Stagliano and Fischkin at the Long Island Autism Conference


NOTE: I am not a demon from hell, contary to the odd whites only eyes in my photo....

The conference was terrific. Organizer Christine Hereen is a miracle worker. There were nationally known presenters, a wide range of autism related vendors offering everything from books to HBOT chambers. There is a distinct Biomedical interventions feel to the conference, but it is not limited to Biomed in the least. Something for everyone.

I took the ferry from Bridgeport to Port Jefferson on Long Island instead of driving 94 miles into and then out of the city onto Long Island. What fun! Marky Mark had his girls for the two days. He took them out for dinner and even got them to 10:30 Mass! Rumor is their hair looked like hell though. He can do just about anything for them except twist up a ponytail.

Barbara Fishkin and I ran a breakout session about writing. I think many of us have a story to tell. Perhaps all of us. But how? We encouraged people to pitch their ideas to us and WOW! what great ideas we heard. Barbara and I have a similar style. "Seat of the pants." We both enjoy talking to people and I think our presentation went well. Especially when I encouraged the Dads to start reading mens' magazines like GQ, Esquire, Playboy and Penthouse for the articles, to decide where they could submit an essay. That got a big laugh.Here are some snaps:

Full Steam Ahead!

Stan Kurtz, parent of a recovered son

Port Jefferson NY

A beautiful reason NOT to travel a lot

Not the Ferry, but at Port Jefferson, NY

Really?? Cool.

Like leaving the inside of the Jupiter Two!

Kim and Barbara

My revision is coming along smoothly I'm happy to report. When do you know you're on the right track though? Is it a comfortable feeling? Does a lightbulb click on and stay lit? And, um, when do you stop???

GARDASIL, Show your Doc, Talk to your Doc!

Judicial Watch Sues FDA for Producing “Partial Response” to FOIA Request
(Washington, DC) --


Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, today released new documents obtained from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, detailing 1,824 reports of adverse reactions to the vaccination for human papillomavirus (HPV), Gardasil, including as many as eight deaths related to the vaccine.


Judicial Watch had previously obtained 1,637 reports relating to Gardasil on May 15, 2007, bringing the known total to 3,461 adverse reactions including eleven deaths since FDA approval. Among the new information uncovered by Judicial Watch:


• “20-Jun-2007: Information has been received…concerning a 17 year old female who in June 2007…was vaccinated with a first dose of Gardasil…During the evening of the same day, the patient was found unconscious (lifeless) by the mother. Resuscitation was performed by the emergency physician but was unsuccessful. The patient subsequently died.”


• “12-Jun-2007: Information has been received…concerning a 12 year old female with a history of aortic and mitral valve insufficiency…who on 01-MAR-2007 was vaccinated IM into the left arm with a first does of Gardasil…On 01-MAR-2007 the patient presented to the ED with ventricular tachycardia and died.”

• 28-Aug-2007: Initial and follow-up information has been received from a physician concerning an “otherwise healthy” 13 year old female who was vaccinated with her first and second doses of Gardasil. Subsequently, the patient experienced…paralysis from the chest down, lesions of the optic nerve…At the time of the report, the patient had not recovered.”


From May 10 to September 7, 2007, the 1,824 adverse vaccination reactions reported to the FDA via the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) included 347 serious reactions. Of the 77 women who received the vaccine while pregnant, 33 experienced side effects ranging from spontaneous abortion to fetal abnormities.


Other serious side effects continue to be reported including, paralysis, Bells Palsy, Guillain-Barre Syndrome, and seizures.“In light of this information, it is disturbing that state and local governments might mandate in any way this vaccine for young girls,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “These adverse reaction reports suggest the vaccine not only causes serious side effects, but might even be fatal.”


Judicial Watch filed its request on August 20, 2007, and received the adverse event reports from the FDA on September, 13 2007. (On October 3, 2007, Judicial Watch filed a new lawsuit against the FDA for its failure to fully respond to Judicial Watch’s FOIA request as required by law.)

