Spring Break

This week is spring break for the younguns, so I probably won’t post much.  Right now they are both busy with their own things, Noisy is playing in the bedroom with her fairies and Nosey is in the living room building planes and such from legos.  I have a had the last 30 mins to myself which is amazing when they are home. 

I love it when they are home, I don’t worry about where they are, what they are doing, and if they are getting in trouble.  But sometimes you just have to sneak off for a few mins.  This is of course only the second day, but I am still glad they are home. 

We are supposed to have some pretty bad weather here this afternoon, and I feel better when they are with me in case it gets really bad.  It’s a mother thing I think. 

 When they are home, I try to get all my work done early so that I can spend sometime with them instead of passing them all of the time and saying things like, ” Yea, that looks great.”  Or, “I see”, or um, “just a minute”.  So this afternoon, we are going to sit down and watch a movie, what yet I don’t know.  But I am going to sit and relax, not do nothing, but watch a movie. 

The rest of the week is play by play, we’ll see what happens.  Nothing really planned yet, so I’ll let you know what happens..

Donuts for Dads

Next week is spring break for the kiddos.  I will enjoy their time at home.  I miss getting to spend time with them other than after school and weekends.   I do have somethings planned for next week, I just hope my pain will allow them. 

Today at school is Donuts for Dads.  Every year the school has this thing where for three days, they get to have breakfast at school with a parent and grandparents.  It’s a pretty big thing.  The kids love it.  Yesterday was Muffins for Mom, and tomorrow is Goodies for Grandparents.  You get to go to school and have breakfast with the kids.  Like I said, they love it.  Of course you can go have lunch with them anytime or breakfast if you want, but most parents and grandparents don’t.  Most work.  So alot do not.  This gives them at least one day a year to go and have breakfast and visit with the teachers and enjoy spending a little time with the kids. 

Bud went with the children today and they were so excited.  For the past few years he has gone.  It makes me happy that he does this.  It makes them happy.  So Thank you again Bud for doing this for them.  I love You.

I Love….

These Two.  Nosey and Noisy

I Love……..

I love clean, fresh towels.  Right from the dryer.

The Patch

 

In my last post, we were about to try the Patch, Daytrana.  For Noisy, ADHD has been pretty hard to deal with everyday.  The little girlie and I have been working really hard for a long time trying to find the best way to do things.  Her teachers have been a really big part and have all been very supportive.  Our family has been equally understanding and helpful.  The patch has been a last ditch effort to help her.  Since we’ve been through most other meds, and tried other things, I was hoping this might give her a little more to work with.

We started on a monday, at 5:30 in the morning.  One patch.  She didn’t do well at all.  Her teacher called me around 12:45 and said things weren’t going well.  She was very erratic, and having trouble concentrating.  She went Up and then Down.  Very quickly,  not gradual but from one extreme to the next.  Good ole doc said to try two if one didn’t do very good.  So the next day, we did two.  Nothing but good from everyone I talked to.  Finally she was like all the rest of the children. 

I noticed she was different when she came home.  She was able to eat, she told me she was happier than she had ever been and told me “thank you Mom”.  I was actually able to have a conversation with her where she wasn’t running off every two minutes.  It worked great.  Except for one thing.  The things itched, and grabbed her clothing and pulled her skin.  So I read on the internet, that you could put Band aids over them to keep them in place.  Great Idea.  That works. 

I also read that alot of people were having trouble opening the packages or getting the backing off.  I use scissors to cut open the packaging and haven’t had any trouble getting the backing off.  The only thing I don’t like is having to get up at 5:30 to put them on.  But I am getting used to it.  Except for today.  I turned off the alarm and didn’t wake up till 7 am.  Bud and I both slept in a little today and things were hectic.  But all is good now.

Last Friday we had some snow.  Real snow.  First time we had Real snow was in 2004.  I got out with the kiddos and took some photos.  If you want to see them, check out my flickr at the right. 

Next post will be on Nosey since Noisy has gotten the spotlight the most here lately.

Noisy – Part Two

 

This is part two to Noisy – Part One.  I have been struggling with how to start part two.  So I guess I just jump in. 

