HELP! It Fell Down and We Can’t Get Up!
We have a therapeutic swing hanging in the boyz bedroom (well, usually anyway). It’s totally awesome and the kids love it and it’s been up for probably two years now. When Michael was going to an Occupational Therapist, he requested to be in the “bag swing” the entire session. She had to cajole him to do other things, but they always came back to the “bag swing” (it’s a bag swing like this: http://www.laceandfabric.com/Autistic-Products-Body-Sock-Body-Bag-Silly-Sacks-Swings_c16.htm) time and again. It looks like they are still selling them, awesome.
As you may or may not know, therapy and medications and private schools are all VERY pricey. And so being the genius that I am, I purchased a “bag swing” for my own home. Oh. MY . GOOD. GRACIOUS. GAMMY. GOO. The first night he went into the swing, it felt like he had taken some awesome drug to settle him instantly. It was CraZy. Truly, my mind had difficulty grasping the calm that instantly came over Michael after just a few minutes in the swing. I remember he even noticed it. It was a good thing, that’s what we all knew.
Well, about one week ago as Michael was swinging in the swing, BLAMMO! He falls plum from the sky and lands crashing on the floor with a big, big Thud. He was totally fine and I called the guy who hung the swing the next day and expressed in my calmest desperation “COME TODAY MAN, HE NEEDS TO SWING!”, “When is your first available time to help us re-hang the swing?”
Our handy-man was able to come out the next morning as luck would have it and the swing swung again. The part that failed after two years you ask? The steel rod broke clear in half! When I went to get the replacement part, the guy at the hardware store said he’d never seen anything like it before. We got the ‘high-class’ one this time that was a bit more expensive, but totally worth it. It swung again, until it didn’t. Two nights later. And so, said repair man cursed a bit and came back out. He needs another part, but “it should work for a few more days.” “Thwonk!”, this time it was Mason that fell from the sky, and he fell hard. 🙁 Big hip ouchy for him.
It’s been two days and the handy-man has a new plan and a new part, but can’t come out until early next week. I know we’ll make it, but it’s a big honkin’ bummer that the calm inducing swing is out of service until then.
Sending in love and in the hopes to end the feeling of isolation while living with a different brain, whether yours, your child’s or someone else.
