Beyond Unlikely to Unlimited

...by Stephanie Anderson

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I am intrigued by the story of “The Woman Who Willed a Miracle”. There is such a force in our perceptions of our children, that will guide us or prevent us from smashing through walls that hinder purpose and development.  Parents aren't always biological - perhaps the definition of a parent should be simply those who refuse to give up; those who refuse to take it easy - those willing to pay the cost. 

 

Looking back I see that there was a cost to the miracle I received through the journey with my son - and faith I will receive every day as the gift of our struggles - a reminder every day I am able to participate in his brilliant, generous and precious life.

 

My journey began in 1994, with the birth of Christian.  At eighteen months of age, he began exhibiting violent behavior.  He was removed from several daycares, to be placed in state programs with testing and evaluations at $300-$600 every few months.  For three years he would undergo intense behavioral, occupational. and speech therapy.  He had sensory issues, auditory and visual issues - and the labels/diagnosis began accumulating.  The first was Attachment Disorder at two years of age, Oppositional Defiant Disorder at three, and PDD (a generic Autism diagnosis) at three and a half.

 

With each new program, he grew more withdrawn and violent.  He still had no cognitive reasoning or language by four years of age.  I was encouraged to send him to an "inpatient center" for violent toddlers, but state programs/grants would not pay the $2500.00 a month needed.  I called every advocate for disabled children, as the list narrowed down.  One program remained, CBTU - (Child Behavior Therapy Unit) for extremely Autistic children.  They had a waiting list of over one year.  I was told by my caseworker and Christian's therapists that Christian's future as a violent toddler would be full institutionalization for life and that I "should sign over guardianship" of this one I loved so much.

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This is the story of our journey  - Beyond Unlikely to Unlimited!

 

Christian's music is featured in a new album:  Unlimited

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​Christian's story is posted with our Utah ICAN affiliate:

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Our partner ICAN resource website is located:

 

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