Dreams Sometimes Change - Autism Unveiled

By Karma Austin

This is the true life story of one family's personal experiences with Autism. The author has written in such a way as to make the reader feel what she felt as she struggled through countless trials in her life, culminating in the diagnosis of her three-year-old son. It is the story of heartache as well as victory. The reader will gain advice as well as understanding into much of what Autism entails, and the impact that it can have on a family. Autism is becoming more prevalent in today's society, and every reader can benefit from the wisdom relayed from this author's professional, ministerial, and family life experiences.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Nov 15, 2016
• ISBN: 9781365537462

Book preview

Dreams Sometimes Change - Autism Unveiled

Dreams Sometimes Change- Autism Unveiled

Karma Austin

© 2016 Karma Austin. All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-365-41830-3

Introduction

Have you faced insurmountable obstacles in your life? Do you know a Child with Autism? How would you handle receiving a diagnosis that changes your life… forever?

This non-fiction book contains the true-life autobiography of Karma Austin, the author. Every chapter is written with the intention of highlighting her son Tracy- a child with Autism. The narrative although serious is often written in a comical way.

The reader of this book will feel the emotions of the author as she faces many hardships and tragedies before and after learning she has a son with a disability.  The reader may also gain support for their own situation (whether having or knowing a child with Autism). This author writes in detail about the different avenues that were used on a daily basis in order to improve the life of her son. The reader will be inspired as they gain an understanding of what it means to have Autism.

This book was intentionally written to give a personal look inside the life and mind of someone with Autism, and their many strengths and struggles. It was also written to show how this particular author grappled with her own life struggles, insecurities and misconceptions. The final reason for writing this book was to give advice for parents, relatives, and others, living with, or influenced by someone with Autism.

The author invites you to take a step inside the personal lives of the Austin Family.  

Dedications

First I would like to thank my father, David Bryson who inspired me with the idea to write this book. I may have never finished it without a little nudging. I would also like to thank my mother, Sheryl Bryson who helped me fill in the gaps when I could not remember particular dates and places. 

I am also thankful for my husband, James Austin who spent many hours proofreading. With his help I was able to make many corrections that I would have overlooked. For his patience during the many busy nights I was working on my book, I am most grateful.

Many thanks are due to my son Tracy, for allowing me to share so much of his personal life to help others. He is an inspiration and a joy. 

I am also so thankful for my son Tyler who helped design the cover for this book. He made a tedious process pleasurable.   

Contents

Introduction……………………….……... iii

Dedications……………………….……....  v

Chapter 1-My Early Life………….….......  1

Chapter 2-Troubles Mixed with Triumph...  7

Chapter 3-Troubles Unleashed…...………. 17

Chapter 4-Culture Shock………...…......... 24

Chapter 5-Our First Year on Guam............ 36

Chapter 6-Our Second Year on Guam…… 49

Chapter 7-Our Voyage to Missouri….…... 57

Chapter 8-The Diagnoses………………… 63

Chapter 9-A Sibling for Tracy…………… 66

Chapter 10-Bourbon or Bust……………... 79

Chapter 11-Post Graduation……………… 91

Chapter 12-My Dreams Changed….…...... 96

Chapter 1-My Early Life

Hi, my name is Karma. Yes, it is my true given name. No, my parents were not hippies or Hindus, and yes, I do know what it means. The story you are about to read is a factual account of my life. My life took many twists and turns before the presence of Autism entered the family dynamic. This story begins when I left home for college.

On a heated August day, I stepped onto the Bible College campus in 1988. Despite what you may think boys were the last thing on my mind. In the previous years I had dated a couple of times, but no one could compare to my relationship with my first true love- a wonderful boy from my church who had taken an interest in me. Through the months that he and I were together I grew to love him. However, our relationship came to a screeching halt one day, near the end of my sophomore year of high school, when he was tragically killed. His death left a deep hole in my heart. Since that relationship, none of the boys I had dated could compare to the one that I once held so dear.

So, by the time I entered Bible College I had decided I was solely there for the purpose of training for ministry. I decided to begin my freshman year as a music major. In my mind this was a natural progression for me. After all I had started playing the piano when I was seven years old. I also learned to play the flute in the elementary school band. Music and ministry were my life, and in my mind boys were a thing of the past. I didn’t believe there would ever be someone that I could love as much as I had loved that first young man who had stolen my heart. I also didn’t believe that there would be someone (other than God) who would love and care about me.

It was in that state of mind that I stood in line for registration at Central Bible College in Springfield, Missouri. I remember feeling nervous about what college life would be like and how I would adjust to my new surroundings. However, I was extremely proud to attend there because my grandfather had attended the school as well. Back then it was known as CBI, which was short for Central Bible Institute. (It has now merged campuses with Evangel Bible College of Springfield, Missouri.) I was honored that I would walk the same halls that my grandfather had so many years before.

For two hours I waited in that registration line, and next to me stood a young man with a buzz haircut and a thin mustache. He told a lot of jokes and made me laugh so hard that the time seemed to pass quickly. His name was James, and his cousin Scott[1] was in line next to him. James and his cousin Scott were the last ones to make it into the registration office that day. The door closed, and I was told to come back the next day. Needless to say, I was not looking forward to standing in line again the next day to be registered. However, I was extremely happy to have made a new friend.