Lots to share! I spoke at the Long Island Autism Conference and had SO much fun and met fabulous people and slept in a hotel alone. More tomorrow. I have lots to write about. My husband is Crankasaurus Rex half an hour into the Indians Game. I was born and raised in Massachusetts. Spent 10 years in Cleveland though. Two kids born in Cleveland. But it looks like Cleveland doesn't have the experience or mojo to pull this off as of now. Mark is talking to his brother about the game from the next room. And Mark is usually DEAD ON in his sports analyses and predictions. The good news is he'll come to bed early! The bad news is I'm pretty tired from my trip and have a great new book to read.

Oh oh, he just said, "I'm gonna have agita in the next ten minutes." I'd better get the Pepto.

More tomorrow.

More from the concert. Including the finale, where they're standing in a row. The video screen was behind the stage, which was cool. And the cup? That's my Larry Craig moment. Just checking for any beer stings at MSG. ;)

From the Springsteen Show, MSG, last night.

As a tribute to friend Peter Boyle, who passed away last year, Bruce played "Meeting Across the River" and then went straight into "Jungleland." Amazing. He also played my all time favorites, "Candy's Room" and "Promised Land." The new songs rocked, including opener "Radio Nowhere" with it's great line bashing the poor excuse for music today, "I just want to hear some rhythm!" The band looks fantastic. Fit and trim. Little Steve (Syl!) had his trademark scarf. Patti Scialfa was gorgeous. We were behind the stage and had an unobstructed view of Bruce's still good looking derriere. There's nothing like hearing "The Rising" in NYC, written after 9/11. Bruce in NYC has a special energy and passion. I'm sure it's the same at The Meadowlands of course. Fun. Fun. Fun.

For John Robison.

John designed the exploding guitars that Kiss used back in the "day." I saw this poster at Madison Square Garden and had to have a snap of it. Note the two handed beer. The large beer is a Bass Ale with a pretzel in the handle. The small beer was a yucky Budweiser. But we saw the Bud booth before we got to the better beer booth so..... Note, I did not waste the Bud. I drank the Bud. I am not foolish. I liked the Bass better though. More photos from Bruce as soon as I get them off my phone.

Sweet Sixteen. Happy Anniversary!

Married sixteen years? That astounds me. Do you love the puffy House of Bianchi gown and the bird's nest on my head? Tres '90's n'est pas? That gown cost $1800!

Last night we saw Bruce. In NYC. Perfection. I'll blog that later today.

Off to make beds, tidy the house, write a book, blog some autism entries on Rescue Post, maybe meet up with an NYT best selling author for lunch and maaaaybe say "Happy Anniversary" to Mark, who just so happens to work at HOME.

12:48am -- Amazing show! Photos later this "morning."



Madison Square Garden. Tonight. Can't wait.

FOUND SAFE!!!!!!!!!!! Amen.

JACOB ALLEN, COME HOME!


Do you see this handsome boy? He is 18. He is lost in the woods of West Virginia. He has severe autism. I will not label him "autistic" anymore than I would call a child with cancer, "cancerous." His name is Jacob Allen. Did I mention he is lost in the woods?


He wandered ahead of his parents during a hike and did not respond to his name when they called him. And that was that. This beautiful child has been missing since Sunday. Read more here.


My family took a vacation last week and one of my girls with autism wandered away. For about 30 minutes we had security in a 2000 room hotel searching for her. Jacob Allen's Mom has been waiting for days. And nights. Cold nights. I am profoundly sad for his parents, who wait with a worry, a fear and a "we knew this could happen" that must be paralyzing.


Jacob Allen, come home. Please, child. Come home.

D'oh! I'll be speaking HERE on Sunday at 2:00pm. Not about gynecologists practicing their love. Not about the evil-doers. Even though I am the decider. I'll be reading my chapter from a forthcoming anthology on autism and fielding questions about writing along with the fabulous Barbara Fischkin.

Geez, I hope I do a "Heckuva job, Kimmie!"

Autism Takes a Holiday (Sort of.)

Here are some photos from our trip. We stayed at the Marriott Orlando World Center, a beautiful property.

