Meet Maureen and Zac
































Meet Maureen and Zac: They are a mother and son who are sharing the journey of autism. Maureen is mother to four adopted children, a teacher and a counselor and Zachy’s biggest advocate and fan.  Zac is a hard worker and a force for positivity and enthusiasm in his quiet, unassuming way. 


All my children were adopted. We were fortunate enough to be present at Zac's birth, which was certainly a privilege and unexpected. I got to give him his first bath and Zac's dad got to cut the cord. We took him home the very next day. When we got him home, he was a very, very quiet baby. He was not very responsive. I looked for the increase in responsiveness as he got older but by the third month, he wasn’t. He didn’t really look at me. It was very different than the older two who had bonded visually and were making noises by that age.. With Zac, that wasn’t happening.

Immediately, I started to wonder what was going on. This was too different. I really didn’t get much assistance in the medical community here. I was telling my cousin all about what was going on with Zac and she said something similar was happening to her friend’s child. He was diagnosed with Autism. I got right on it and started reading and learning everything I could. ‘Back in the olden days’, as my children would call it, there wasn’t much. There wasn’t much awareness but we were really fortunate to get Zacky evaluated. He started doing regular physical and occupational therapy, and a certain amount of cognitive and speech therapy with Mountain Valley. The therapists who worked with Zac were wonderful. Finally, we took him to JFK to see Sally Rogers, an Autism expert. There weren’t many at the time. She diagnosed him between eighteen months and the age of two with pervasive developmental disabilities, not otherwise specified with autistic like behaviors.

His milestones were fairly delayed. He didn’t walk until he was 2 and a half. He didn’t start speaking until he was 3 but I was so happy he was talking, as it was a result of an awful lot of stimulation and imitation. He’s such an amazing person to do what he has done and made it through. It was very difficult. In preschool, he would hide under the table and do his stims. Invariably, I was called to get him. I had been working part time at CMC and I had a part time counseling practice. Zac's dad and I made the decision that I would be the one available to pick him up and take him to therapies. So I gave up my practice and just taught at night. Zac never was able to stay in school for the whole day until he was a junior in high school.

I must say, that my overriding emotion and impression of the journey so far is great love and admiration for Zac. It has been very difficult in a lot of respects for me. Zac's dad left the home when Zac was 15 and his sister was 13. It has been hard for me as a single parent. I have to have faith in the fact that I was up for the challenge because I’m still here. I’m still trying, I’m still learning, I’m still reading and I’m still advocating. Most of the time, it’s been lonely and challenging.  I have to say the journey has been difficult but I never thought of any other option than to do it. And I think that’s important. I hung on and that took a lot of hard work. But Zac is worth it.  Not only was he my responsibility, because you adopt somebody and that is a huge responsibility, but he’s my favorite human. So that’s it. Financially it’s difficult. I worry about finding the right place for Zac. He’s just so special. I don’t want anyone to hurt him. Zac and I have been fortunate in his experience with therapists and providers here and in Ft Collins.
I learned that in a family, when a child has significant disabilities, there is a huge percentage of families that break up and it is usually the mom who stays. To fit into that demographic is certainly not an attractive thing. It is difficult. It truly does take a village.


VLFA has been a real gift to us. It has given Zac and me the hope that there are people and services with which we can connect to help enhance his life in the community as an adult with some differences. Our community can benefit having Zac as a citizen. He could become one of your favorite humans, too.

Join the conversation. We want to hear YOUR voice.
Maureen says, “It truly does take a village.”
What village are you a part of and what is your role?

Valley Life for All, A Non-Profit.
Reach us at: 970-319-1279
#valleylife4all #voiceability4all

Resources:
How to Create a Backyard Sanctuary for Kids with Disabilities
Helping Asperger’s Teens To Survive and Thrive: 15 Key Steps
Creating a Home Atmosphere of Solitude to Help Cope with Adult Autism

Post Independent Article
KDNK Joins Valley Life for All

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