Life With Clay

Clay turned 18 this summer, a pretty big milestone for any kid – and any parent. This one got me thinking about life with Clay over those years – the gradual road to a diagnosis, an emergency trip to Children’s Hospital in the middle of the night for a scary infection, surgery for swollen adenoids, the continuing search for therapists, the search for the right school situation, his connection with horses and other animals, the discovery of his inner world through typing. It has been quite a journey.

To celebrate the little guy’s birthday, I collected three lessons he has taught me in an article for the Philadelphia Inquirer, which appears this weekend. Click here to see it along with a couple of pictures of the wise one around town.

It is a belated present for Clay. Not nearly as big as the gifts he has given me, but it is a start.

What does Clay think about the article?

“feel good that dad did the story,” he typed last night when his Mom showed it to him. “i might be famous one day.”

Then, since he always has his priorities straight, he switched topics to the takeout food we had picked up for dinner.

“more bread please. really like indian food.”

If you are new to this blog, welcome. I hope you’ll hit the subscribe button at the top right to stay connected.

Here are some highlights from the past few years that you might enjoy:

• “Have Mike Read” – the first time Clay typed
• “A Mother’s Day Message” – Clay’s thoughts on this special day for his Mom, who is his typing partner and number one fan.
• “So Proud” – an account of the day Clay presented to a class at Arcadia University.
• “Don’t Fence Me In” – Clay’s thoughts on all of the locked doors in his life
• “A Role Model” – The little guy’s visit to hear a presentation by a fellow traveler on the spectrum
• “Monday Bloody Monday” – Just a typical day in the life of Clay in which he wound up covered in blood