I’ve been contemplating many things recently and wondering whether they are worth sharing or kept private.  However, blogging is an opportunity to share those thoughts and feelings that stir up those feelings that often create internal damage that often can be avoided if we can find the way to release them.  Ignoring them is never the answer because of the nursery rhyme “Sticks and Stones,” is not as true as the words may state, words or thoughts can and will hurt us and even destroy us unless we release them.

My momma taught me to be honest without hurting others along the way.  Her favorite saying was, “Don’t hang out your dirty laundry for others to see.”  However, she warned me, and my brothers, to never let others take advantage of our friendliness or compassion to help.  There is always someone that attempts to take advantage of my generosity and my compassion turning the tables on me.  This time I refuse to feel guilty or accept blame for their lack of responsibility.

To some, my unpaid position at newclevelandradio.net may appear to be trivial and not much of a job.  In fact, there are some who have had no respect for my time and feel that they may contact me 24/7 as if this is a hobby that I am playing at.  I am not playing; I am Alex’s right hand as he grows newclevelandradio.net, LLC.  Part of this business includes The Mediocre Gamers Show on YouTube as well as the documentary series he is going into production with this month.  The more involved Alex is on these other projects he has placed the daily newclevelandradio.net responsibilities on me, which I have taken on.  This is now a full time plus position, and it is taken seriously to help not only Alex’s business plan grow but each show, show host, and sponsor.  The program of activities for ‘newcle’ is not about today but taking this business into the future, but it cannot be completed alone, without the support of our shows, future shows, sponsors and prospective sponsors, this will not happen.

I have chosen to write this and put this out publicly and ask for your respect and support.  We (I) don’t ask much of anyone associated with the radio station except for direct communication.  Communication is what newclevelandadio.net is centered on, providing our listeners what they deserve to hear not what the Big Brother Corporations are dictating terrestrial radio demands to be broadcasted.  We offered choices, and we are giving you a choice to be a broadcaster, options the terrestrial stations would never consider.

However, Alex nor I or the those following the basic standards we have set can continue to grow if we have show hosts who are not sharing and caring their load of the programming, networking and supporting of the other hosts.  So today I ask… Please Communicate… Make 2 Day the Day We Grow 2 Gether.

Replay Tuesday morning begins at 8 am with The Alternative Universe from 9/4/17 followed by Ryan Florio and Inca Tea The 7/12/17 Confessions of a Hairdresser with Rachelle King, concluding with Lou Kraus and Better Outcomes and a special show aired on 8/3/17. At 2 pm we will air live with Confessions with Kiki and guest Pam Baron. And tonight at 9 pm another great version of The Alternative Universe with Jeff Strich and an interview with The Front Porch Lights and Conor Standish. https://newclevelandradio.net/listen-to-newclevelandradio-live-on-tunein/

Starting at 8 am today
Replay 9/2 The Alternative Universe
8/31 After Further Review
8/30 Triple Threat Cle
8/26 Deborah Picker FARE CLE
8/19 Dancing with the Stars Interview Lupus Foundation Suzanne Tierney & Johnny
Then rejoin us at 5 pm for a NEW LIVE VERSION of The Alternative Universe with Jeff

Join us today for some replays plus some new shows as well as some missed shows brought to you by:

Hrobat Insurance

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All for your listening please https://newclevelandradio.net/listen-to-newclevelandradio-live-on-tunein/   install the Tune In App so you can listen as we expand our programming.

The Alternative Universe is not airing this morning from 8 am to 10 am we apologize.  Due to technical difficulties with the broadcasting and the recording of the first 60 plus minutes of the show we lost our audio.  Jeff will be back on today from 9 pm to 11 pm with all corrections made.  I will be in contact with Chas Burchett and Alex, and I will reschedule a personal one-on-one interview with him to be played live at an extraordinary time.

https://www.zoodlesdoodles.com/about

Her name is Zuzu, and she is exceptional! Not only is she Alex’s cousin, but she is also a remarkable young teenager focused on her athletic ability, her academics, as well as her artistic talents that have led to entrepreneurship.  We are excited to welcome Zuzu as one of our newest sponsors.  We hope you will patronize Zoodles Doodles as well as all our other fine sponsors that will continue to keep newclevelandradio.net online for your listening pleasure.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, this show will not be broadcasted tonight.  Tune-in next Wednesday at their regular time, September 20, 2017 @ 7 – 9 pm.

Check this out – we will be there broadcasting

http://www.lupus.org/ohio/events/entry/Dancing-with-the-Cleveland-Stars-August-Edition

Twenty-seven years ago, at this time, I was in the final stages of labor.  A baby boy that we had dubbed, Bart, was soon to emerge “Into the Light” and be officially named, Alexander Edwin Hale.  With Richard on my left, my wonderfully supportive mother-in-law, Loretta in the birthing room, and Stanley Pollack, MD taking the lead we were prepared for this wondrous occasion.  It had taken a while to get from A to B and finally to Z, despite the fact that Alex has an older brother by fifteen years his senior; time and different biological factors including dad’s, took a toll on conceiving and our emotional journey.

