrician has taken a very laid-back approach all along. Instead of having Wes immediately evaluated by Early Intervention, he suggested giving it another month or so (I don’t completely remember how long). Sure enough, Wes started speaking two-word phrases right before his doctor hit the button.

I didn’t think too much of it at the time, but now with his verbal delay in pragmatics I wonder just how significant that delay was…

During Wes’ toddler days, there weren’t too many things I was concerned about. Certainly not enough to raise any kind of red flag…red flags were raised with Seamus and his development, but I’ll write about that in a bit.

When Wes started kindergarten, his Dad and I had been divorced for a year or so. I had decided to go back to school and earn my bachelor’s degree in biology. During that time, the world as I knew it, once again fell apart. Or, fell apart to come together in a whole new way.

There I was, in my first semester of study, a mere few weeks into the term and I get the phone call – the kind of call that makes every parent’s heart ache, that makes their heart pound with fear. Only, little did I know that that first phone call would be the first of many. I still to this day, 3 years later, feel that bit of fear whenever the school calls. Waiting. Expecting the worst…preparing myself for what they are going to say…

To be continued…

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