Week 4 Dives

Hi There :) I can't believe that we have done 4 weeks of HBOT already. Things we have noticed that Jackson has been doing are; more climbing on the couch, on his chair and up the stairs. He has been babbling more and increased eye contact when entering the room. He has been enjoying our company more, when we are playing with his toys, he will join (not play properly but join in). He loves to be laying in the blanket as we swing him back and forth. And a lot of wanting 'up' when i swing him in my arms. We went to see a new Dan Doctor (Defeat Autism Now). And will be be putting Jackson back on his B12 shots and doing a new test of his urine to see all of his deficiencies. It will take a bit to get the results back but we hope we can see whats going on in his body. The weather has been amazing and so happy we decided to go now and trusted our gut that he needed this. The doctor said that he doesn't see much change in kids until the 30th dive and so did one of the hbot techs, so I'm hoping to see/blog more changes. Thursday's dive my sister Patti had the day off and came to the clinic to see the 'RBOT' (that's what she calls it). She sat beside us and while Jackson watched a baby word dvd and Thomas (of course), she turned on her laptop and scrolled through our favorite site 'Pinterest'. A very special Thank you to Patti for coming down and helping me with Jackson and making me giggle in the 'RBOT'. Here is a picture of my boys sleeping after a day of shopping and Duncan our dog....it was his birthday on January 24th (love this picture of him):) On to Week 5 Dives :) Take care everyone xo

week 4 in progress....

Hi there :) Sorry for the lack in post as there has been no changes in Jackson. I have been going to the gym in the evening to get my mind on how inpatient I have been. But going everyday is becoming a new routine and Jackson has adjusted well :) One thing I have noticed that in the Chamber, Jackson likes to cuddle. As Jackson doesn't give any hugs and kisses nor show any sign of affection, so having him grab my hands and lay all over me due to the small space too...it is wonderful!! Take care x o!!

Dive 11 :)

Hi there :) Today went well, but Jackson was extremely cranky in the afternoon. I think because we added back in avocados back into his diet. Bad move on my part. It's so sad to see him shut down.(Short post as it has been a long day with him). Even if the hbot is not healing him, we just need to go back to the drawing board and look at it at a different angle :) Take care...on to Dive 12 of 40 :)!!

Dive 10 :)

Hi there :) Dive went well today. Jackson was very patient in the chamber. I'm a very patient person as well, but not seeing any results in Jackson yet, is making me inpatient! But as I was about to slide into the chamber the tech as me how I was feeling lately. Well I'm feeling more alert and better mood. And he said it takes a while to see any results in autistic kids because they have so much healing to do. Just want Jackson to be healthy and happy :)!! Weekend off and off to Dive 11 of 40 :)

Dive 9

Hi there :)! Today's Dive went well but half way through the dive he was cranky. He was trying to sit up and kept smacking his head on the top of the chamber. He was happy to be running around the clinic when we were done. The staff are so nice and understanding of our toddler running around. We braved the storm on the way home and was taking it slow. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better drive. Last night Jackson and I were playing in the loft and he likes to throw balls from his ball pit down the stairs. He knows not to throw anything else down there, but as I took my eyes off him...he started to throw cars down there, but as I was saying 'no!' He pick up another one while looking in my eyes! He knew I was going to say no, and he wanted to see what I was going to do! He hasn't had that connecting with me in a long time :)!! Take care! On to dive 10 of 40 :)

Dive 8

Hello :) Dive 8 went well! I have been letting Jackson suck on his bottle the whole session, but I took it away and was hiding it under the blanket. And he is ok without it. I'm starting to get in a grove of the drive into the city, feeding Jackson and jumping into our scrubs :) When Jackson gets into the clinic he knows right where to go now. I was nervous at the beginning about how he would react in the chamber but he is now used to it. He was always a great baby to take around anywhere :) In the evening we went to the grocery store and there was a mom with a screaming 3 year old. The mom look over at Jackson and said to her child ' Why can you be calm like that kid?'. We get that a lot from other parents. Jackson just looks at kids that are kicking and screaming on the ground. Most of the time I don't discuss about Jackson's autism, just it a long story, not that I'm ashamed of it. Just I'm not in to talking to a cashier or a mom that I may never see again. A lot of moms who don't know what we are going through say ' your lucky, to have such a great baby'. Yes I am very lucky to have Jackson, lucky to have a hard working husband so I can stay at home ( well not really stay at home), and lucky to have great weather this winter. Lucky to have the options to do what we can to help Jackson! So Yes I'm lucky, but so are every other moms. Other questions/comment I get a lot is when are we going to have more children? I love kids, I wish I could have 20 kids! I love a full house, I always imagine having lots of kids. And a lot of people say that Jackson needs a playmate. I would love to provide him with that but coming up to my mid 30's I am committed to helping Jackson. And with a chance of our next child to have autism is higher (even though I would not vaccinate that child and they would be fine) I can't be pregnant when going into the chamber and being pregnant while bring Jackson to therapy to therapy just wouldn't work. Our plan is to recover Jackson and give him the best quality of life possible. There are 7 billion people on this earth (maybe if we had to help the population out) and Jackson needs all of our attention(which we love to give him). And we can't wait to watch him develop and say his first real words! We are not going to let the novelty wear out on him ( like moms who scream at their kids all the time). And we are not going to give up on him......would you want to be giving up on? Take care! On to Dive 9 of 40 :)

