This is it - Mikey and I travel home today. I'm trying to stay calm. Thunderstorms have delayed flights - "our" flight, yesterday, took off 3 hours late. There are continuing delays at DEN. Frontier cancelled flights due to hail damage. Today's forecast is for afternoon possible thunderstorms - mornings are much drier. Assuming we do camp next year, I am planning to schedule the 1 pm flight (if the flights stay the same). We'll miss the "awards" and slideshow, but we'll be more likely to get home. I have reserved a room at an airport hotel "just in case." It's sunny now - the pattern is AFTERNOON showers. Wish I'd found that out sooner. Stay tuned ....
Addendum #1 - We made it more or less on time. Will update blog early in the week with the details. Summary: Mikey did extraordinarily well, considering what all he had to deal with. Week at camp was a big success too!
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SO I drove to camp and parked - got there about 9:30 (a bit early) and started to walk up the hill. And there were Mikey and Spenser! Got a hug and Mikey said, "Can I go home, please?"
I said, "Not yet. We have to get luggage."
I had to repack a bit - the sleeping bag was not in a suitcase - and the laundry was wet as well. (I had sent plastic trash bags, in anticipation; but obviously wasn't clear in my instructions as to what I wanted.) I hooked up with Amy, who had the "stories" to go with the trip home and the *gasp* possible delay. They started some of the closing activity - it was loud, group activities - sing along kinds of things. Mikey wasn't having any - Spenser volunteered to take him for a walk. Long story short: Although I appreciate what they are doing, I don't think I'll stay for the "show" next year. For a number of reasons.
Spenser helped us get to the car, and put the luggage in, and we got Mikey loaded up. I gave him the Going-Home-Steps story. He barely glanced at it; I picked it up periodically and checked things off. I had researched the rental car return location and found a place to get gas. We stopped for gas; then he wanted KFC for lunch again. We did that. And he wanted "airport." It was so early!
I curb-checked the luggage, again; and got instructions on getting to security. Security took a little while, and (lucky me) I got dinged for the "random search of baggage." They wanted to pull me aside, and I said, "This child is autistic and he is coming with me." The guy sized up the situation and said, "How about if I just take your laptop?" He had it back before I had finished getting everything together.
Of course, Mikey wanted the airplane right away. I had to explain - again - "Airplane at 4:30." This was really hard for him. Fortunately DIA has wi-fi, and he occupied himself with YouTube - for about 20 minutes. THEN he wanted airplane again. I got him up and told him we would get ice cream - I got him some ice cream. That took another 10-15 minutes. I took him to the bathroom (family) - He started to scream. I was afraid someone would send security in - but they didn't. Got him calmed. Talked about 4:30 again. Gave him second clonodine. Left bathroom.
We walked around. DIA has a couple of levels, connected with escalators. We went up; walked around; went down; then went down to the lower level, just past our gate. It was almost empty down there - I got him back on the computer. I also tried some of the toys I'd brought - coloring book & crayons - no; dinosaur book - a little. He didn't want to watch the DVD. BUT - the plastic dinosaur pieces did engage him. He played with them for a while (I got online; and, thank GOD - the weather improved! The expected thundershowers were now expected at 8 pm - long after we should be taking off.)
Mikey got "done" with the dinosaurs, and wanted the computer again. I gave it to him. I bit later, he wanted up again. We went up one level, and he plopped down, right across from the gate. He stayed on the computer for quite some time - I even got a family to watch him for a sec while I checked on the flight - it was going to be about 20 minutes late; when I checked, they said the craft was 5 minutes from landing.
I got Mikey, took him over to the Schlotzky's Deli stand, and ordered a sandwich for him We went back to the gate. We passed the window, and I said, "Mikey - there is our plane!"
He was going to stand; I said, "Mikey, see those people? They are coming off the plane. We can't get on until they get off. Would you like to sit down?" He did!
A short while later, we got on the plane (no upgrade this time). He got on and sat and ate half his sandwich. We had the usual anxious-to-get-going but nothing extraordinary. BUT - about half-way through the flight, he started to get antzy. Finally he asked for the bathroom - just as we got up, a woman with a small girl beat us to the one toilet. We went back - Mikey tried to get in the door and I had to stop him.
In the last row of the plane, there was a young girl (10-12) sitting alone; Mikey asked to sit. I said OK. Then he said, "Seat Belt."
"Ok, Mikey, but you'll have to take it off again in a second."
Then he said, "Grandma to seat," and he groped for the little girl - I had to grab him and hold his hands.
Finally, the woman finished; and Mikey went in. He stayed in a long time. I finally opened the door (Mikey doesn't know how to lock the airline lavatory door) and - OMG he was naked. I said in a heavy whisper, "Mikey, put your clothes on!" He did and we went back to our seats.
He was pretty good the rest of the flight, with the expected antzy-ness near the end.
However - I had asked Grandpa to be there IN the luggage area, and he forgot. The luggage took a long time to get down. Mikey was getting harder and harder to handle. I finally spent the $5 on a luggage cart and had him push THAT around with me until the luggage came - it and Grandpa arrived at the same time.
"Where did you park?"
"I got a good spot, 2 rows back just across the street."
"Good. You take Mikey and load the car, and I'm going to the bathroom!!!!!!!"
Anyhow, it was smooth sailing from there.
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