Day 1: We had two rooms (six people.) Mia slipped out of the room while I was in the connecting room. Aye yi yi. 2000 rooms. Several wings. Six pools. One panicked Kim. RUPERT in security was cool, calm and collected. Had that little ear telephone thingy and alerted staff all over the hotel.

A grandmom named CAROL TAYLOR from Liberty Missouri saw Mia in an elevator, recognized "autism" right away, and brought Mia safely to the lobby. Why? Because Carol has a grandson with Autism. One of several people we met during the trip with a child on the spectrum. Carol Taylor is our Fairy Godmother. Carol runs a travel business you can see HERE. Send her an email if you'd like! Tell her Mia's Mom sent you. Those of us with kids on the spectrum will depend on the Carol's of the world to keep our kids safe and sound.

Day 2: SEA WORLD! My Gianna loves all things Manatee. Bella and Mia slogged through the day. Gianna was in her aquatic glory.

Day 3: POOL! That's Mia on the slide!

Day 4: The Magic Kingdom

Day 5: Pool and then The Magic Kingdom Halloween Party at 7pm. The park was full of kids in costume and adults too. Never see so many Pirates or Princesses in my life. Few, if any, resembled Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) or Cinderella. More like Jack Fat Turkey and Funnelcakerella. Lay off the transfats, people.

Bella had a great time playing with this little guy named David. He didn't speak a lot of English but that didn't matter as, well, neither does Bella! My lens didn't open all the way!

Day 6: Pool and dinner at the Japanese Steak House where the chef prepared the food in front of us. Gianna got a real kick out of the flying shrimp tails!

Day 7: HOME! Mom and Dad and GrandE (my Mom) are tired!

Monday. Back to my book revisions!

One more thing. This is important. I met a lovely woman from Northern England, near Leeds. She had a heavy accent and I couldn't decipher the name of her village. We started talking and I told her about the girls. She told me her son had died last spring - he had severe cerebral palsy. My heart broke for her. Sometimes when autism gets me down the Good Lord sends me a reminder that I am blessed with my girls. I can kiss them every night. I am fortunate. And for the Mom of Jacob C. in Northern England? I'm sending you a little motherly karma from Connecticut.

Home! Even my broom and dustpan look good to me. Orlando was great. But Florida is like another country to me. So flat! So perfect! So green and lush and palm treeish. Everything in the Disney area is manicured to within an inch of reality. Man it felt good to land in Newark! (Yes, I realize I am demented.) Even the oil tanks looked like home.

The trip was lots of fun. I'll have photos tomorrow. The kids had a ball. GrandE (my Mom) had fun and was a huge help. Mark slogged his way through the parks and wore his iPod at the pool to maintain his sense of peace.

I spent the week in "Cyborg mode." You know the 1950's robots that had the red eye that just went left to right to left to right? That was Kim. My kids are slippery. Mia escaped into the hotel one day one. 2000 rooms. Several wings. About a million acres. Six pools. One lost girl with autism. Guess who found her? My new hero: Carol Taylor of Liberty, Missouri. She spotted Mia in an elevator pressing the same button and repeating "7,7,7,7," and because Carol has a grandson with autism, she knew. She just knew. That was our excitement. The rest of the trip was really great (Except for a blip where Mia slipped into the crowd in Newark airport yesterday.) Minor heart attack on that one, but we survived.

Today we put away the summer clothes and get ready for the school week.

More tomorrow!

We didn't win the SuperBowl but....

We're going to Disneyworld! We leave on Saturday the 6th.



By the way, our rottweiler will be in the house guarding our pitbull whose cage is on top of the alligator next to the booby trapped pit in the floor where the rattlesnakes live. They think strangers are tasty.



This trip is brought to you by Mark Stagliano's frequent stay Marriott points from umpteen travel nights a year for the last bazillion years.


What does it take for Kim to travel with the three girls??



