My admiration for Dr. Temple Grandin started a few months after my son was diagnosed with autism. He was diagnosed May 30th, 2007, at age 2 1/2. He started speech and occupational therapy. And while he was getting his therapy, I would sit in the waiting room and read books about autism. Book after book. After book. …after book.
I felt so lost and clueless about how to interact with my son and how to help him. I had little idea about what autism was and what the diagnosis meant. And so I realized, I just needed to learn all I could so I had a total grasp on what this diagnosis meant.
Knowledge is power.
And as I read and read one name kept popping up: Temple Grandin. And she was an example, and the only example it seemed at times, of how autism could actually be a good thing. A gift, in fact.
More info about this absolutely amazing woman, my hero, Dr. Temple Grandin – a woman with autism who is also a college professor and has a PhD and has revolutionized the cattle industry and created more humane treatment for these animals, can be found at: http://www.templegrandin.com
So anyway… I was at our annual local autism conference, which is a totally awesome conference especially considering our area and how small on the radar it is.. and I was eating a yummy bagel before the conference started and chatting with the people there and someone said ” …well next year Temple Grandin will be here…”
…and I was so in shock from what I heard I inhaled deeply in shock, like an “uuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhhhh” kinda noise…. except I had a piece of bagel in my mouth…
Luckily, my tongue stopped it from lodging in my throat.
But I definitely “almost” choked on my bagel.
Dr. Temple Grandin is my hero, and I hoped to someday meet her, but never imagined it would be so soon – and so close to where we live.
Fast forward to a year later, I counted down the days and finally it arrived! I have a short video of me asking her a question about my son not sleeping much at all. I was so nervous but I seemed to get through it alright. My mom shot the video. Thanks mom 🙂 I also got a chance to meet her and get my books signed. It was such an amazing day that I will cherish forever 🙂
Here it is – me talking to my hero. She is amazing. Her speech was amazing. I am still in awe.
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Super Mom Jess 