Week 163- Autism Speaks Walk

Today we braved the 90 degree sweltering weather to walk for Autism.  We had some of our "regulars" with us and even some "newbies" and despite the heat it was a nice day.  Thank you to everyone who came out to support Ryan, our family, and all those with Autism!

Ryan was very excited to participate but he did something this year that he hasn't done in the past.  He walked in front of the sign the entire way and argued with anyone on our team (especially Julia) who wanted to walk next to him.  He wanted everyone to walk behind him.

I did not set up a link for our team online this year like I have done in the past.  I just never got around to it.  I took the donations I had received to the walk which totaled over $800.  Thank you to everyone who donated!  I know there are a few more people who contacted us about making a donation.  You can mail us or give us a check made out to Autism Speaks and next week we will send it all in together for our team to be combined with the donations handed in today from our team.

Here are some pictures from today's walk...

Our 2013 walk team

Ryan and Julia getting ready for the walk.

Ryan poses with the Forgione ladies.

cousins

Unfortunately we were missing a key component to our team today.  Phil could not make it to the walk. Jack has been sick all week with high temperatures.  When his fever broke he developed the Roseola rash.  The heat and sun irritate the rash, so Jack needed to stay indoors this weekend and Phil stayed with him.  Jack has had a very uncomfortable week from whatever virus was in his body and was irritable most of the time, but we did manage to get a few smiles out of him.  

Jack put on his hat to pose for the camera!

Quick update on Ryan's appointments: he met with the psychiatrist this week and there has been another adjustment with his medication.  We are taking him off of the Fluoxetine (Prozac) in the evenings, and doing a trial of a double dose of the Focalin each day.  He will take one dose before we bring him to daycare and a second dose at school around lunch time.  The nurse will have to administer it.  The hope is that the second dose will kick in when the first dose has worn out and he will have better afternoons at school and at home.  The second dose should wear off in time for him to relax and go to bed on time. We'll see how this new regimen works out this week.  

DC