Summer, 2016 and we are doing well

Well, the Masgutova Neurosensory-motor Reflex Integration (MNRI) is what John needed. We also found that we needed to disconnect him from the computer/TVs. He is now in bed by 10ish and up by 5:30ish (his choice). At 8 am. the computer/TVs are off and I make out a list for him to do. If the list is completed at 5 pm, he can have access to the computer. Nowadays, he reads news in the AM and watches Netflix in the evening. He gets so much done now each day that I have offered him an allowance of $20 weekly. He cleans toilets, scrub floors, mows grass, fixes bed, etc. It isn't always done well but he is getting better all the time.

The system is working well. The MNRI is really helping him get his body and mind functioning better. It is hard to explain how it works but it is quite amazing. The body's reflexes are like the software system of the body whereas the bones, muscle and tissue are the hardware. MNRI has the capacity to make almost anyone function better: brain injury, autism, cerebral palsy, genetic disorders, etc. MNRI will help them use their body better and become actually cognitively smarter. A few years ago I thought that was impossible.

Four years ago John had very limited knowledge. He knew this somehow but didn't know what to do about it. MNRI slowly but steadily gave him more use of his brain power and, because he wasn't on the computer any longer during the day, he got bored. Nothing to do. So then he started ordering books: Palestine: Peace or Apartheid by Jimmy Carter; Saudia Arabia by (US author); The History of Afghanistan from 1830-1850 by xx. Yes, my son, John has become quite knowledgeable in middle eastern affairs. He has a list of books and has a goal of seeing how many he can read in a year. He reads Time magazine every week from cover to cover. Without MNRI this would never have happened.

The next step is getting a job. He is 26 and has a spotty job resume. He got a job at Subway last Feb. and he was fired on the first day for not being able to do it fast enough. So we have doubled up on the therapy for him and our goals in 2017: getting employed and getting a driver's license.

But John still has significant deficits. When gardening, I can ask John to fill a hole with dirt and he will likely fill the wrong hole (even after I showed him the right hole). He is learning to deadhead flowers but it will be awhile before he can do it. He can't remember more than 1 instruction at a time and they need to be extremely simple. He doesn't handle redirection or constructive criticism well. He is very defensive. All these things make him very marginally employable.

John has a garden now and takes it very seriously. He waters, weeds it almost daily. He post pictures of it on Facebook. He picks and cooks the vegetables. He is becoming a pretty good gardener.

John's personality is emerging. One day he said, "I like garlic." Then we learned that he likes politics and geography. Then I suggested he might be interested in a garden of his own (at a community garden location) and he totally took control of it. I had no idea of these interests 5 years ago. People would say, "What is John good at?" and I couldn't think of anything. Now, there are many things. I realize that we are have a fighting chance at life if we keep our diet clean, stay away from toxins in our lives, and continue to be disciplined, and work at it in this way. I envision John taking the Master Gardener classes next year. I think he will be working (possibly through the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation) and have some friends in 2017. I believe he will be self-supporting some day but I don't know at what degree. He is actually happy now but I think he has the capacity to be independent in the future, too. He still occasionally becomes 'down' about his life and future and it is hard to bring him out of it. I really can't blame him as I see people with a lot fewer challenges than his get depressed.

But I believe in the power of synergy so we are working on other fronts, as well. We recently used an IonCleanse detox foot bath twice daily for almost 4 months but saw no results. I finally sold it for $1,000 which was half its cost.

Part of my plan is to keep us all very healthy so my husband and I will be around for our kids as they mature. So my interest in diet and health (as a result of researching the biomedical protocol) has resulted in changing our diet. I am now vegan and cook vegan everyday. Our health has definitely improved, especially compared with others, so that plan is working.

Where we are in late 2015

In June of 2015 I took John to Poland for a week of MNRI and 4 days of fun in Greece. It was awesome. He really benefited from the MNRI partly because the Polish Specialists have been doing it so long and are really exceptional but also because he was abroad and has been very interested in world events in Europe and the middle east. He reads about and is interested in world politics, so it was a natural extension of his interests. I think he also felt a little less like "poor me, I have had such a crappy childhood with autism" and more like "hey, I'm finally doing something in my life like other young people." Some of his friends have been abroad and he can now talk about his experiences, too.

