MidReal Story

The Unexpected Diagnosis

Samantha Fox

Scenario:November approaches. We have been living in an apartment for almost 6 months. Martin is turning 2 years old next year. Time has passed quickly. We finally settled in the new apartment, new sofa, new home just living in our very first apartment together. Holidays is coming up closely and October is almost over now mother in law wanted to make a thanksgiving plans for all family to get together martin has not even walk or talk yet been struggling so long and planning to set up a professional to check see if its might has a autism or not have autism its is making me nervous every day thinking about it because i already had that appointment set up but i am trying to ignore it and focus on holidays and wait for that moment to have a person comes over and examining to find out what he might have or don't have.

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November approaches. We have been living in an apartment for almost 6 months. Martin is turning 2 years old next year. Time has passed quickly. We finally settled in the new apartment, new sofa, new home just living in our very first apartment together. Holidays is coming up closely and October is almost over now mother in law wanted to make a thanksgiving plans for all family to get together martin has not even walk or talk yet been struggling so long and planning to set up a professional to check see if its might has a autism or not have autism its is making me nervous every day thinking about it because i already had that appointment set up but i am trying to ignore it and focus on holidays and wait for that moment to have a person comes over and examining to find out what he might have or don't have.

Emily Carter

first_person_protagonist, female. She is a young mother living with her partner and son in a new apartment. She is anxious, caring, and determined. Emily struggles with the possibility of her son Martin having autism, as he has not yet walked or talked at 18 months. She navigates the challenges of motherhood while dealing with her own fears and the pressure of family expectations, particularly from her motherinlaw.

Jason Carter

side_character, male. He is Emily's partner and Martin's father. He is supportive, patient, and practical. Jason works hard to provide for his family while trying to balance his relationship with Emily amidst the challenges they face as new parents.

Martin Carter

side_character, male. He is Emily's 18monthold son who has not yet walked or talked. He is innocent, playful, and dependent. Martin's developmental delays cause concern for his parents, leading to a scheduled appointment to assess potential autism.

November is here, we have been living in an apartment for almost 6 months and it has passed quickly.

Martin is turning 2 years old next year; time has passed quickly.

We finally settled in the new apartment with our new sofa and a new home living in our very first apartment together.

Holidays are coming up closely and October is almost over.

My motherinlaw wanted to make a thanksgiving plan for all the family to get together.

I know she has been waiting for this day to come up so she can make a plan for everyone to get together.

I just hope martin will be okay by then, as he has not even walked or talked yet.

It makes me nervous every single day thinking about it, but I am trying to ignore it and focus on holidays.

I am hoping after holidays I will have a person come over to examine martin to see if he might have autism or not.

I already had the appointment set up, but I just can't wait that long anymore.

I pick up the phone, dialing Sarah's number with my shaky hand.

The line rings twice before her voice picks up.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Sarah," I say, trying to steady my nerves.

"Hey, Emily. How are you doing?"

"I'm good. Just a little stressed out about the holidays coming up."

"I know what you mean. I feel like they sneak up on us every year. But we'll make it through. So, I was thinking we could have Thanksgiving at my place this year. Mom is going to be gone on a cruise and I have a lot of extra room."

"That sounds good to me."

I try to sound enthusiastic, but my mind keeps drifting back to Martin's silence and stillness.

I just wish he would start talking and walking already.

He is two years old for crying out loud.

He should be saying mama or dada by now and running around the house, not sitting in his high chair staring into space. "So, what do you think? Should we plan for next Thursday? And I'll make sure to have enough food for everyone."

"Yeah, that sounds great."

I try to focus on the conversation again, but my mind is elsewhere.

"Sarah, can I ask you something?"

I interrupt her rambling about side dishes.

"Of course, Emily. What's up?"

"I'm worried about martin," I confess quietly.

My heart is pounding in my chest as I wait for her response.

"What's wrong with him? Is he sick?"

"He hasn't started talking yet. And he doesn't really move around much either. He just sits there staring off into space."

"Well, he's only one. Maybe he just needs a little more time."

"I know that, but he will be two in a few months and it's making me nervous."

"I can understand that. So, what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to set up an appointment with the doctor. I want to find out what's going on."

"That's probably a good idea."

I hear her say through the line.

"Maybe he's just a late bloomer."

"I hope so."

I say softly.

We talk for a few more minutes before hanging up the phone.

I sit back down on the couch and stare at martin's toys scattered across the floor.

Jason walks into the room, his expression softening when he sees me sitting there staring into space.

"How was the call?" he asks, settling in beside me.

"It was good. We're planning on having thanksgiving at Sarah's place this year."

"That sounds good. But I know that isn't what had you stressing out."

"No, it wasn't. I was talking to Sarah about martin and how worried I am about him not talking or moving around yet."

I say quietly.

He nods, squeezing my hand in his.

