Warning- you may become exhausted from this post!

A lot of people ask about how Cannabis is helping our son! I am on several FB groups, and thank goodness social media like this exists for parents like us to be able to share and connect with other parents. This is definitely a world in which no one has answers. Most don't understand, and certainly is very isolating. Especially when we cannot really leave our house.
Even for the simplest of errands.
And when I do, it is a carefully structured, planned with details, event as if were were taking a European vacation.
But we aren't.
We are simply picking up little sister. Maybe dropping off at the drop box over due library books because the last time I "attempted" to drop them off, he wasn't having it.
I usually hear "what's in it for me?" because not uncommon for kids with Autism, he doesn't have the ability to be self motivated, or motivated to just comply. His anxiety becomes so great and his ability to think calmly and rationally decreases greatly, which then many times has created situations that put himself or others in danger. Yes, he's attempted to jump out of a moving car more than once. And yes, that sucks!
So, when we leave our house. It cannot be our entire family first of all. It's just too much for him and instantly results in issues.
I give him plenty of "transition signals", starting usually over 20 minutes before our Estimated time of leaving. I continually give him warnings so that he is prepared to change activities, no matter what he is doing. I give him warnings of what we are doing- picking up sister. I get Gretchen leashed up and ready helping to give him another visual cue of what time it is. I remind him at about the 10 minute mark to please use the bathroom. I ALWAYS have his MP3 player, a particular pair of headphones, and his DS in my purse for him to use as helpful transition items. If I do not have these items, well- let's just say it becomes a pretty big issue and usually results in us being late to pick up little one.
It is a critical part in this process- it may seem simple but you have no idea how sometimes difficult and chaotic the moments leading up to us leaving the house becomes and my head is already spinning trying to remember everything- and yes, as a mom I have been known to screw up! That day usually sucks- because this is what Autism is.

So, our routine proceeds. And on a simple, calm day I get Gretchen in the car, and despite all my signals and warnings that we were leaving and to please get in the car, he may still struggle to transition from his activity (usually Lego's), has still has not used the bathroom, and will typically decide to find some random transition toys that he thought of at the last minute that to him is absolutely necessary to bring for this 1/4 mile drive to pick up sister- even though we will be home in less than 10 minutes.
So as Gretchen and I sit in the car, simply waiting- and time is ticking away, and he still is not in the car, I simply yell ("gently" of course because I've learned if he feels pressured for time, it only makes things worse) for him to get in the car. But he decides to get these muddy dinosaurs from the backyard, which means of course he needs to clean them off. Which he proceeds to do (which I'm also thinking, wow he's doing that all by himself- yay!) because a typical scenario used to be no way would he touch the muddy toys laying in the backyard and would need me to rinse off all the muddy toys.
So him doing it himself is a victory. But it's sometimes hard to remember that as I'm trying desperately to get him the car so that we can go pick up little sister. So a typical day would be he would finally get all the toys cleaned, and go to the bathroom, he doesn't usually bother with shoes (why would he, right!) insert lol-
So he brings all these dinosaur toys into the car, and then proceeds to put them into my purse and then put on the headphones and listen to his mp3 player. Not even touching the dinosaurs again during this entire 1/4 mile trip to pick up sister. sigh...... it was clearly just a way for him to organize himself and prepare himself for this big outing of driving 1/4 mile in the car with just me and Gretchen at his feet, to pick up little sister from school and drive back home.
BTW there is no talking allowed in the car (it really really bothers him, but okay- at least he is in the car because again, this is progress. This entire process is progress. This is a big deal in my world). And as I pull up into the driveway, he simply jumps out of the car, will sometimes comply when I remind him to get Gretchen, depends on the day- and quickly wants in the house. This event takes everything out of him.
This event of leaving the home, drains his energy to the point that he needs nothing but quiet after. This event that pretty much everyone else takes for granted is such a huge fatiguing overwhelming experience for him.

But because of Medical Cannabis, it is an experience for both he and I that we are being successful at for the first time consistently this school year. This simple act of getting into the car, driving 1/4 mile, having little one come to front of school (because we actually don't get out of the car), and drive 1/4 mile back home- the transition first getting into the car, then the transition coming home is progress. He is being safe in the car. He is transitioning.
And if you feel exhausted reading this post about all that HAS to take place prior to us leaving to pick up little one, imagine having to do this routine, with no forgiveness if I forget something or mis read his body language, or simply make him "feel rushed" even a little bit- well, it makes for a pretty rough afternoon in our house.

But it's all worth it, because this is about progress and seeing improvement. Him doing things he's never done before and being successful at it. And leaving our home is one of the biggest challenges he has always faced- and is never just "leaving the house" to him- so many things get in the way of him being able to successfully do this.
But having a dog be able to come with us every time, being on cannabis allowing him to be more calm and present and less rigid and open to new experiences, as simple as it seems for others, and him willing to allow me to help him during these transition points that prior caused him great pain, and he and I working together to help him be more comfortable doing this activity. It's a big deal!
It's just the beginning I feel, and is exactly why we will never give up!