After the diagnosis, and the introduction of medication, things with her were wonderful.   She was a different child.  I could talk to her, actually sit down and read a book to her and she be able to follow along.  Her writing became neater, coloring was 100% better and she was able to stop the erratic behavior.  Her grades went from 40s and 60s up to 90s and 100s.  Her conduct at school and home was excellent.  No more trips to the office, no more problems at home.  She became more wonderful and delightful to be around.

Not only did this help her, but it helped me to be able to relax a bit more.  By that I mean I wasn’t “on guard” where ever we went.  Before, when we would went places, I had to be constantly on guard.  Never able to actually think about anything other than keeping her from running away.  Into traffic at the grocery store, pulling things off the shelf, hiding and just running all over the place.  I could actually give her a piggy back ride in the stores because I wanted to.  I used to do this just so I could keep up with where she was.  Let me tell you, with 5 year old piggybacked, you have a hard time getting things off of shelves. 

Needless to say the medication was wonderful.  The doc had prescribed 5 mg of methylphenidate once a day.  After about a week, we increased it to twice a day.  Along with the excellent behavior during the day, came the no eating.  No sleeping.  No matter what I fed her, she wouldn’t eat.  This was a child that ate everything before.  Was always hungry.  I never had to worry, because she ate what you gave her.  And all of a sudden it stopped.  So I started adding carnation instant breakfast to her milk.  Milk was about all she ever wanted.  And is still that way today. 

The sleeping, the sleeping.  What can I say.  She had trouble.  Couldn’t seem to figure out to to make this happen.  So, instead of reading to them in the living room after school.  I decided to start reading to them before bed.  It never really worked well and I never found a solution that worked every night.  I made sure she had warm baths before bed, tried to keep chaos down around that time.  Bed time is at 8:30.  Always has been.  Some nights are better than others, and some are terrors.  Sometimes she will fall asleep quickly and sometimes it takes till 10:00.  Nothing I try works all that great, but we work at it every night.

Now, the meds.  Oh the wonderful meds.  Well, they stopped working about 6 months into the program.  So we changed to something else.  I forgot what.  But it worked for about 6 more months, then we changed again.   They worked for about 3 months.  And since then, no matter what she takes, it works for about 3 months and that is it.  I can always tell when they are on the downhill, because her appetite comes back, and the grades go down. 

I try to keep an eye on her grades and keep in touch with her teachers.  That way before they start getting too bad, we are able to get to the doc and try something else.  I should also mention, that I don’t rely on the meds to do all the work.  I or we, “the family” work at it together.  I have changed the way I deal with her and it really helps.  She used to be punished for her behavior the way any child would.  Taking away things for a period of time, timeouts,  and some times swats. 

Now before you go and criticize me for the swats, I don’t mean “beat”.  I mean swats.  Anyway, we don’t do that anymore, it didn’t work anyway.  I have learned to be more patient all around.  Not just with her, but her brother and everyone else.

I take more time for her and less time for me.  I spend more quality time with her and her brother together and make a habit of recognizing bad behavior and pointing it out.  Redirecting is a great way to stop behavior before it starts.  But you have to be on your toes and catch things before they happen. 

Example.  She is playing with some toys, Nosey comes in and try’s to get her to play something he wants to play.  She will scream, “NO”, and if I don’t step in, it will escalate to a fight.  I know this happens with all siblings, but this will get physical because she will attack him.  Yes attack him.  Meds or no meds. 

Something else, I try to make sure she doesn’t get bored.  Sometimes if I am busy, and she is getting bored or the meds are starting to wear off, she will provoke her brother into a fight.  I know I know this happens with all kids, I just try to keep order by keeping them busy.  And sometimes separated.

Now back to the meds.  She has been taking meds since 2005.  Changing frequently from methylphinadate, to concerta, to adderall.  About every 2-3 months now, we have to try something different from dosage, to change all together.   The last time we went to the doctor was Feb 28 th.  Before that was sometime in November.  This last prescript was Focalin.  I didn’t like it at first because it seemed to wig her out.  But after about a week she was back on track. 

