Our lives changed on October 15, 2016. Sahleah, my daughter, attempted suicide. She became depressed which led to self-worth dissipation and I saw it transcend through her health, personal hygiene, friendships and the tears in her eyes. I struggled with understanding the root of the issue and why at the age of 12, she would have feelings that caused her to feel hopeless. I struggled, as a single mother, to understand and reconcile my role in her perception of life.
Did I work too much? Was the decision to divorce her father the right one? But, every decision I made in life had been sifted through a filter discriminating anything that went against the well-being of my child, even the divorce. But, now we flirted with the delicacy of life and death.
My friends and family were a tremendous help in keeping us encouraged and I strengthened our village to include Eastern and Western approaches to health, physicians and specialist to support and aid in her healing. However, because we could not identify the root, “the why” for Sahleah’s pain, we endured a gruesome cycle of suicide ideation, self-harm and acute treatment. After a six-month waiting period, she completed an autism assessment at Kennedy Krieger Center for Autism and Related Disorders, which resulted in her diagnoses of Autism Spectrum Disorder- “the why”. I received this diagnosis with relief and confusion, and we began an enlightened path to her healing.
This site is dedicated to the journey of living on the spectrum.
Recent Blog Posts
University Thinking
I chose this particular SAT prep, because of the reviews, but also because it gave her the opportunity to physically sit in a college-class room, that happened to be in the school of Art (which she’s
10 March, 2020
National Disability Employment Awareness Month
When Sahleah was born, I imagined how she’d contribute to the world. Like most parents, my well-intended day dreams picked her career and aspirations. I’d imagine that she’d be a doctor or an attorney
27 September, 2018
Caregiver Burnout
I’m tired. Is that okay to say? The Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis was a blessing. It helped to pinpoint Sahleah’s needs and helped me to focus my energy on interventions to support her emotionall
30 September, 2018
What Led Us To The ASD Screening
When my phone rang, I immediately stood at attention and power walked to a semi-private location. With angst I whispered “hello,” to manage a delicate manner in the most imperfect circumstances. This
16 October, 2018
