CARE

In September 2008, I found CARE, the Center for Autism Research and Education, located in Phoenix, AZ. (Link to CARE)  I made an appointment the very day I learned of them.  We drove from Durango to Phoenix, a 7–8 hour drive.  I was excited by all of the possibilities.  I have to admit, I went to CARE on a mission to have my daughter “cured” of Autism.  Knowing other family’s whose children made significant “recovery” from this type of therapy by taking supplements and receiving bio-medical treatment, I was sure this was the answer for Alyssa.  I guess you could say…. I came to CARE with very high expectations.  Yes, me, expectations strike again.  Truthfully, I was desperate for someone to take my little girls Autism away, so she wouldn’t have to have this awful syndrome.  Those high expectations were taking us off this planet, off to the moon, where anything can be accomplished, or in other words, to CARE.  My mission, my quest, would be CARE’s mission and quest.  Little did they know!!   Oh silly, silly me!!

This isn’t just any doctor’s office.  CARE is this amazing place where families come to try to make a difference for their kids.  You can feel the hope from the moment you walk through the door.  At CARE, first thing first, the Doctor wanted to meet with us and do blood work on Alyssa to help get to know her, so to speak, and develop a road map for her future, her treatment plan.

Meeting with the doctor was an eye opening experience.  She took one look at my angel and said, “Your daughter is not well”.  If I could only tell you how many times doctors said, “It’s a mystery why she has ongoing fevers”.  And then, I walk into this office, where right away, the doctor could see, Alyssa’s apparent lack of health.  Looking at Alyssa, she had dark circles under her eyes; she was very thin and hadn’t put on weight in what seemed like forever, not to mention, she was as pale as could be.  I looked at Alyssa everyday and had even succumbed to the “mystery fevers concept”.  I became blind to all the obvious, distracted by the label of Autism.  The doctor was SO right.  Alyssa did not look well.  Worse yet, I was on a mission to fix Autism, overlooking her lack of health. 

Through the blood work results, CARE was able to identify what supplements Alyssa needed and we came up with a treatment plan.  I was nervous, excited and with all my expectations, I was figuring, it should only take a few treatments and we would be past all this Autism stuff.  Wrong.  I laugh to myself now because I realize how silly I can be about things, especially when expectations seem to hinder me from reality.  We have now had approximately 68 treatments and drove to and from Phoenix 34 times.  Alyssa continues to make progress and she is getting better and better.  Maybe not overnight, but accumulatively better. 

There was a turning point in Alyssa’s treatments, where you could see her transforming and getting healthy.  I would attribute a great deal of success to a couple particular supplements, IGG, an immune system booster, and Agape, a super awesome multi-vitamin.  Agape is great because it is made up of most of the supplements Alyssa needs in one quick teaspoon.  IGG and Agape have proven to be great supplements and have kept her well, even during flu season.  Amazing!!!

 

After all this time, could we be approaching our turn?  Will we start to see a recovery or cure?  This is what I know, Alyssa has changed substantially.  We aren’t done yet, we’re just better than ever.   Maybe her health had to improve before we would see other results?  Just this last trip, the day after treatment, Alyssa said, “I don’t want that, I don’t like it” and I replied with a giggle, “well, okay then”.  Later, she sang a verse from a kid’s song, “All aboard the choo choo train, all aboard the choo choo train”.  Honestly, I didn’t know she knew that song.  She is making progress and we see it.  I just have to say, just like anything that is good, it takes a long time, a gracious amount of effort and persevering consistency!  

Alyssa's health improving is such a blessing.  I would be the first to say, her health being jeopardized, impacted her Autism substantially, by making every symptom so much more dramatic.  I also want to tell you, I have a new understanding, a new meaning, of the word “care”.  It's no longer an acronym for a medical practice to me, instead a word to describe a family!!  This is a family I am grateful to be a part of and grateful to have Alyssa cared for by.  We are so fortunate.

Thank you for reading.  Have a great week!  Angie