Beginning of Feb, things started to decline again, and so we did alot of redirecting and trying to work things out our selves until the next appointment.  We did pretty good in the early hours, but later in the evenings has been a test of wills.  I have been exhausted the past month and having problems of my own has just made me a nervous wreck.  But we have survived. 

On Thursday, Feb 28th, we went to the doc.  We decided to try the “Patch”.   Since both kiddos would be going to Grandparents for the weekend, I decided to wait till Monday, yesterday, to start with the patch.  I know the doc told me to start with one and if that didn’t help do two.  I told her teacher of the change and to call me if she seemed to have any problems.  I do this every time we switch.  Well yesterday, I must not have gotten the dang thing on right, because around noon the teacher called. 

I kind of thought maybe that she would take it off, or really go nuts because of the thing stuck to her hip.  So I expected the “call”.  Teacher said, that she wasn’t having problems with it being there much.   Some discomfort, ok, that was to be expected.  But she said the problem was erratic.  Oh dear.  One minute she was up on the ceiling.  The next she was wonderful.  And there was no gradual change, it was instant.  One minute she was doing great, the next she was lost.  Noisy I mean, not the teacher. 

So I decided to go ahead with the two patches the next day.  Which would have been today, but I overslept.  You are supposed to apply the dang thing an hour and a half before you need it to work, which meant I should have gotten up at 5:30 to apply it, but didn’t wake up until 6:30.  So I didn’t do it.  I ended up giving her a focalin instead.  Bad Mother, Bad. 

I wrote her teacher a note and told her what I had done, and I expect a phone call around noon again today.  For tomorrow, I will not oversleep, I will set the alarm and put the thing under my pillow where I will hear it.  I am just hoping that I didn’t cause severe brain damage to my child because of my own stupidity.  Had I been thinking clearly, I would have gone ahead and applied it anyway at 6:30.  But I was in the morning fog.  Ohh being a mother is sooo harrrddd.  You never know exactly what to do.

Sum this all up and the meds when they work are great.  My child is now an A and B child.  She is “here” with me.  I can talk to her like a mother should be able to talk to her child.  She has not lost her personality, but gained a voice.  She still sings all the time, and is my sweet little Katie Pea.  I know that meds don’t work forever, and they aren’t for everyone.  If she wasn’t such a severe case, I would try the herbal remedies,  but I wouldn’t trade the experimentation for what we have now.  The older she gets, the more she can tell me how she feels, and can help me help her.

She now tells me when she feels like she is getting out of control.  This has to be one of the scariest things a parent goes through.  Autism, Adhd, and other disorders are so scary, you never know what is going to happen next.  Or what you are doing.  It is day by day, hour by hour.

I love being a parent, and I am learning more about myself in the process.  Just hang in there.  Prepare yourself for the rough days, but enjoy the good ones. 

So there is Part Two.  I will keep you all updated on the patch, just don’t send me emails about what a horrible mother I am…. Because, I am trying. 

Outside the Kitchen Window

This was from a photo outside our kitchen window.  I changed it up a little.  I kinda like it.

Kids Room

Ok, I know I said a couple of weeks ago, I was going to clean the clutterfrom the kids room.  Well the day I wrote that post, I didn’t do it.  I know, just get over it.  I meant to and did go look in the room.  Stood there for a moment, then decided to clean the bathtub instead.   I did get the floors vacuumed first however.

Yesterday I did it.  I came home from taking them to school, saw Bud on his way.  Then started the gruesome task.  The reason I decided to actually jump in yesterday was because I was laying in bed.  You know when you are kinda half awake and half asleep?  Well I was in that fog of 1/2 and 1/2.  And for some reason, I was thinking about cleaning it up.  I don’t know why, but I started feeling really guilty about that room.  And so when I got up I kept telling myself that it had to be done. 

So, like I said, I jumped right in.  I had things piled up all over the house.  Little piles of books, stuffed animals, Lego’s, planes, jewelry, dirty clothes, etc.  After 8 hours minus lunch, I had it half way done.  3 big lawn garbage bags full of junk, broken toys, and just trash I was only half way done.  I still need to get under the beds and in the closet.  Arrgghh.  Then I will be done.  So today when I get finished with this post, I’m going back to the battle field to finish the job. 