Dive 6 and 7

Hi there :) Sorry for the late post on dive 6 and 7. The one thing that the hbot techs say about the change in autistic kids they see first is better sleep habits. Since we changed Jackson diet he is a great sleeper. Since I have been in the hbot, I have been a great sleeper. I went to bed at 7:30 pm with Jackson and going to bed now at 8pm! :) I laughed with the tech today that most people doing hbot log their dive hours but I'm logging my Thomas the Train hours! :) Yesterday and the weekend he was babbling up a storm. We noticed more smiles and more laughs this weekend. Still a lot of hand flapping and no change in being social nor any words. But giving that boy Raspberry kisses on his belly, his face lights up and he wants more! More pictures to come. Take care and on to dive 8 of 40 :)

Dive # 5

Yeah! One week done! 7 weeks to go :) Here is a picture of Jackson running down the hall of the clinic. He can't fit into any of the scrubs so he is wearing just the shirt, which is a dress for him. He was babbling a lot today. He enjoyed being tickled and love playing around, with lots of laughs!! The snow made some patients canceled, making many empty chambers open. The tech asked John if he wanted to jump into the chamber next to me but he declined, due to some calls he had to make (I think he was scared :p). I would let him go with Jackson, but Jackson is a mamma's boy and if he noticed that I was not with him, I'm scared he might freak out. It was a good day minus the snow, but that's what winter is all about I guess. Hoping better snow days and better healing for Jackson in the upcoming weeks!! Weekend off but will be back on Monday for Dive 6 of 40! Take care :)

Dive 4

Hello :) Yesterday was a good dive. Jackson was babbling up a storm in the chamber. I got the tech to put in the movie Cars, but Jackson was not into it and we ended up putting back on Thomas! My ears pop easy now but going home and many hours later, I have to plug my nose and make a big pop. It feels like I have gotten water in my ears. Jackson has been doing so amazing, more than I ever thought in the chamber. He has been really giggly lately and more content. When we bring him downstairs in the mornings, he used to scream for his bottle. We noticed this week, he has been calmer. John did work in the lobby and still coming by time to time to check in on us :) Take care, on to dive 5of 40!

Dive # 3

Hello :) Today was a beautiful day. Drive into the city was great and settle in well. It's starting to feel familar even though it's only the third day. My ears are starting to get used to the dives :) As the times goes on I'm hoping to blog more about Jackson behaviors but it takes 2 weeks for the oxygen to saturate into the body to get to the places it needs to heal. Jackson has not displayed any changes, but a little more smiles here and there. He was giggling and a little hand flapping in the chamber cuz it was Thomas movie we that we found in their dvd library. My sister got him Cars for christmas and we got him Cars 2, I haven't seen either so hoping he will like them tomorrow. Jackson why can't you love 'Days of Our Lives'!! But we are here for you and I would only watch Thomas for the rest of my life if it was to recover you xo!! John was talking to the staff and learnt so much from them today. There is a Naturalpath Doctor who is an DAN doctor (Defeat Austim Now) that works out of the clinic. So getting information from one of staff, who is a mom of a child with autism help so much. She recommended her Family MD Doctor that has a child with autism and does the biomedical treatments. Biomedical treatments are HBOT and diets, enzymes, fish oil , b12 shots....and so much more, that have been helping children recover. I was just looking on You Tube ( and alot of people say stay away cuz it will only give you false hope) of this mom that recovered her child (Baxter Barle) and if you watch the video of her recovery story it warms your heart. The way her child is 'normal' when all the doctors said no. My doctors said I just needed to bring him to the park more and that autism is just what we have to live with. After taking away dairy he stood up and walked the next day. Added in enzymes and diet changes his memory and wanting to connect with us and babbled again. Well we love him like he is and the healthy boy he is going to be. And there is so much help from therapies and biomedical that it can happen. I am so happy in a sense to be on this journey with Jackson. Of course I wouldn't want him to be going through this, but he taugh me so much about myself, I lost all of my inscurities, and realized what I thought was wrong with me is what is driving me to help him :) Here is a picture of Jackson's bath tonight and a yellow submarine bath toy!! Take care. On to dive 4 of 40 :)!!