In the first couple of days that I was at college I also met a short girl with a limp from Michigan named Sarah. I was enchanted by her distinct northern accent. My father’s side of the family was from Kentucky so I was familiar with a Southern accent, but I had never been around anyone from Michigan. Sarah and I became fast friends. She and I would go down to the student union often and play ping pong after our classes were completed for the day. One evening while we were in the middle of a game, James and Scott walked into the game room. They stood in silence as I beat Sarah mercilessly in ping pong. Afterwards the boys asked us if we wanted to take a stroll later that evening with a group from our college. We agreed, and the walks began. Because Sarah walked with a limp James and I tended to gravitate toward one another, and Scott and Sarah would walk together. Before I knew it Sarah was dating Scott, and they began spending more time alone. James and I continued walking on many evenings with the college group.

Eventually I noticed a side of James that I had never seen before. There was his funny comical side, but he was also a very caring individual. This was a trait that I felt was important and attractive. I found myself telling James things about my life that I didn’t usually talk about to others. To my amazement he was interested, and this drew us closer together. I enjoyed sharing my story, and he enjoyed listening. For the first time since my relationship with my high school sweetheart, I felt that someone outside of my immediate family might love me.

Three months had passed since I began my college journey. I was well on my way to pursuing the goals I had for myself. However, I was not particularly happy with the music classes I had chosen. The teachers were fantastic, but I wasn’t feeling very confident in my abilities. I began to wonder if music was the right direction academically for me. It was during this time of soul searching that I began to take some missions classes.

Although the academic side of my life was taking a drastic turn from what I thought it would be, my relationship with James was becoming more solidified. James had asked me to marry him. Although I knew I loved him already I didn’t give him an answer for two weeks. He has told me those were the longest two weeks of his life. It wasn’t intentional that I put him through this seemingly grueling experience. He felt like it was intentional because I didn’t say a word about it for those two weeks, and he didn’t bring it up. I felt a decision of this magnitude required some prayer and soul searching. After all, it is not every day that someone asks you to marry him.

Because we were engaged in just three months’ time it seems plausible to think we were married a few months later. However, it was two years before we tied the knot. The exact date was May 12th, 1990. Although it was a cloudy, rainy day in May it did not dent my spirits.

My maids of honor were dressed in hot pink dresses, and James and the best men wore black tuxedos with royal blue neck ties. The flower girl was my four-year-old adopted sister. She was dressed in like colors with the maids of honor, but she wore white gloves and carried a basket with colorful flower petals. When she walked down the aisle the flower pedals stuck to her gloves so there were not many laying on the white runner when I came down the aisle.

I wore the traditional white wedding dress with flowing veil, and carried the fan shaped bouquet James’ mother had made for me. A friend had lovingly sewn my dress, and I had decorated it with sequins and pearls. James had never looked better as I took my long walk down the church aisle. At least it seemed like a long walk down the aisle, possibly due to the fact that my father seemed to walk slower and slower with each step.

At last I made my way to the platform and took James’ hand. The platform had a white lattice wall with a golden arch decorated with festive colors, and James and I stood under this arch most of the ceremony. During the lighting of the unity candle, James and I walked to a separate part of the stage as my uncle sang the words to the song Make Us One. The chorus is as follows, Make us one heart, make us one mind, make us one, let Your will be done; make us one flame to proclaim your name, make us one, make us one.[2] It is a beautiful song; however, it was during this lovely number that I almost caught my veil on fire. When I reached out to light the unity candle I forgot that I was wearing the veil. Thankfully, I was spared from that catastrophe.

Several other songs were lined up for the ceremony, and the music turned out just as I had imagined it. My aunt played the piano as the soloists belted out the lovely melodies. The wedding was around forty-five minutes, but to me it felt like the time flew by. Before I knew it we were exchanging rings and were pronounced Mr. and Mrs. James Austin.

The reception consisted of all the normal wedding traditions, such as finding the garter and throwing the bouquet. James and I were so busy with all of the details that we only had one bite of wedding cake that day. It was the bite that we took so the photographer could take a picture.

The cake consisted of seven cakes which were each white in color and decorated with frills. The two cakes which set on the table set side by side and were connected on the right and the left by a flight of stairs. The cakes at the top of the stairs were setting on pillars. There were also two cakes which were centered in the middle of the cakes that sat on the table. They were setting on even higher pillars and were connected to the other two cakes by a flight of stairs as well. The stairs had various figurines which cascaded up and down the stairwells. Underneath the cake which stood on the highest pillars was a lit fountain which matched the colors of the other decorations on the cakes. On top of the two cakes that set on the high pillars was a flower decoration which held up the final cake with our cake topper which consisted of beautiful sparkling white doves with bells that stood on a small pedestal. There were also matching heart shaped mints and various nuts which set on the table as well. Even though it was an elaborate cake, the person who made it was a friend of mine. She said it