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My apologies for not updating sooner. My mom has had 2 surgeries in the last two weeks, following our Halloween party, and I have had zero time to update the blog. That's over now and here I am!
I bring GREAT news. I was just on the phone with one of the people from the autism team at Caitlyn's school. She was calling to reassure me that yesterday they performed the ADOS, and that they were all in agreement that she is on the spectrum. After my parent interview tomorrow and some forms from the teachers are all tabulated, they will make a final call on whether they believe she meets the criteria for PDD-NOS or Asperger's, but both in Texas are coded under the AU label. She WILL be getting the AU coding we need for the supports *they* saw she so desperately needs - including in-home and community-based training with hygeine supports.
I am not ashamed to tell you that I have had tears of joy running down my face since that conversation. To know that finally they have seen what we are dealing with, what Caitlyn is dealing with every day, and that they are going to support her and work with her to get her exactly what she needs.. this is a pure victory for us. It is bliss. I am so, so happy and grateful right now, and relieved.
It's been a three year journey to the proper diagnostic coding for the school, and to know that part of our overall journey is finally coming to a close is.. there is no feeling like this. I don't have words to describe it.
As someone mentioned on Facebook to me, it's bittersweet knowing we're getting the label, but that "she has a label". I disagreed; I've already felt that and processed it from her medical diagnosis. This particular label from the school district, I don't feel bitter at all. This doesn't define her as a person; this just gets her the help she needs. Victory tastes so, so very sweet.