Dive # 2 January, 10, 2012

Hello :) Jackson had a great sleep last night. Since his diet changes he has been a great sleeper. The Dive today went better as I was not as nervous as yesterday. And the patients in the next chamber were watching the movie Bridesmaids (funny movie), I was sneaking lots of peaks even though I was listening to Mickey Mouse Clubhouse playhouse dvd. If you have toddlers and you know the Imagination Movers, well that was one of the movies that played and when they have a problem they like to solve it with a dance and playing music. Well in the movie they zoom in on the one guy as he scratches his chin to think of how to solve the problem and Jackson did it too. Wonder what Jackson was thinking? How to solve world hunger, world peace or how do I get Thomas Train on this dvd player!! :) Jackson was clapping and He even laughed some. After we got out of the chamber, as I was putting back on his clothes I was tickling his stomach and making 'oooohhh' noises and he was laughing so hard. John was came in and reminded us that we were in the room that said the 'quiet room'....but we don't get to hear that very much he is very serious so John joined in on the party and giggled with us!! We came home and Jackson went to bed at 7 pm and he was ready to go down as he put his blanket and teddy bear in the crib that he likes to throw out in the morning. Goodnight My sweet Monkey. I'm going to go look at him now! So cute!! Oh in this picture is Jackson, he got a little restless and I gave him the string to my pants (it was long) and he was putting it in between his toes (he likes the feeling).Sorry this picture is flipped....i'm a new to this blog site and my computer is slower than a turtle's grandma!!:) Take care and on to Dive 3 of 40 :)

Dive # 1 January, 9, 2012

We arrived at the clinic in good time. I was a nervous wreck for the unknown. I fed Jackson just before entering the Hbot. We put on scrubs and no items are allowed in the chamber besides plastic water bottles. So we get in and they turn on the Thomas movie right away. And Jackson has his bottle (with water in it) that he likes to suck on like a pacifier (which I hate but in this case we let him do it). For those who don't know about hbot quick review : Hyperberic Oxygen Therapy is the medical use of oxygen at a level higher than atmospheric pressure. Used for burn victims, stroke patients , autism and many more...etc. We think Jackson was hurt by vaccinations and his dairy allergies that his poor little body couldn't keep up with all the toxins in his body to dump them out. Hbot has many healing properties and we hope with many other forms of treatments and therapies he can have a better quality of life and a chance to recover! Oh ya back to my story. So we get in and they put a grounding strinp on my wrist (note blue strap) to protect from shocks. It takes 7 to 10 minutes to get to the 'bottom' (cuz we are diving down 1.5 ata) and I have to make my ears pop...like going in an airplane. Children's ear drums are more flexible so Jackson ears didn't bother. He picked at them once and looked over at me but it didn't seem to be bothered by it. I on the other hand looked like I was a kid going to the dentist for the first time. The staff and John (my husband) were watching us and it made me more nervous so they all went away minus the technician who stays with you the whole time. Once we are at the 'bottom' it was like you were in a glass jar but a comfy glass jar with pillows and a tv. Jackson noticed half way through the treatment which is 90 mins that he was in something. John was working in the lobby of the clinic and would come by time to time to pick the phone that was attached to chamber to talk to us. And the phone was near all the buttons for the machine so that was making me nervous too cuz John loves to make me laugh and he is so wity but now was not the time. Well maybe a little giggle here and there lighten the mood. I watched Thomas the train movies the whole time and the theme was to be brave and strong. Jackson pointed to the screen once when the tech was switching out the movies. Which was cute to see as we don't see Jackson point! I got to hold and cuddle him for the whole time which made me happy to be doing this for him. Now was time to go back 'up' to normal pressure and my ears just popped the whole time. Didn't hurt but it was a pinch in the ears for about 10 mins. John was there to grab Jackson and we let him run around the clinic for a bit and enjoy the freedom before we put him back in his car seat. I sat in the back with him, like i did when we first brought him home and we said I love you Jackson...and we heard "ackson". We both looked at each other and said it must of been a fluke though. On to Dive 2 of 40 :)