The Marriott chef is making us GFCF muffins and pancakes and bread for sandwiches and can prepare most grilled meals for us too. I have sticky labels to stick on the back of the girls' T-shirts with each child's name and phone number on it in case she gets separated from us. I also included, "I have autism" although I didn't like doing that. But I would need a security guard to know why my child wouldn't say her name. I printed three ID sheets with each child's photo and height/weight stats to give law enforcement or park security if one of the girls gets lost. I have a single suitcase filled with GFCF cereal bars, organic fruit bars, GFCF pretzels and crackers and a large lunchbox that will hold the supplements, including digestive enzymes (for a GFCF cheat or two) and probiotics, which need to stay COLD, so I have frozen water bottles too. I have 36 AA (why is that number so familiar?) batteries and two screw drivers (Phillips and flathead) for their electronic toys. We ordered a fridge for the room.




Darling Mark will pack his bag tomorrow night..... Grandma is coming to help us too. We will have "man to man" coverage (is that what it's called in basketball?)

I am exhausted. Are we having fun yet?

What's your Porn Name?

I just responded to a comment and I came up with my porn name. Kimmaculate Deception. Connotes sex. Is appropriately irreverent, even blasphemous. I would star in only mystery plot line porn and of course, there would be no actual sex. Perfect!

What's your porn name?

To my Irish Friend in Boston - check out THIS sale on Jaffa cakes at The Vermont Country Store!

Mulvaney on Robison

Jim Mulvaney is the husband of my friend and fellow writer Barbara Fischkin. Jim is the most interesting man I have ever met. I mean that. (Of course, you know that I don't get out much. But really, Jim is fascinating.) His careers would blow you away. Pulitzer prize winning journalist, PI, Security professional for major name folks and autism Dad to a strapping twenty year old with autism named Danny and a sixteen year old hockey player named Jack. Jim wrote a piece about John Robison and Look Me In The Eye for Huffington Post today.

You should read it. Really. Now. Click HERE. Go already!

Dylan, sounded like drillin'

This photo is the biblical tower of Babel. I should have searched for a photo of ears with blood flowing out of them. You see, last night I had to pay Mark back for taking me to Tony Bennett by attending the Bob Dylan concert at the Bridgeport arena.


OH MY GOD. When was the last time the headlining act had people sitting in their seats like carps - mouths agape and then snickering. Snickering in derision at the performance? Well, last night to be exact. Bob Dylan, who is not known for his vocal clarity sounded like that kid from "The Shining" screaming RED RUM! over and over and over. He was horrible. His band was fantastic. The bluesy sound was phenomenal, until Bob opened his mouth.

I have a name for what we saw last night. "A CROAKISODE."

Elvis Costello opened for Dylan. He was all right, but his acoustic performance lacked the punk energy of his work with "The Attractions." Sorry, it's hard to rock out with just a guitar.

The highlight of the night was a well proportioned young man named AMOS LEE who set was fantastic. He plays a bluesy/rock with a hint of a Southern drawl and really, was just wonderful. If only HE had been singing the Dylan tunes.

We left early. Had to. The drillin' was harshing our mellow. Well, our second hand mellow. A fat guy in front of us sparked up a bone midway through the show. Lord he was obnoxious. Probably scammed the joint off his kid. And he did not turn around to exhale in my direction. Idiot.


I'll need that Springsteen show on the 18th at MSG to clear my ears out. (Racing in the Streets is playing on Sirius 10 if you're interested, by the way.)

Little Word. Big Gift.

This is Bella. My beautiful seven year old Bella. On Thursday she got off the bus and looked at me and said, "Muuuummmmm" for the first time with real intent. My daughter greeted me by name.

We have begun a new protocol with additional diet changes and supplement additions. And within a week Bella came out with a usable word.

I don't usually go into the biomed autism world in this blog. I try to keep the topic general so as to amuse you, my dear readers. But I will say this, if you know a child with autism, please buy Jenny McCarthy's book, "Louder Than Words" and give it to the Mom and Dad. It's not hocus pocus. And there aren't more than a handful of pediatricians in the country who will let you in on the secret: "Autism is treatable."

"Muuuummmm." What more do you need to know?