"Maybe we should move up martin's appointment. It would probably make you feel better if we knew what was going on with him." "Yeah, maybe you're right," I say quietly.

I reach for my phone again and dial the doctor's office.

"Emily, wait," Jason says, gently taking the phone from my hand.

"What is it?" I ask, surprised by his sudden action.

"I've been doing some reading, and I think we should consider seeing a specialist sooner rather than later."

I nod in agreement, watching as he dials the number.

The morning light casts long shadows across the room as we sit there waiting for the doctor to answer.

Jason is already at work, so I am left sitting alone in the house with martin.

I sit at the kitchen table and watch him play with his blocks, each piece fitting together perfectly.

My phone buzzes on the counter, a reminder of our appointment with the specialist next week.

I glance over at martin, his eyes focused on the colorful shapes in front of him.

He doesn't even look up when I walk into the room.

I'm going to be proactive about this and do some research on specialists in our area.

I grab my laptop and pull it open on the kitchen table.

The screen lights up, and I start searching for answers, determined to find the right path for Martin.

I close the laptop, feeling a sense of relief wash over me.

I think I found the right specialist for martin.

Now all I have to do is wait for the appointment.

But as soon as I start to feel better, my mind starts racing with what ifs.

What if martin does have autism?

What if he never talks or walks?

What if he never knows who I am?

I shake my head, trying to push the thoughts away.

I can't let myself get caught up in all of those what ifs right now.

I need to focus on getting martin the help he needs.

I pick up the phone and dial the clinic's number, scheduling an appointment for next week.

The line rings a few times before a voice picks up on the other end.

"Hello, thank you for calling. How can I help you?" the receptionist asks, her voice friendly and professional.

"Hi, I'm calling to schedule an appointment with Dr. Smith," I say, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Of course. What is your child's name?" she asks, her tone softening slightly.

"Martin," I respond, my heart pounding in my chest.

"And what seems to be the problem?" she asks, her voice filled with concern.

"He isn't talking or moving around much," I explain, trying to keep my emotions in check. "Okay, we can get him in next week. Would you prefer a morning or afternoon appointment?"

She asks, her voice calm and reassuring.

"Morning would be great," I say, grateful for her understanding tone.

"Great. We will see you then."

The line goes dead as she hangs up the phone.

I sit there for a moment, staring at my phone in my hand.

I guess it's really happening now.

I set the phone down on the table and walk over to martin's high chair.

He looks up at me with his big brown eyes as I approach him.

I reach out and gently brush his hair back from his face, smiling softly at him.

"You're going to be okay, martin," I whisper to him, trying to reassure myself as much as him.

I turn back to the kitchen table and open up my laptop again.

This time, instead of searching for specialists, i'm going to look into ways that i can help martin develop his motor skills and speech. As i scroll through articles and videos online, my phone buzzes on the counter again.

I pick it up, seeing Jason's name flash across the screen.

"Hey," I answer, trying to keep my voice steady.

"samantha" we're ready to set appointment.

I glance out the window, seeing the morning sun peeking through the curtains.

I set the phone down and start making martin's breakfast, my mind still racing with thoughts of his upcoming appointment.

Cesar is already at work, so it's just martin and me in the house today.

I decide to call early development, Brigit, hoping to find some solace in talking to him.

I dial her number and wait for her to answer.

"Hey, Samantha," she says cheerfully on the other end of the line.

"Hey, Brigit. How are you?"

"I'm good. What's going on?"

"I was just calling to talk about martin."

"Oh yeah? What's going on with him?"

"He's not talking or moving around much. Cesar and I are getting worried."

"That does sound concerning. Have you talked to a doctor yet?"

"Not yet. But we have an appointment set up for next week."

"Well, that's good. I'm sure they'll be able to give you some answers."

"I hope so."

"Samantha, you know that martin is going to be okay. We're all here for you."

"Thanks, Brigit. That means a lot coming from you."

"Actually, there's something I've been meaning to tell you," Brigit says, her voice suddenly serious.

"What is it?" I ask, a knot forming in my stomach.

"I've been reading up on this too, and I think it might be worth looking into some early intervention programs before the appointment."

"That's a great idea," I say, nodding even though she can't see me.

"I'll start looking into it right away."

"Good luck, Samantha. Let me know if you need anything."

"Thanks, Brigit. I will."

I hang up the phone and walk over to the kitchen table, my laptop already open in front of me.

The apartment is quiet except for the soft clinking of martin's blocks on the floor.

I sit down in the chair and type "early intervention programs" into the search bar.

The results come up quickly, and I start scrolling through them.

Each program promises different benefits, but i'm mostly interested in ones that are close by.

I click on one that catches my eye, reading through the description and reviews.

It seems like a good fit for martin, and it's not too far from our apartment.

I jot down their contact information and make a mental note to call them later today.

Martin's laughter breaks through my concentration, and i look over to see that he's managed to stack his blocks higher than before.