The A-Team took a trip to the seashore, Ocean City, NJ. Adam, the “A” in “A-Team” asked for a trip last January and continued to ask for it every time I visited with him for the past eight months. There is urgency in his voice when he says the words “Ocean City” followed by short staccato sounds “August 10, 2011,” laboring over every syllable like a song, repeating his request week after week, like a broken record. But the oxymoron is the record is not broken.
Adam, or “A” as I sometimes like to call him, is my almost 18-year-old son who has grown from 3 pounds to 240 pounds. He has many challenges, the most severe being his unrelenting autism.
He goes to residential school at a wonderful place in Haddonfield, NJ. He calls Jenzia House at Bancroft there his “home” and the address where he grew up is called “Adam’s house.” His therapeutic staff, who accompanied us to the seashore care for him, respect him and keep him safe. He hugs them goodnight before he goes to bed, something he has done since he was a very small boy. Adam is happiest in his own world but he also craves relationships and he has a lot of anxiety concerning every detail of who is going to be with him to take care of him. For example, “George’s book tonight?” means is George taking care of me tonight?
I would not be able to take my son anywhere without help. He would never see a water park or the ocean’s waves.
Wednesday, August 10th, was a perfect day. Adam played in the ocean for hours; built sand castles; flew a kite for the first time; ate “fries in a cup” on the boardwalk (his special request) and visited Mom-Mom Jen’s house.
