What about tomorrow?

When you wake up in the morning how does your routine begin?

Whats the first thing your child does?

Does your ASD{Autism Spectrim Disorder} Child eat cereal with or without milk? Can he hold a fork and feed himself? What are the doses of meds--if any?? What route do you take to school?? {cant deviate!}Who does your child trust at school? Does someone help them in the line for lunch?? or do they prefer to bring food from home?? OH I HAVE ONLY SCRATCHED THE SURFACE!

The reasons I ask these questions are because of the thoughts that raced thru my head as I lie in bad tonight trying to get my guy to sleep.

What if you were gone tomorrow? Who would take over? Who would know the answer to these questions?? Sure many people might have some clue but why not help them and in doing so help your child in the case of some horrible thing happening and you wont be there to make it better--Afterall you are the only one that really knows ---

Many years ago I designed a mannual -- A sort of cheat sheet on my kid. I took a large three ring binder and bought a box of clear cover sheets and began writing everything I could possibly remember or what I thought was important if I wasnt here tomorrow--

And I did it long hand with out the aid of a computer-- yes it was the dark ages--

Vital info such as name and address but also relatives with addresses, social security number phone contactlist including friends who knew my child. a page of medical info --insurance doctors and meds,  pages on routines like school days versus weekend days, sleeping ,eating,grooming,stimming habits ,things that sent Dakota to the moon, things you could negociate things that were cast in stone, schools and teachers and staff that were accepting and ones that werent or ones to watch,clues on how to navigate the regional center or social security or IHSS, referrals to groups that could help and even clippings of articles that might give insight

Perhaps it sounds like a lot of work with time that none of us have but it is like a life care plan that no one else has cuz it is in YOUR HEAD-- I have since started a few files on my computer for these very same things but feel that not everyone would find that info right away and GOD forbid if tommorrow I am gone I want Dakota to have the smoothest transition possible  I know it will be hard ANYTIME but I at least owe it to him and who ever will take on my journey a few crib notes!