Just minutes before Alex’s emergence into the world, panic struck Dr. Pollack’s face as he noted the heart monitor for our precious cargo flatline.  I was unaware of anything as my epidural kept me pain-free and when I was told to start pushing, I just did as I was told, although I felt nothing while I sense the emergency in his tone while watching my husband’s face knowing there was no reason for alarm.  Rich was trying to get Stanley Pollack’s attention as he noted the monitoring belt on my swollen pregnant belly had come undone, thus the reason for the flat line.  However, within minutes at 9:31 am on August 17, 1990, Bart became, Alex Edwin Hale.

Unlike fifteen years before when my son Steve was whisked away and placed in a plastic bag for warmth, Alex was placed on my chest. I cradled him in my arms, and I introduced myself to him before he was temporarily removed to be cleaned-up, checked out and returned to his father and me.  In fact, before I held him, grandma Loretta held him. Loretta was an extraordinary person in our lives, and for the 17 plus years she was in Alex’s life she was an exceptional Gran, and we were blessed to have her in our lives.

Despite the rest I needed, Alex roomed with me so I could bond with him and my attempt to nurse my child was something I so desperately wanted to attempt.  I had read up on nursing and believed it would be in the best interest not only for his health and wellness but mine.  And so, rooming together was the first step.

That first night, a Friday in the year 1990, Alex met his big brother Steve, his Godparents Helen and Lanny Light, his Baube and Zayde and reunited with his Gran.  A big night for a little fellow who was not even twenty-four hours old.  He was drawing attention and gaining the love and approval from those he met.  Richard and I could not stop marveling over this little miracle that we “worked” so hard to conceive.

However, it was not smooth sailing…Within days, Alex was not nursing, and even bottle feeding was unsuccessful.  We went to lactation classes, and we both failed, and I had to feed him with a dropper, similar to a sick little bird.  His pediatrician nor the lactation specialist could figure out the situation, and yet a mother knows when there is something wrong with her child.  I kept asking questions only to be told not to look for problems.

One evening after inviting family over for a home cooked meal I sat down to feed Alex with the dropper, and he started projectile vomiting, and it was black (BLOOD).  We called into his pediatrician’s office, and we were told to come right in on a Sunday night.  Within minutes of a quick exam were ushered to UH Rainbow and Babies Children’s Hospital where Alex was admitted.  After a late night of testing, they prepared us for the worst a bowel obstruction which meant extensive surgery.  We sat among other parents going through the same or worst diagnosis’s, and we listened, and paced, drank coffee and coke holding our baby and dozing on and off.

It took two days to get a diagnosis which was rare in our circumstance, but Alex had Pyloric stenosis.  This is an uncommon digestive disorder in infants that blocks food from entering the digestive system.  Typically, if found it is found in the first-born male of the mother and Alex is my second born male.  It is corrected by surgery, and he had surgery.  Because he was my second born, they did not consider this diagnosis until everything else ruled out and a medical student actual felt the olive shaped pit in the intestine which is a giveaway symptom.

Now we had a healthy baby, or so we thought until Alex was about eighteen months old.  Although thriving well and happy, he had a habit of head banging.  Also, he had GI problems that his doctor felt required further diagnosis.  Alex was also prone to Strep throat and ear infections but did not register the feeling of pain until it reached the maximum fever pitch.  A visit back to Rainbow and Babies for intensive studies kept our precious toddler in the hospital.  Although he was not diagnosed with Autism or Asperger’s at that time, we did meet with Dr. Max Wiznitzer, and many of the symptoms were revealed.

1. An increased head circumference
2. GI Issues
3. Head Banging
4. OCD
5. Hyperactivity
6. Hi- Intelligence in areas beyond training

We came home with no diagnosis, and it was recommended we attempt to toilet train and watch for additional symptoms.  As with many males, Alex was delayed in potty training.  Once he was diagnosed on the spectrum, it provided us with answers why. However, our medical team never considered the early diagnosis.

First grade, Fire Drill!  Alex hides under his desk and will not come out.  His teacher practically had to pull him out from under his desk as he hovered holding his ears in terror.  We were called into the school.  This brings back memories of going to Sea World and Alex hiding under the seats in the arena of the Shamu Show; the echoes made his ears hurt.  Going to the circus was always an event. Alex enjoyed it until he got there, then the noise was so loud and the lights so bright he would bury his head in my lap.  It was at this meeting with the school psychologist that it was suggested Alex might have Aspergers / Autism.

1996 MY HEART SKIPPED A BEAT – MY PERFECT BABY BOY – NOW WHAT!

The last 21 years have been difficult.  However, they have been a journey that has led us to a life of promise, hope, and great love and affection as a family.  We have fought the devil of a diagnosis that we thought was our enemy until we (all of us) learned to embrace and accept that this is what makes Alex and us so unique, special, and US!  Without Autism, we wouldn’t be who we are today!

Alex didn’t just develop Autism in 1996, he was born with it, and we loved him in utero and from his emergence into our world that he shares with you.  He should not be judged for his diagnosis nor should we, but he has been and so have we as have so many others.  Autism is not a disease that is contagious. It is neurologic and sociological, and it is what makes us all special in this world.

Alex like many others will never be cured, but he adapts to the world around him just as we all should, and I ask each of you, to learn to be tolerant with the Alex’s of the world who may look different, think different, walk or talk in their unique manner.  Remember, if they are different to you, you are different to them as well.  Join in and wish them a Happy Day whether it is their birthday or not.  Don’t wait, tomorrow may or may not come.

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