Just to re-introduce myself, my name is Jessica Mustain and I work along side Ashley Reynolds doing research for the series Combating Autism from Within. My latest project has been compiling information on a family from Lawrence, KS that we went to interview this weekend.
The team of Ashley, Scott, Mark, and myself left Sunday afternoon and returned today (Monday the 29th). Our first stop was at the house where we interviewed Adam and the rest of his family. Right away we heard about the struggles that the family had faced with their decision to move to Kansas, from Nebraska, all to help Adam with his health and education.
Adam was VERY talkative and really knew his facts about his disorder and what his mother was doing to help inform people. I found it very interesting to hear Linda talk about the connection genetics played in Adams disorder along with his heavy mercury levels, that she claims are from vaccines.
In the basement of the house, the family has a sauna to help with Adam excrete toxins. Adam loves ninja turtles, batman, Nintendo, and anything a young boy would typically like. He was fun to be around and hardly had any outbursts until Monday morning when we followed him and his mother to his doctors appointment to have blood drawn.
At the doctors appointment Adam was uneasy and seemed in a completely different mood than from the night before. Right when we arrived, Linda told us that we were in for an entirely different side of him and that it hadn't been an good morning.
Inside the doctors office, Adam began getting nervous and really upset that we (as a crew) were filming him. There was one instance when he shouted for me (calling me by name) to stop filming him. This shocked me for a few minutes, not because he wanted me to stop filming, but because he remembered my name after only hearing it once the day before. Thats another amazing thing about Adam, he remembers names and dates like nobody's business!
He began getting his blood taken but after only 4 out of the 8 viles, his blood slowed from flowing and eventually stopped. Adam threw a tantrum but luckily the nurse said that there was enough blood and that he didn't have to "get stuck" again.
Linda told us that he was brave. There's no way I could sit through some of the things he goes through!
Overall, it was a great learning experience for me. I got to actually witness what a family goes through when one member has autism. It was truly amazing getting to spend a significant amount of time with the family and be able to talk to them on and off camera about our project.
I can't wait for you all to see this family's story in the series
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5 comments:
One of the things about autism that is hard to relate in a tv special is that autism is relentless. It never stops - some families don't even get to sleep at night b/c their ASD child has sleep issues. That was the hardest time - when he wasn't sleeping well. The doc appts, therapy, school, food, medicines, rituals, explaining, teaching, training and of course, poop.
"He began getting his blood taken but after only 4 out of the 8 viles, his blood slowed from flowing and eventually stopped. Adam threw a tantrum but luckily the nurse said that there was enough blood and that he didn't have to "get stuck" again."
"Tantrum" trivializes this child's distress and his protest. Your description suggests that Adam was traumatized by an excessive blood draw.
"There's no way I could sit through some of the things he goes through!"
Have you ever considered that maybe he shouldn't have to? That maybe he is being subjected to unnecessary medical procedures? How frequently does he get his blood drawn? How much is usually drawn? For what purpose is it drawn? Did it ever occur to you that eight vials of blood is quite a lot of blood to take from a child at one time?
Perhaps he fears needles. Many people do, autistic or not. How frequently does he "get stuck," either for blood draws or for injections?
"Overall, it was a great learning experience for me. I got to actually witness what a family goes through when one member has autism."
You got to witness ONE family, one home, one doctor's office; one set of values, conclusions and choices; one set of responses to disability.
You also got to witness what one child goes through when he's filmed against his wishes, undergoing a medical procedure that was obviously distressing to him.
You seemed more impressed by the fact that he remembered your name than by his unambiguous communication to you that he did not want you there.
First, I would like to thank the efforts to all working on this project. Their insight and hardwork is obvious in exploring this horrifying, preventable tragedy that plaques so many. They have gone after this better, and in more depth that all media agencies combined. They are unbiased, have no conflicts of interest, and should be applauded. They also must realize when the truth is exposed, many will creep out from under rocks, such as Kathleen Seidel, to vomit garbage because they cannot attack the truth so they must try and discredit families, their stories, and their children. Shameful. Absolutely shameful. But that is what they get paid to do. So hang in there gang, you are doing a tremendous job and my hat goes off to you all.
Amy Carson's response shows how little concern she had for the fact that Adam was being abued by having 8 vials of blood taken from him while being filmed by a bunch of glorified adolescents.
You people need to talk to an ethicist. You have serious problems if you can't see that you participated in the abuse of that child.
Vomit is a word I easily associate with Amy Carson. Kathleen Seidel is obviously concerned for Adam when no one else was.
Seriously, you little journalist people need some help. Big time.
Was the blood being drawn for the Geier's own purpose, which is to conduct questionable tests that further validate the Lupron Protocol? Lupron, by the way, is used to chemically castrate sex offenders.
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