H/AH .... or Before Henry/After Henry!

 

H/AH .... or Before Henry/After Henry!

We had these moments on a very regular basis when Henry first joined our family. Four years on, we still have BH/AH moments.

Before Henry, leaving the house, L's safe place, and venturing out into the world, the unknown, was difficult for L.

New experiences, new sounds and smells, the busyness of the world, the unknown were very overwhelming.

If we visited new places, we had to prepare L (and O,) in advance of where we were going, what we might see and hear, how busy or loud the place might be. We'd have to take a bag of sensory items such as fidget items, block out ear protectors, devices, multiple charging blocks for said devices. And we might have lasted only an hour or so out before L (and O,) entered sensory and/or emotional overload and we'd need to come home.

And don't get me started on medical/specialist appointments!! If you have children (or yourself) who have complex disabilities or medical conditions, you probably understand just how overwhelming these appointments can be.

After Henry .... he opened up an endless world of possibilities.

We don't need to prepare either child if we're planning to go to a new place/experience. We don't need as many sensory items.

We can do new places, new experiences, noisy places, busy places because L knows he has Henry by his side.

Where have we been? 

We surprised both children with an outing to Australia Zoo with Henry, and we left after five hours because both kids had sore legs from walking! Sealife. SeaWorld. Movie World. We did two Gold Coast theme parks in one day! Unheard of Before Henry! Full day outings into the City to visit GOMA, the Museum, Southbank and exploring the city. A school excursion to an unknown venue for L. Day long outings where we've had no real plan of what we're going to do. Movies where we haven't needed to leave half way through or go out for a sensory/movement break. Longer shopping outings, but who loves shopping anyway. People, ugh! Haircuts are easier and calmer. Blood tests! Catching up with family at new places. A full season of soccer, going to different soccer clubs each week and L spending more time on the field participating than off the field. Lock downs! Flooding! Cyclone!

We're still working on medical/specialist appointments but they are much calmer for L and he's now verbally communicating with the staff. 

The positive impact that Henry was having was the sole reason we decide to buy a puppy to train as an Assistance Dog for O.

When we say Henry, and Alaska, are life changing, they really are life changing for their children and us as a family.

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