It's been three weeks and two days since Grace was diagnosed with autism. Even though I have always known deep inside that this was the real issue, hearing it was still difficult. I've found myself wrestling with many emotions. Happiness that we finally have an answer. Relief that a true expert in the field of autism saw in Grace what we have seen all along. Pride in my daughter that she has been so successful despite tremendous challenges. Sadness with the realization that no amount of medication will ever "mask" her autism and no amount of therapy will ever "cure" her. And perhaps the most difficult emotion of all - anger - a deep anger at all of the professionals, and even friends and family who either missed the signals and didn't believe me when I tried, even begged for them to see.
Three weeks and two days later - I think the feeling that is coming to the surface the most is pride. I am just so proud of my daughter. I'm proud of my family - my husband and my two other daughters. We have worked our way through times I never imagined, and have come out stronger. You see it turns out that Grace is a blessing to us, which is exactly what her name means.
And so, "My Daughter Has Autism". Three weeks and two days later I feel like I can say it and say it with pride. She is still the same Grace, but yet I look at her just a little differently. I understand her just a little bit more, and I hope others will too. Grace Hoiness is her name - and as they say, "a rose by any other name would smell as sweet". For me Grace is one of the sweetest roses of all.
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