Families with Autism Helping Families with Autism

Winning Essay

How Has TACA Helped Your Family?

By Stephanie A.

Talk About Curing Autism (TACA) has helped my family in many ways since receiving the diagnosis of autism for my son Andy. I am a single mother and in my quest for answers and support I found TACA and a great group of parents and children. TACA has helped my family with tickets to the picnic, adopt a family at Christmas and most recently helped me fix my car in need of repair. I have found friends and support. Almost every month since finding out about TACA, I have taken my son to pump it up. Once a month, he is free to run and be himself with no worry on what other children or parents might say.

TACA has provided me with information to learn more about autism. That information has given me knowledge to make informed decisions. I can talk about my son at a school meeting and be able to understand what school personnel are discussing. I learned about my rights as a parent of a child with special needs from TACA's website. TACA has helped my family by giving us hope and a hug, an ear, a shoulder to cry on and a place to share my son's success at all times.

The last three months of my family's life has been filled with great diversity and change. My mother, Diana, also the parent of a child with autism helps me to raise my son. As a single mother, I struggle financially and she would always give me advice on how to help my son. She was my son's primary caregiver. She cherished his progress. My mom was my biggest cheerleader and my son's.

On May 2, 2007, my mother went to the hospital to obtain a blood transfusion. She was admitted into the hospital. I did not know what to do. The people at TACA listened to me and offered any advice that they could. TACA helped me obtain immediate respite for my son. I struggled to balance taking care of my son and making sure my mom received appropriate care. Every so often, I would receive a call from a member just checking on me. A day in the hospital became a week in the hospital.

Then we approached her first surgery in the hospital. The surgery was to be two hours and lasted nine hours. She came out dependent on life support. In my tears, I went to TACA. I found support and someone to listen. Soon one surgery became three surgeries in a one week time. While my mom was in the hospital, TACA notified me that I was a recipient of TACA families in crisis and they would help me get my car fixed. I was so excited. My mom worried about my car and what I would do with no way to fix it. About day 21 in the hospital, I was able to inform my mom my car would be fixed because of TACA. She smiled. That day she told me if anything happens to her that she loved me.

Two days later, she faced her fourth surgery where the wound was to be closed up. Five hours later, I was informed they were unable to close wound. Once again she was on life support. This time her body began to shut down her kidneys and she slipped into a coma. All along this time, I received emails and phone calls just to check how she was doing and how my son was doing. We had to make the decision to take my mom off of life support. My mom became mine and my son's angel in heaven on June 4, 2007.

All through this time, a phone call or an email was a sense of support. The message board further because a place of support. I am grateful for everything TACA has helped my family. They have walked with us in times of need and have cheered mine and Andy's successes. To that I thank TACA for their support and help.