Not long after he came back from Europe, he started buying and reading books on middle east and that part of the world. He started with Jimmy Carter's book on Palestine which he got for about $4. When he finished that, he ordered the new book on Saudia Arabia that is on the best sellers list. Now he is reading a book on Afghanistan. This is certainly progress by any measure.

I had taken my daughter to Poland for the 2 week MNRI camp the year before (2014) and found that it is inexpensive enough that, even with airfare, it costs about the same as getting treatment in the U.S. And, if the child is a young adult who would like to travel, all the more reason.

During Svetlana's Assessment of my daughter, she really enlightened us about her seizures. She recognized that she is struggling to process information and said that she "needs lots of sleep to function well." She also connected her eye-rolling tic to her seizures which are especially manifest in her ocular nerves in her left eye. She warned against TV and computer screens and the flickering lights, even seen with driving.

Sure enough, after 1 day of MNRI, her eye rolling went away. Unfortunately, after my daughter began watching computer screens again, it came back. I learned on that trip that she has a addiction to computer/TV/iPhone screens. (She is not alone; I think it is rampant in our society.)

John also needed his computer/TV time restricted. Svetlana pointed out that he was not benefiting from treatment as well as he should because he needed to use his reflexes to  allow them to develop more; hard to do when one is immobilized (physically and mentally) in front of a screen.

As part of John's Home Program, we do the active Archetypes every day (10 minutes) and I work on his hands and feet reflexes for another half hour. He is looking for a job and his life continues move forward. He still hopes to attend college and I think he will.

A big part of our challenge is also paying attention to food. I believe that gmo foods, food additives, and Round Up and other chemicals in our foods are damaging our stomachs and causing all kinds of havoc in our brains, from autism to bipolar disorder. It is hard for kids to stay away from that stuff when it is ubiquitous.

Masgutova Method

April 1, 2014

I have found the (Svetlana) Masgutova Method (MNRI) and hope this may be the final piece of the puzzle for my kids.

To get an idea of it, look at http://masgutovamethod.com/ and  watch the Welcome video. Also watch the videos of therapists who use it at http://masgutovamethod.com/become-an-mnri-student/why-professionals-come-to-learn

I would have never thought a floor therapy (rather than vitamins or detox program) would offer such powerful changes such as cognitive improvement in a person but it offers that.

I admit that I am impatient; my kids are older and life is starting for them and they are being left behind. I feel I have no time to waste getting them operating normally as their peers do. A Masgutova Method conference costs $5,000 and I took my son John to it in Minneapolis. I spoke with Svetlana one day at lunch and she learned that I was a graphic artist and she knew she needed one. (I could tell she needed one, too.) I can also write and edit which is a big help to her since she doesn't speak English as well as the rest of us. I have to say that now I have worked for her for almost 2 years and she is one the most gracious, loving persons I have ever known. Not to mention brilliant.

I also bring John to see a Core Specialist in Madison, WI (Peg J.). She is really wonderful and I feel so lucky that she would take us on as a client.  We have noticed for years that John has suffered from poor large and small motor control, feet that turn in and are painful, and poor cognition. Could early toxins have caused his reflexes to not develop from the inborn primary reflexes into more advanced ones and caused some of these issues?

During this first session, Peg saw so many reflexes that John needed changing that she had a hard time restricting herself to a few. We started working on the Spinal Perez, Galant, Grasping, STNR, and ATNR reflexes. We do them daily at home (a challenge) and with Peg weekly. While doing them, it does not seem like anything could possibly come from it, but it does. The Archetype Reflexes from the DVD sure gives our spine a workout.

The first thing we have noticed is that John's feet stopped hurting when he stood and ran. He had been given inserts for his shoes by a podiatrist but his feet still hurt until he had the Masgutova therapy. We now see changes in his hands. There were many things he could not do with the immature reflexes in his hands: write well, cook, use utensils well, etc. I am also interested in the cognitive changes that come, too. His torso is locked up and Peg believes that until we get that working, his hands may not come. John was severely depressed for a long time and then, even after that, he seemed to have no self love. He could not imagine why someone could even like him. No amount of praise seemed to make a difference. But after the second MNRI conference, that just disappeared. Was amazing. The thing about MNRI is that it does take years to see improvement or at least a lot of doing the therapy. It can be done be a parent or a therapist but it just does need to be done. They are happy to train us but we just need to take the time. The conferences are intensive and, as a result, have a big and quick impact.

