There was a time a few years ago when I would have feared an appointment day like today. I would have stressed, my gut would have a pain all morning as I would drive the hour-long drive to the appointment. I would never consider taking my son by myself, but would have insisted on reinforcements of a sibling or a care provider. I would never have let him sit next to a door, if it could be avoided, to prevent him from opening the door while the car was moving or trying to get out while stopped at a light. I would always have tools with me at all times;

A few tools
tools that would assist in making the appointment go as well, to use as a diversion. An iPod for music, iPad with a video or pictures for him to look at, his favourite stuffed toy, pizza, soda, chips. I could not make stops or run errands on appointment day; that would be a set up for a disaster. There were times I would drive 45 minutes home from a doctor’s appointment and have to turn around that evening and drive back into the store to do errands.
I remember one time when he was much younger, he broke the window out of our van with his foot while I was driving, glass shattering. He has grabbed hair and arms and faces of his siblings while they were buckled up in the seat next to him, I look back on those times and my heart sinks; I remember the stress and frustration we lived with. I can look back now see that my son was dealing with so much fear himself. Confusion and anger welled up inside him. He was unable to communicate his fears and he was unable to understand the situation.
I wish I had discovered Young Living essential oils many years ago, perhaps I could have avoided some of those situations, those melt downs. Or when the situation fell apart and my neck was tight with knots of frustration, my jaws gritting tight, I would have had a tool to use for myself to ease some of my own anxiety. It was a difficult time, I relied on much prayer. It is a funny thing today to face an appointment without such stress. No fear that my son will run from the building, hit the doctor or kick someone in the face. We have made huge progress here. Essential oils have made a difference in our lives. Are they magic? No. But in a world where the only option given to you is pharmaceuticals where it is questionable if the benefits outweigh the side effects, essential oils are definitely a blessing. Not a fix all, but a tool to throw into my bag of tricks- it just happens to be the tool that has made a huge difference for my son, and for myself? An answer to many prayers.