I know, I have to be a horrible mother to let it get so bad.  Oh I feel like I’m up for the Worst Mother Of The Year Award.  I’m going to win it. 

Book Fair Anyone?

This week has been really hectic, so sorry about the pause in posting.  This week the kids school held a book fair.  They do this every year.  This is the first year I have been able to help out.  Let me tell you, if you have never participated in anything like this, you are missing out.  I had the best time.  What happens, is, this company brings all of these books, and I mean “alot” of books to the school.  They bring the shelves and all kinds of things.  Book-markers, pens, notepads, erasers and such.  The PTO pulls this all together and it is an amazing program.  As a volunteer, you help set up the books, there are hundreds of books.   The week before, papers are sent home with the kiddos so that parents can help them pick out some books they might like.  There are order forms for them to choose from.  When Monday comes, the classes take turns coming to see the books and either pick from their list or browse around to see and read or look at the pictures in the books  themselves.  They are also allowed to fill out a “wish list” to take home in hopes of coming back the next day for the book they want.   This would last for 3 days.  Monday thru Wednesday.

Each class gets about 20 mins, to browse.  Of course the pre-k and kindergarten need a little help to decide and that is where the work comes in.  I had such a blast helping the little one decide.  The aww factor they all have at the sight of so many good books is just inspiring.  The glossy covers with the colorful pictures just pulls their minds and is wonderful to watch. 

Sally wants the one about the fairy’s and Johnny wants the one about the dinosaurs.  The books were not expensive.   And I think all of them  got at least one.  Some got 4 or 5.  Just to see their faces as they left for their classroom with their new books was so cool.  So if you ever get the chance to help out with something like this, do try it.  I know I will be back next year.

Thank You Bud

Hope you all had a wonderful VDay yesterday.  I did.  I had a wonderful one.  Bud is the sweetest man.  I won’t say why, but just let me tell you, he is a sweetie.  Normally he has this “gruffness”, “hardness” about him.  But this week he has been especially understanding.  All week I have been feeling ”out of sorts”.  He has been really busy  as one of the guys at the shop has been sick.  Every night he has come home dog tired.  Yet he has made time to talk to me. 

Yesterday was a busy day for him as usual, but he still took time out for me.  He knows me and I know him and I know that the time he gave me yesterday meant something.  Took alot for him.  So I say thank you Bud for yesterday. 

The kids parties at school were alot of fun and a needed break from reality for me.  I had the best time with them, Nosey’s was around 10:30 am and Noisy’s was at 2:00pm.  I really enjoyed watching the kids interact with each other and visiting with the teachers.  My hat is off to the teachers of the world.  You guys rock.

Today however I am back to being me.   Time to come out of the clouds of Valentines Day and get back to reality. 

I am accident prone,  I am clumsy, and it is a “blue eyed miracle” that I have even made it to 41.  I drop things, run into things, and fall.  All my life I have had to learn to be careful when I do anything.  Ha, but still things happen. 

This morning after taking the kids to school and going to town for things for the weekend, I get home and gather up the laundry.  This is a simple task.  Nothing too risky there.  Our laundry room is outside about 10 yards from the house.  So I am walking out the door with not one, but two baskets full of clothes I hope to get done with before the end of the day, and fall. 

I fall off the concrete steps, there are two, onto our concrete carport.  Laundry flies everywhere.  I smack my head, of course I hit the left side of my ear and skull on this surface that is cold, wet and HARD.  Talk about stars, I had cluster bombs going off. 

As I was falling, in slow motion, I was thinking, “Oh shit, here comes the lightening”.  And as I hit, I could feel the crack of my noggin all the way to my feet.  Of course I just knew that I was going to have a TN moment.  But the strange thing was, I didn’t.  The only thing that hurt was my ear and head.  I cannot believe that this didn’t trigger an episode.  Of course the day is still early so I expect to have caused some damage.

Don’t suppose I could get so lucky as to have shaken my brain enough to be cured now.  Could I??