What I have found from our long and expensive 8 year path is that there has not been one thing to be the magic bullet to healing my kids. There have been many, many small caliber bullets but, when put all together, have made a big difference. In fact, they have made ALL the difference. A big piece was been the supplements. The Masgutova Method is proving to be another big impact, and one that is really changing John cognitively.

The one important bullet that I hope to receive from Masgutova is getting rid of Les' seizures. I talked specifically to Svetlana about that and she said, almost with surprise, "Oh, that is one of the things that it does best!" Pretty amazing. Everyday it seems that something that I thought we would have to endure and live with for our entire life, is actually treatable—and without medication! I believe the ticket for Leslie will be a combination of the Healing Code and MNRI. I will take her to a 11 day conference in Poland this June, 2014.


It is pretty amazing stuff and so is Svetlana. She is one of the most amazing people I have ever met: driven, tough, but extremely sensitive, and compassionate.

The new world of vitamins

We found far better quality and less expensive source of vitamins with Melaleuca than what we were using. When I began using them, we could tell a difference in how I felt on the very first day of taking them. Previously, we took specific vitamins for each need: vitamin C, zinc, etc. but these are a blend which I generally try to avoid but they work so much better that it is very worth it. John takes the 'Vitality 6' which includes their "Heart Health" product which has a strong anti-inflammatory. We have found that it very effectively keeps his depression at bay—better than the Repair Gold enzymes (which cost $240 per month) we used for years. The savings is very substantial; we save at least $200 per month on vitamins and they work better.

(Caution: John had a Herxheimer reaction to the supplements at first. Although it was a problem, I knew it was a sign that these vitamins were really going to help him, so after he recovered three days later from his severe depression, I cut the tablets in half and reduced the dose until he was taking a full dose of Vitality 4 in two week's time.)

After using the new vitamins for a few weeks, I took all my old ones and put them in a laundry basket and gave them away. (hundreds of dollars of supplements.) These were expensive name brand vitamins but who likes to swallow pills that aren't that effective?

My biggest regret with Melaleuca products is that I did not find them years ago. John lost his diagnosis after being on them for only 6 months—imagine how much sooner he could have recovered if we had found them years ago?

So John is no longer really symptomatic of Aspergers but he still has residual issues like cognitive delay, some empathy issues, disorganization, etc. We now need to find an answer to those areas for him to function successfully in school and work.

Les had substantial issues as she has graduated from High School and is taking classes and working. Too much coffee shop coffee and too little eating real food, for one. She is beautiful and very kind and gracious so she gets too much attention from boys, also. Her difficulties hampered her attempts getting a license and doing well in school.

The Healing Code

March 30, 2014

I purchased the book The Healing Code by Alex Loyd & Ben Johnson. It is quite an amazing book. The Healing Code uses quantum energy to heal and anyone can do it--to yourself, your child, your pet, even plants. All living things respond to quantum energy. I must say, however, that at first I didn't feel much energy when I am doing The Code.

I think this book saved my life. I had chronic stress from an employment situation in my life and it was killing me slowly. I could not get over the stress of it. My sinus problems and arthritis were getting so much worse, I thought I would have to quit gardening. But the first thing I noticed when I started the HC was that, although I was focusing on healing my chronic sinus issues, it was the total loss of pain from arthritis in my legs that came first. Days later, however, I noticed my sinuses draining while doing The Codes. After about a week and a half, I noticed further improvement in my sinuses. Then, however, I caught a terrible cold and was incapacitated for 2 days which I now realize was a Herxheimer effect. Now I use it if I have a flu or cold—15 minutes of HC done twice a day will generally knock it down. It comes back the next day and I do it again. But I can work, feel good, and continue on. I have also used it remotely for friends that have had major life altering stress (death of spouse, chronic pain) and it makes such a difference, I am so grateful that I have this tool. I have given away about 30 books to people who need it. Some never open it, others call me and are so grateful. It has made a huge difference in my mental, emotional, and physical health and I am finally able to move forward. 

