Take Care, Caretaker

Page Pulliam

Description

A mother's musings on autism, back pain, migraines & a chipped tooth. After a very painful back injury, this collection of journal entries and Scripture meditations resulted. Back pain healing accompanied a heart pivot in responsiveness to life and, most especially, my son's progress in battling autism.

Sujets

• Religion
• Christianisme
• Santé et bien-être
• Bien-être émotionnel
• Bien-être émotionnel
• Bien-être
• Bien-être
• Bien-être
• Bien-être
• Scrapbooking
• Happiness
• Prayer
• Spiritual
• Healing
• Journaling
• Body (disambiguation)
• Word of God
• Personal Growth
• God's Word

Informations

• Publié par: Outskirts Press
• Date de parution: 29 avril 2023
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781977264527
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 4 Mo

Extrait

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Take Care, Caretaker A Mother’s Musings: Autism, Back Pain, Migraines, and a Chipped Tooth All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2023 Page Pulliam v4.0
The opinions expressed in this manuscript are solely the opinions of the author and do not represent the opinions or thoughts of the publisher. The author has represented and warranted full ownership and/or legal right to publish all the materials in this book.
This book may not be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in whole or in part by any means, including graphic, electronic, or mechanical without the express written consent of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
Outskirts Press, Inc. http://www.outskirtspress.com
ISBN: 978-1-9772-6452-7
Cover Photo © 2023 Page Pulliam. All rights reserved - used with permission.
Outskirts Press and the “OP” logo are trademarks belonging to Outskirts Press, Inc.
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Restored through Repentance
Renewed by Responsiveness
Hope, Helped by Homeopathy


To my Todd and our Robert

" ...my cup overflows." (Psalm 23:5)


With special thanks to
Kari Kindem, our homeopath
Dr. Robert Stewart, our chiropractor
Grace Community Church
Americans for Homeopathy Choice Action & Homeopathy Action Team
&
my absolutely terrific parents, Robert’s doting grandparents – truly, gifts from God
Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible (AMP), Copyright © 2015 by the Lockman Foundation. Used by permission: lockman.org.
Table of Contents
Foreword
Take Care, Caretaker: A Mother’s Musings: Autism, Back Pain, Migraines, and a Chipped Tooth
Foreword
WHEN PAGE FIRST told me she wanted to write this book, my first thought was "Why? Why would you put yourself through that?" My second thought was to wonder who would want to read such a book. When she told me that she wanted to do it to help others in our situation, that answered both questions for me. After revisions, she asked me to read it and offer some comments, so I did:
"Well, Sweetie, I think you need more of an introduction, you know. Instead of just jumping right into it, maybe write an overview to give the reader a better idea of who we are and what it’s all about." And with that she gave me a great big Southern Belle smile and looked me straight in the eye while she asked me to write this foreword. So here I am.
Page and I will have been married 18 years on our next anniversary. We both grew up in small towns in Alabama with the values you would expect. We both have families that love us and took care of us. Neither of us ever really wanted for anything. We have been blessed with a good home, good educations and opportunities that some others don’t have. We are fortunate in many ways. From a distance, we are not the kind of people that inspire sympathy.
Our son Robert struggles with autism and has his entire life. He is 11 years old and it has been a hard road for all of us, especially him. As the parent of an autistic child, you suffer when they suffer, and they suffer quite a lot. You are grateful for the good days and learn to deal with the bad ones. You eventually fall into a routine to help you take it one day at a time. But that only allows you to exist, not to heal.
About 5 years ago we discovered homeopathic medicine. At first we were just looking into it out of desperation since none of the conventional wisdom had helped. But as we used the remedies on Robert and ourselves things started to change and life began to get better – much better over time. We have more recently incorporated sound resonance files into Robert’s treatment, which is having a very positive impact. But there was never a simple solution. There was no big golden button you can press to make it all okay. We are still on a journey of healing, and we don’t know when it will end or how things will look when we are finished. All I can say is that things are getting better, even if the road is bumpy from time to time.
My wife is an amazing person with a long list of accomplishments. Among many other things she is an attorney and holds a real estate license. But she made the decision to be Robert’s primary caregiver and teacher when he was born and has been in the trenches ever since. I am very thankful for her and the sacrifices she has made. She is also a person of tremendous faith in God.
In early 2023 Page suffered a low back injury at the gym. As part of her therapy she has undergone multiple sessions of spinal traction (if you have never had this experience, be thankful). The pain was very intense and for weeks she was forced to slow down from her normally busy schedule. During that time she began a journey of introspection that continues now.
This book consists mostly of journal entries she made while she was healing from her back injury. We spent a great deal of time talking about the things she wrote in these pages. Most of it is about what we have been through with our son, but she also details things reaching back into her teenage years that affect her still. She has been very open and honest. It’s pretty raw stuff.
As stated above, Page wrote this book to help people who may be going through the same things we have been through. I hope it does, but mainly I’m just proud of her.

