Brayden

Brayden
Brayden expresses himself through RPM ( Rapid Prompting Method) by spelling out his thoughts on a letter board. His parents transcribe for him and put everything he spells out in capital letters. He has worked hard with his parents to be able to have open communication for the first time in his life through RPM. Follow Brayden on facebook. https://www.facebook.com/LifewithaBoyNamedBrayden/?ref=tn_tnmn

Saturday 24 October 2015

GUSTO MY SERVICE DOG

                            

I WAS LUCKY TO HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED TO HAVE A SERVICE DOG FOR MY AUTISM.  MY PARENTS FILLED OUT AN APPLICATION FOR ME TO GET AN AUTISM SERVICE DOG.  WE HAD TO GET MY DOCTOR TO SIGN A FORM THAT HE THOUGHT I WOULD BENEFIT FROM HAVING A SERVICE DOG.  NEXT WE HAD TO WAIT FOR AN ACCEPTANCE FOR MY APPLICATION.  ONCE I WAS ACCEPTED I WAS PUT ON THE WAIT LIST.  THEN THE TRAINERS FROM NATIONAL SERVICE DOGS (NSD) CAME OVER TO MY HOUSE TO INTERVIEW MY FAMILY AND I.  THEY BROUGHT OVER A SERVICE DOG IN TRAINING NAMED ROSEBUD.  SHE WAS SO BEAUTIFUL AND WELL BEHAVED THAT I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE ONE OF MY OWN.  FINALLY I HAD TO WAIT UNTIL MY NAME CAME UP ON THE WAIT LIST. 
IN FEBRUARY 2013, I WAS GOING TO GET MY OWN SERVICE DOG IN THE SPRING.  I WAS SO EXCITED BUT I COULDN’T EXPRESS MYSELF OR COMMUNICATE.  I AM A NON VERBAL AUTISTIC BOY.  MY PARENTS WANTED A SERVICE DOG FOR ME BECAUSE I WOULD RUN AWAY FROM THEM IN A STORE OR ANYWHERE IN THAT MATTER.  YOU SEE I HAVE A BODY THAT DOESN’T COOPERATE WITH ME ALL THE TIME AND IT LEAVES ME SO FRUSTRATED AT TIMES.  A BRAIN AND BODY DISCONNECT THAT MANY AUTISTICS KNOW ALL TOO WELL.  NSD CAME BACK TO MY HOUSE FOR A FOLLOW UP INTERVIEW.  THIS TIME THEY BROUGHT NSD GILLIGAN.  I WAS SO HAPPY THAT MY TIME WAS COMING UP.  MY PARENTS WENT AWAY FOR TEAM TRAINING SO I COULD RECEIVE MY SERVICE DOG.  MY PARENTS FACE TIMED MY SISTERS AND I TO SHOW US MY SERVICE DOG.  HIS NAME IS NSD GUSTO.  I LOVED HIM FROM THE VERY SECOND I SAW HIM.  WHEN MY PARENTS BROUGHT GUSTO HOME I THOUGHT TO MYSELF THAT THIS DOG IS GOING TO BE LIFE CHANGING FOR MY FAMILY AND MYSELF.  WHEN I GOT TETHERED TO GUSTO FOR THE FIRST TIME I THOUGHT WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE?  THE FEELING OF BEING GROUNDED AND KNOWING WHERE MY BODY IS ALL THE TIME IS SUCH AN AMAZING FEELING.  I HAVE PRESSURE FROM MY BELT THAT I AM TETHERED TO GUSTO.  WHEN I FEEL MY BODY DRIFTING GUSTO WILL BRING ME BACK.  THAT IS ONE OF THE MANY THINGS THAT GUSTO DOES FOR ME.  GUSTO ELIMINATES ANY ANXIETY THAT I HAVE JUST BY BEING WITH ME.  HE MAKES ME FEEL SAFE.  HE IS A LIFE SAVER.  GUSTO IS MY ONLY CONSTANT IN MY LIFE.  HE IS SUPPOSE TO GO EVERYWHERE I GO BUT THIS PAST SUMMER HE INJURED HIS LEG.  HE REQUIRED TPLO SURGERY.  HE GOT A PLATE AND SOME SCREWS IMPLANTED IN HIS LEG TO REPAIR HIS INJURY.  HE WAS THEN PUT ON CRATE REST.  WHEN GUSTO GOT INJURED I FELT I HAD LOST MY LIFE.  HE WAS MY FREEDOM, MY CONSTANT, MY BFF, MY LIFELINE TO BEING APART OF THIS WORLD AND I HAD LOST HIM FOR A MOMENT.  WE SPENT SEVERAL MONTHS WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER.  THAT WAS SUCH A DIFFICULT TIME IN MY LIFE.  I WAS SO WORRIED THAT GUSTO WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO RETURN BACK TO WORKING WITH ME.  I HAD SUCH A TERRIBLE TIME COPING WITHOUT MY GUSTO.  THE SIMPLEST OUTING WOULD BE SO DIFFICULT FOR ME.  I WOULD BE JUMPING AROUND ALL OVER THE PLACE, MY VERBAL STIMS WERE OUT OF CONTROL, I FELT UNSAFE AND OUT OF CONTROL WITH MY WHOLE BODY.  IT WAS SO STRESSFUL GOING OUT IN PUBLIC THAT I WAS HAVING ANXIETY ATTACKS MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY.  I WAS DREADING EVERY OUTING.  ALMOST EVERYTIME I WAS PANICKING.  IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO LIVE LIKE THAT BUT MY SAVING GRACE WAS THAT I WAS ABLE TO EXPRESS AND COMMUNICATE BY RAPID PROMPTING METHOD (RPM).  I TRAVELED TO AUSTIN TEXAS TO SEE A LADY NAMED SOMA.  SHE TAUGHT ME AND MY PARENTS RPM.  I SPELL OUT MY THOUGHTS AND I TALK WITH LETTERS USING A LETTER BOARD.  I COULD TALK TO MY PARENTS ABOUT MY ANXIETIES USING A LETTER BOARD. 

AT LAST GUSTO HAD HIS POST OP APPOINTMENT AND HIS X RAY.  HE IS COMPLETELY HEALED AND HE CAN GO BACK TO WORK.  I WAS SO RELIEVED THAT HE WAS HEALED.  I FELT LIKE I GOT MY LIFE BACK.  I MISSED HIM SO MUCH ESPECIALLY WHEN I AM TETHERED TO HIM.  I FEEL LIKE I AM BACK TO MYSELF.  I LOVE HIM WITH MY WHOLE HEART.  I HOPE WE NEVER HAVE TO NOT WORK TOGETHER AGAIN UNTIL HE IS RETIRED.  I WILL GET ANOTHER SERVICE DOG.  THEY DEFINITELY MAKE LIFE WITH AUTISM MORE EASIER. 

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