John: I have learned that to really make a big difference, I need to put some serious time in it. If I can do it about an hour a day, that is what it takes for the big stuff. Autism? Yes, it can make a big impact but the HC is best used with other interventions, like diet changes (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLjgBLwH3Wc), supplements, etc. and it can boost the affect of those (but it takes a lot of time). 


Some people have better energy for the HC than others. I am kinda 'dense' and don't have as good of energy for it as others but I can feel the energy coming from my fingers. I think my practice has helped this develop as I didn't feel it at first. 

School in Madison

John and Les went to Glenn Stephens Elementary School, Jefferson Middle School, and Memorial High School in Madison. The Madison area is generally a magnet for families with children with autism so the schools are very familiar with it. (That was not true a few years ago for some of the smaller schools, like Shorewood, and possibly some east side schools.)

When John was in elementary school, he was pulled out of his classroom and was taught with other Learning Disabled kids for his first 4 years; after that he was included in the classroom. I believe their policy changed. He needed guidance to know what he should be doing, where to find things, and how to do his work but he was not a disturbance in any way. He was quiet as a church mouse. Les, with her ADD, had a hard time staying on task, keeping quiet, and getting here work done. She did not have an IEP until she was in 8th grade although she probably should have had one earlier.

The schools are pretty good, in general. John's 3rd grade class was not good because it had a very difficult mix of kids and the teacher had a hard time controlling them. He was also being bullied by Jacob. (I even tried to threaten Jacob to stay away from John without success; the teacher seemed helpless and overwhelmed although she was an excellent teacher.) John had services for occupational therapy and physical therapy (vision therapy would have been really good!) but after awhile it seemed questionable whether he was helped being pulled out of the classroom for these services when he really needed to be in class to tell what was happening. But most of the Madison teachers we knew and all the therapists were caring, interested people who wanted to help our kids.

Middle School was okay. I actually think that the people who home school their kids during these years might have the best alternative. It was not an option for us. Just surviving the middle school years is a realistic goal.

Memorial High School was good for both Les and John. It is a large school with a soulmate for almost any one. They have staff who care about the kids and know how hard it is for them. Both kids were in LD classes with others who they did not always feel were their peers. John and Les could not do the quality of work they wanted to do. But for the most part, they were not in classes with achievers because they could not achieve well themselves. They were in limbo to some extent. John spent his lunch hours sitting at a table by himself, year after year. He didn't fit in with the LD kids or the achievers and, worst of all, even with SSRIs, he was horribly depressed. We didn't get his depression under control until he was a senior.

I think the Madison schools did a pretty good job of helping them but they could not work miracles and that is what we needed.

The world of supplements

Other than taking a Vitamin C daily, I have never taken many supplements. The standard AMA response to supplements is, "If you eat a healthy diet, you don't need supplements," and we do eat healthy; I cook a lot using fresh ingredients and produce, generally from scratch.

However, after realizing that the good old AMA damaged my kids, first, with their vaccination schedule, then with antibiotics (messing up their gut), then tried unsuccessfully to suppress their symptoms with SSRIs, I have learned to ignore the AMA. They have their own end and, more and more, that end seems to be to promote big pharma—at our expense.

One of the treatments with the biomedical protocol has been to supplement heavily. Our kid's intestines (and often other organs) aren't working properly so supplementation is one thing that helps. We give higher (than normal) doses of supplements because, firstly, not as much nutrients gets metabolized as with other kids, and secondly, that seems to be what is needed to get the desired effect.

My kids take cod liver oil, Vit. C (2 types), magnesium, Lugol's iodine, digestive enzymes, specific target enzymes, zinc, Neem Plus, and now, a new product called Brain Vibrance (BV) by VRP. (Dropped the Brain Vibrance.) We'll see how it goes. Unfortunately, it is all a big experiment with our kids hanging in the balance. They take a handful of supplements, morning and night; not ideal but it does help and that is what is important.

I am cutting back on our vision therapy for Les. I think her vision has improved enough, even if it hasn't gotten up to the optimal level. John is still getting vision therapy and it is helping him hugely. He has farther to go than Les did.

At least Les can read better; now to help her think about what she is reading.