CLOSE-UP
The NOTE by my Bed
BY SHARON CUMMINGS
fixation,
“My biggestleaves me,
which never
T
his is the header that I have written on a pad of paper
that I leave next to my bed every night. As a now-single
mother, I worry about so many things. My biggest fixation, which never leaves me, is “What happens if I don’t wake
up?” It could be a day or two before anyone would know, and I
can imagine my dear sweet autistic son Conner just sitting with
me at my bed, never leaving my side. I knew I had to do something … in Conner’s way, and I knew I had to do it immediately.
is what happens
if I don’t wake up?
fixation,
“My biggestleaves me,
which never
”
If you read Conner’s essay (see ZOOM IN essay on page 22),
you will know our plan works. I can honestly say that I am
thrilled that a wall fell on
me, causing me to black out
and break my thumb, as I
now know that Conner literally kicked into gear with the
emergency plan. Oh, we had
practiced dozens of times with
911 and calls to family, but to
actually have an emergency
where, in Conner’s own words, “my heart was beating; my eyes
were watered” is different. But HE DID IT.
is what happens your own plan,
“Develop
your
if I don’t wake up? own note that
”
”
you can leave by your bed.
So it is with this knowledge that our PLAN actually works that
I share with you the remainder of the words on the note that I
place next to my bed every night. This is a subject no one likes to
think about, but one I had no choice but to plan for. I encourage
you to develop your own plan, your own note that you can leave
by your bed.
“Mommy will
always be with you
Develop your own your heart
in plan,
Leaving out the most personal part, here is how our note reads:
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your own note thatand soul.
ZOOM Autism through Many Lenses
I will be a part of you,
fixation,
“My biggestleaves me,
which never
is what happens
if I don’t wake up?
”
ZOOM Autism through Many Lenses
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