Danielle

Colton is autistic.

That can be challenging in many ways; awesome in so many more.

Going to doctors of any kind is a LOT of work with this one.

Going to the dentist - fugetaboutit!

We found a dentist in West Point several years ago.

Dr. Robbins is a great dentist, don't get me wrong.

But, there we found Danielle.

His Dental Hygienist. 

Danielle began working on Colton about seven years ago.

Back then, Colton was HARD to get in the chair, to stay in the chair, to not run laps around the office collecting all the homemade chocolate chip cookies he could.

I would leave in tears most of the time... exhausted and feeling so badly for my child who tried so hard to live in a world that he is just not capable of seeing as the rest of us.

But, Danielle never waivered.

While she would clean and polish his teeth, he would hold EVERY SINGLE instrument in the office.

I'm not exaggerating. 

He would suction his own mouth and spray water in there whenever he felt like it.

She was so gentle and so willing to learn techniques from me to console him and distract him.

Still, it was never something I looked forward to.

With autism can come many sensory issues.

Brushing his teeth was tough.

The feeling of the brush in his mouth was more than he could handle.

Miraculously, he never had a cavity.

Until last year.

SIX cavities.

I was so willing to let those dang teeth fall out instead of filling six cavities.

But, Danielle and Dr. Robbins had a plan and begged me to trust them.

And I did.

They did it.

Six fillings in one visit and Colton was out!

It was time for our visit this week.

Wednesday, he and I headed to the dentist.

The only two questions he had were: do I have to have a poke? Will Danielle be there?

Danielle has semi-retired, but always comes in if Colton is coming.

She is incredible, you guys.

And on Wednesday, Colton didn't need to hold one instrument.

He sat still and just talked with her.

Calmly.

I stepped away from him to go get my teeth polished.

Danielle came over, just overwhelmed with emotion as she told me how much he has grown and how calm he seems now.

He didn't last long not knowing where I was and yelled out, "MOOOMMMM!" from across the office.

She went and got him and he sat in the corner and played on his phone.

He's got two little cavities.

And, Danielle will come in to be there when they are filled in a couple of weeks.

We will do the same meds as we did last time, and Danielle will be there to tap his heart beat and to hold his hand, just as she always has.

We are not expected to do our journeys alone.

But, isn't it so humbling that Heavenly Father never leaves any details out?

That HE knew that my Colton would need his Danielle?!

That I was able to do the single mom gig somehow... with the grace and help and support of so many!