Re: Flutie family faces the love in autism~note from Ben

--- In autismlist@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Tink" <tink_lecuyer@xxxx> wrote:
> Ben on keyboard!
> 
> bbbb    en
> numbers: 1:19 - 1:42

instructions to Moses in the Sinai "wilderness" during the flight 
from "Egypt" -- a roll-call and mustering of the Tribes for war


> 
> [Char ... I think he is pointing to bible passages.  Numbers.  He 
was
> looking at your post specifically on this one.]
> 
> Here's a success story, Char & everyone ... because we need to 
hear about
> the ones where your work is making a difference!
> 
> Your note reminded me of your FC experience with Down Syndrome 
kids.   This
> past weekend, we met a man who is going to be our new neighbor 
across the
> hall.  He is about 50 yrs. old and has Down Syndrome and Autism.  
He is one
> of those amazing people with those pure, joyful spirits.   *And a 
true
> success story* when adult services are implemented with care.  He 
spent
> about 12 years in an east coast institution and had little to no 
speech.  We
> met his caseworker a few weeks ago.  When that institution was 
shut down, he
> was shuffled from group home to group home.  He began speaking 
after being
> introduced to a talking letter board!  Speech is still difficult to
> comprehend, but boy does this guy try hard!  Then, the local 
assisted living
> teams from the DMR stepped in.  This will be the 2nd attempt to 
provide
> assisted/independent living for him.  The first apt. he was placed 
in out
> here was a crack house and he suffered a lot from that exposure.   
You
> know --- users/takers who took advantage of his giving nature.  
Anyway,
> they're putting everything together so that he can live primarily 
on his
> own.  This neighborhood isn't too much better, but we'll look out 
for each
> other  ;o)
> 
> Tom, if you get out here for that conference, you'll get to meet 
John.  As
> you put it, he's a real "hoot!"   I walked out front to get the 
mail this
> weekend and there he was sitting on his 3-wheel giant bike.  He 
says "I work
> at McDonald's." "I'm waiting for the keys."   I told him i know.  
[his
> caseworker had told us a little bit]  He works in the same one 
where Ben did
> his conductor bit.  lol   This guy is SO proud of his abilities.  
I'm
> looking at his tricycle and I notice a couple funny things.  He 
has a little
> cooler pack filled with Skittles and M&Ms in the big basket [he 
gets 'em
> wholesale & sells them for a dollar to earn extra money.]  Then he 
says "I'm
> quiet, but you might hear my music."  In the basket is this radio -
 you know
> those old, old boxy looking big transistors?  With the leather 
covers?  Not
> the handheld kind ... the bigger ones.  That's what he's got!   I 
haven't
> seen one of those things in years.  He was listening to a local 
Oldies
> station.  :o)  Then he says "I got a Section 8" [local housing 
voucher.]   I
> was thinking that I hoped the radio didn't break because he'd have 
a hard
> time finding replacement parts.  Right then, he says out 
loud "Well, i'm
> getting a new vacuum from [local repair shop] because the old one 
broke &
> cost too much to fix."  I mean, this guy just was so trusting and 
incredibly
> sweet.  And not a little telepathic!   I know you will know what I 
mean!  I
> can see why some would take advantage.
> He talked about a few other things and promised that he would meet 
the
> children this week.  They were in the back yard at the time, but 
he wanted
> to do that later.    So!  I had to run in the house with Sarah.  
And while
> we did so, Ben walked up to the front gate and peeked over at 
John.  He
> waved his "rattle" and made a quiet "E-yo" sound.  It almost 
sounded like
> when Ben tries to vocalize "Eeyore."   Well, it will be an 
interesting
> summer, i think!  John rides his trike up & down the local busy 
Avenue,
> waving at people & playing his radio when he's not working at 
McDonald's.
> And I feel like we're going to learn quite a bit this year  ;o)
> 
> So, on that ramble ... know that every word, every step, every 
person
> touched when we put our experiences out there ... can produce a 
much better
> and more loving place right now and for the future.
> 
> Keep on putting the word out!!!!
> 
> XO for the power of love~
> ~*~ Ben & Tink
> 
>  -----Original Message-----
> From: autismlist@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
[mailto:autismlist@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On
> Behalf Of cbrandl@xxxx
> Sent: Sunday, July 24, 2005 10:28 PM
> To: autismlist@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [Autismlist] Re: Flutie family faces challenge of autism
> 
> 
>   Tom (and everyone),
>   I remember being at a conference in Illinois where I heard 
Jonathon
> Shestack speak to a very large group about his son Dov.  He 
agonized over
> the family's inability to know just what was wrong when Dov was 
ill or in
> pain.  At that time, I carried with me a copy of my book, telling 
of my
> personal experiences with FC, but was too shy to approach him. I 
KNEW there
> was a way to "reach" Dov!  It was just two years later that my 
annual
> Christmas appeal from CAN told the exciting story of 
the "breakthrough" that
> had occurred.  Dov had started to communicate, and (as we might 
expect) it
> was through facilitated communication. For whatever reason, 
however, CAN,
> Dov's family, and Soma and Tito (who were instrumental in making 
this
> happen) have chosen NOT to talk about how things got started.
> 
>   What about the Fluties?  Is there any chance we could introduce 
FC into
> Dougie's life????
> 
>   And --- why am I such a wimp?????
> 
>   Char
>   >
>   > From: Tom Smith <qim@xxxx>
>   > Date: 2005/07/24 Sun PM 07:23:09 CDT
>   > To: Autismlist <autismlist@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>   > Subject: [Autismlist] Fwd: [AutDads] True measure of QB's 
heart found at
> home, Flutie family faces challenge of autism
>   >
>   > ''I believe Dougie can understand the majority of what we're 
saying to
>   > him," Doug said. ''I just don't think he's able to respond.
>   >
>   > I think the elder Flutie is making progress.
>   >
>   > Tom