September 2017 our nightmare began.
Without warning, Josiah violently pummeled his head frequently and screamed loudly, suffering in some sort of horrendous pain.
We had no idea what was wrong. We had no way to fix it. We could only suffer alongside our son as he tortured himself, praying desperately for answers, doing our best to block the blows.
Josiah was in the hospital 3 times in 4 weeks.
He is a teenage boy with Autism we were told. There is not much anyone can do.
The specialists suggested he wear a helmet.
They watched Josiah in excruciating distress and said, “Seek help from Neurology or GI on an outpatient basis. Sorry. Wish we could help. Hope he’s better soon.” Then, they discharged him!
We were heartbroken and distraught. It is unbelievably difficult to watch someone you love suffer. It is absolutely unbearable to stand by, helpless to ease the pain.
GI said Josiah’s agony was not related to constipation. Neurology tests showed everything was fine. Clearly it was NOT. However, where do you turn when the specialists don’t have any answers?
I’m here to tell you, you will try just about anything anyone you have ever met and even those you have never laid eyes on suggests. If it seems remotely reasonable, you’ll do it.
And, we did.
We put that poor boy on lotions and potions, oils and supplements. We altered his diet and altered it again. We added better helmets when he was able to self-injure through the first helmet. We bought every type of protective gear we could think of to lessen the severity of the blows. We blocked him from himself, distracted and redirected him at every turn.
It was obvious this was not going to be a quick fix. Josiah’s quality of life had deteriorated drastically.
He wore a padded batting helmet and a spandex compression tube when he got a bath. It was the only way to keep him safe and ensure he was clean. If either the helmet or tube was removed Josiah would punch his head the entire time. It seemed as if we were going to be spending the rest of our lives protecting Josiah from himself.
But God is good. Even in the midst of our worst days, we were never alone. We were surrounded by amazing people who were continually praying for us, supporting us and walking by our side the entire time. Josiah is greatly loved!
It has been a LONG year. Josiah still has a plethora of helmets he wears round the clock, some with face guards to protect his face while he sleeps. He has exchanged the compression tube for a 20 lb weighted blanket he prefers to have wrapped around him 24/7 and 2.5 lb wrist weights he likes on each arm.
We are working on s-l-o-w-l-y decreasing the time Josiah has access to protective gear while continuing to tweak medications and supplements.
It is a herculean effort requiring a dedicated team of support staff who have Josiah’s best interest at heart. His caregivers are some of the most devoted, hard working, amazing people on this planet.
With their patient perseverance and unwavering devotion, Josiah has begun to enjoy some new experiences. The most recent one is volunteering at a local animal shelter, playing with and walking the dogs who are waiting to be adopted. I never would have believed, even just a few short months ago we’d see these incredible improvements.
Here are just a few pictures from the past few weeks.
You can’t begin to imagine my elation.
❤️
Thanks Natalie!! Makes my heart smile!!
Oh Sandy! How I have prayed and tried to figure out what would help sweet Josiah! This is FANTASTIC NEWS!
Of all the pictures, the one that got to me the most was his pushing the cart in the store. Weird. An everyday, simple thing made me want to break down with joy. I guess because it’s just that…it’s an ordinary moment, but an extraordinary one too. Praise God!
Prayers will not stop.
Kim xoxo
Kim, you are always so faithful in prayer and we are so grateful! It IS Fantastic News! I’m often shocked by the pictures when they light up my phone, all of them from Josiah’s amazing caregivers. Who KNEW he would one day walk through a noisy, sensory overloaded store, pushing a shopping cart by himself with NO helmet, NO compression tube, NO weighted blanket and NO wrist weights, actually stopping to show INTEREST in things on the shelves? Boggles my mind!! This boy has come SO FAR and it’s definitely thanks to Divine Intervention, patience and persistence from his incredible support staff and a dogged determination to get this boy BACK!! Can’t wait to see all that lies ahead. Suffice it to say, I feel HOPE once again. Praise God indeed! Thank you Kim! Love and hugs right back at ya!!
Praise God he is doing better! We are On the journey with you! My 11 year old weighs 145.6 lbs. and is getting stronger every day! We are Trusting and Believing GOD for direction and guidance on how to be the Best Godly parents we can to him! #autismmom #staarfieldsmusic
Thank you Staar! The strength these kids possess is incredible! Josiah could take me down from about 6 years of age, maybe sooner. I’ll keep you guys in my prayers. Hang in there and never give up Hope, even when all seems hopeless. We are the BEST ADVOCATES for our guys and we owe it to them to do everything in our power to support them through the challenges. Reach out to other parents (feel free to message me and I’ll give you my number if you’d like to talk) who have been where you are now. They have wisdom and are often times more than happy to help! My favorite verse helps when the going gets too tough to bear, Romans 12:12 ~ Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer! God Bless You!
God IS good, all the time. Love you sweet friend.
And ALL the time, God IS God! Love you Lisa!
I have been praying and wondering about Josiah and this is indeed welcome news~! There are so many things that just cannot be explained or understood, but we do understand there is a God who works miracles~! So glad for you all and such a joy to see the smile on his face~! Bless you~!
Thank you Janet. Definitely miracles taking place every day. VERY grateful, Josiah has come out on the other side and praying he continues to improve. His smiles mean the world! Blessings back to you!!
God bless our dear friends the Deppisch family. May love and peace continue to surround you all and may God continue to softly place his hands on Josiah’s shoulders.
Thank you Clay! Greatly appreciate your thoughtfulness! Amen, amen and amen!!!