Todd Pulliam Mobile, Alabama March 2023
THE CRUX OF this was written from mid-January 2023 to early March 2023. On January 30, I suffered an impinged disc and immediately developed antalgic gait during a morning workout. After hobbling in to see our long-time family chiropractor on February 1, 2023, I learned a minimum of 3 weeks of daily traction would be required. He fitted a back brace on me February 2. I used homeopathic medicines throughout. And, without a morning workout, I spent more time reading The Bible. A period of deep heart cleansing, mind refocusing, and life altering realizations occurred.
Nothing could or would ever be the same.
I scribbled revelations, repentances, fears, and thanksgivings on pieces of paper throughout the house. These are usually formatted as notes to God. Those written prayers, meditations, and realizations became this journal.

" It is good that I have been afflicted,
That I may learn Your statutes."
(Psalm 119:71)

" I had heard of You [only] by the hearing of the ear, But now my [spiritual] eye sees You.
Therefore I retract [my words and hate myself] And I repent in dust and ashes."
(Job 42:5-6)

" I considered my ways
And turned my feet to [follow and obey] Your testimonies."
(Psalm 119:59)

So, let’s begin with introductions.

My name is Page Pulliam. I’m 41 years old (as of March 2023). My husband Todd (53 years old) and I married in 2005. Our precious son Robert (almost 11 years old) was born in 2012. Robert’s development has never been smooth or complete. We have battled autism from an early age.

2017: Trapped

Theme Park Luau, Spring 2017
In this picture from February 2017, my husband Todd is fighting constant knee pain, relentless reflux, and frequent headaches. Robert is almost 5. He is already overwhelmed by autism, and his regression is hurrying. He is nonverbal; hits and screams frequently; lives in pain; and he remains closed off, disengaged, no eye contact, persistently chewing and flicking objects. He is incapable of dressing, feeding, or caring for himself. He is terrified of everything, so he insists on being carried. His smile and laughter have faded away. He is always getting sick.
I’m holding that big sweetheart of a boy. I remember having a terrible migraine at this theme park luau. Prior to graduating law school in 2007, I developed severe migraines, horrible reflux, and chronic fatigue. For the next decade - until this picture in 2017 - the ailments proliferated: chronic sinusitis, irritable bowel syndrome, rampant food allergies with vomiting, debilitating fibromyalgia, and more frequent migraines. Ten months after this photo, I migrained and vomited so severely I landed in an emergency room hooked up to morphine.

Robert, Fall 2017 (5 years old)

Todd & Robert, same day of Fall 2017

Robert & me, same day of Fall 2017
Todd and I smile in these pictures, but we are heartsick over our boy. We are overwhelmed, fearful, and desperate. We have nothing to say to each other anymore, and our hope for Robert and for the future is dwindling away.

Robert, Christmas 2017 (His increasing disdain for haircuts is also evident in this photo)

Christmas 2017 (One week prior, I was hooked up to morphine)
In April 2018, after much prayer and research, we transitioned to homeopathic medicines. We hired a certified homeopath, and I completed online training in homeopathic medicines for acute conditions. We dove into homeopathy.

Go Jags! Fall 2021
This picture from August 2021 is at a football game. We never thought Robert would enjoy sporting events. We have been using homeopathic medicines for 3 1/2 years as of Fall 2021. Todd is free of knee pain, reflux, and headaches. I have been migraine free for almost 2 years. There are no GI issues. There is no more fibromyalgia, no more fatigue, and my sinuses are clear. You may notice a weight loss. Our marriage is stronger and happier - and we have hope for Robert. Our increasingly happy home provides a buoy for his healing journey.
Robert now dresses, feeds, and cares for himself. He loves to play outside. He follows commands, mimics behavior, and is quite engaged. He no longer yells and hits. His pain and headaches are gone. He sleeps well, has increased concentration, and is willing to try new foods and activities. He is still nonverbal. However, he is no longer silent. He has increased babble and more frequent verbal attempts. He hums and "sings along" to music. His smiles light up our home, and his laughter echoes through the rooms. We do have a ways to go in his continued development. Yet, we have hope.
In July 2022, Robert reached full engage