Seems I keep repeating that whole apology theme each time I write a new blog. I promise to write more often then ummm, I don't. So let's get that out of the way and then we can all move on. I'm sorry.
Since this is primarily a blog about Bipolar, let's now move on to Jake and how things have been since the last entry. One word- AWESOME! 4 practically perfect weeks at school IN A ROW! Grades are the best they have EVER been and the trend seems to be continuing. Had a few small issues on spring break but he was outside of his element/routine etc. Also a somewhat rough day at school on Wednesday. But hey 1 somewhat rough day in over 20? I'll take it and not complain!!
There are still some of those "social" issues we need to work on but with Jake and all things Bipolar, one step at a time and oh yeah, baby steps too!! But steps forward are still steps!!! :) I am really proud of him and the progress he has made. Here's hoping that he will be able to keep it up during the summer when he will again be outside of his element/routine.
Now for a "slight" tangent & real reason for the blog post today (not that I didn't want to update you all on Jake's amazing story but it's time for a little rant- well sort of). Life isn't fair! What did I do to deserve this? Why is this happening to me? Why can't my life be better or more like his/hers? I can't handle all this stress. I can't pay my bills... Calm down, I'm not suicidal! But who hasn't said these phrases in their lifetime? At least once? Every day? (Getting up on my soap box)... No life is not fair, it's not easy and there will be things we have to struggle for and sacrifice. If life was easy, we would never make mistakes and we would never learn from them to become better people. If we didn't have to struggle, the things we have wouldn't mean as much to us as they do. Oh and the best part about all this is when we are saying how unfair life is to us, guess what we do? We blame someone else! It's easy to do, we've all done it. Blame it on family, your boss, the economy, the President, the gas prices or some other enabling factor we can come up with.. My personal favorite was blaming things on being a single mother to a bipolar child (I'd have more $$ if I wasn't always paying for medicine, therapy, etc, I wouldn't miss so much work if school wasn't always calling me to come pick up my kid and stay home with him for the next few days, both my kid and I would have a happier life if..etc, etc, blah blah blah.But looking back, that never got me anywhere, nothing changed. We still have medical bills, I still don't have enough money to cover them.) Oh come on, you've all done that too. Admit it. Listening to someone complain about a problem and all you want to do is say listen bud, you think you have problems, you should hear mine!! It's OK. it's part of life.. It happens, admit it, deal with it and move on. OK.. so.. whats the point to all this besides just a meaningless rant and ramble, hang on I'm getting there.. We struggle, we fight, we sacrifice and we get up every morning, take a breath (if you get that far, you're off to a good start so keep going at this point right?), and do what we do to get us through each and every day. Hopefully all of this struggle and sacrifice someday pays off and no sorry it probably won't be immediate or any time soon but hang in there, it will happen. There will be good days, there will be little rewards (or maybe even big ones) along the way. Pick a cliche to enter here.. it's always darkest before the dawn, there's always a silver lining, when one door closes, another one opens, etc. So now let's throw in loved ones, kids, friends and family. Whoa!!! It's one thing when it's just you and you have to struggle and fight, now guess what you have to do it for other people too! Yep! Which pretty much means, you no longer do it just for yourself anymore either. Because sacrificing for others, takes up what?? YOUR time! You need clothes? Well your kid needs lunch money and new shoes. Guess who wins? The Doctor's office called and your bill that is 3 months behind is now going to collections, why didn't you pay it? Well because you decided to feed and keep a roof over your children. You have 5 outstanding bills and can only afford to pay 3.. What do you do? Freak out? Stress over it? Complain and whine? Or make the best of what you've got, do what you can, accept that you are only human who unfortunately does not have super powers or that ever so popular money tree in your back yard?
I am not an alcoholic or a recovering anything but based on the life I've lived, I'm a bit surprised (no not really but that's because I am a strong enough person)but there is one thing I want to share.. because it fits every day life! The Serenity Prayer. ..
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Let's break this down.. accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference----seems pretty simple right? Is it something you really cannot change? If not, then OK move on, you cried about it stressed over it, complained about it and it still didn't change, so now where are you? There are some things I can change and somethings I just cannot. I cannot change that Jake is Bipolar and that's OK. There will be medicine and doctor bills to pay. That's OK! I can't change the weather, I apparently can't make it stop snowing in April. Sorry to everyone about that! I tried but again, lacking in those super powers!
Courage to change the things you can.. OK so we admit there are things we can change.. but will you do it? It can be small like I don't like the shirt I'm wearing- so change it. I don't like my hair, so cut it! But there are some pretty big one's too- I hate the way I look, I am not happy in my relationship/marriage, I hate my job, I don't make enough money.. but do you have the courage to change these things? Are these things worth changing? Will you really be happier? Better off? If not, then stop complaining and accept the way things are.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Do I really need to explain this one? As a mother to a Bipolar child.. this is basically how I have learned to live my life now. I would have NEVER done this before. I was always a big picture person, the grand scheme, the list, the plan.. None of the plans I made for myself in HS ever played out (except the whole graduating college thing but it never got any further than that). Not anymore. One day at a time, small steps, looking for blessings in the smaller things and accepting them as positive accomplishments even if they came in the middle of a rage.
Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next. This world was not created for ME! You don't have to believe in God but do believe in a higher power, give into it or give into HIM. You will be here for awhile you might as well do what you can and enjoy the ride.. Jumping off the ride while in motion is not an option. Plus some believe that when you are done with this life, there's going to be another one. That's a long time to be unhappy! But also one thing to remember here is to love the people around you every day just in case their ride does end tomorrow.
I have had my share of hardships.. I have struggled, sacrificed, pissed people off along the way and have always come out fighting at the end. Money is tight, my kid's health and well being will be an issue for the rest of our lives, I've made mistakes, I've failed, I've had to ask for help (and those who know me know this does not ever happen) I've stressed out so much that I made my self sick over things.. But I finally learned that was not the way to go!! Not for myself and definitely not for my kid!!! It took me a long time to get there and sometimes I do slip! I'm not perfect after all!! So again, life isn't fair, no one is perfect and each day you wake up and are able to draw a breath, while you lie in a bed with a roof over your head-count that as a blessing, get up, get through the day because guess what, there's going to be a repeat tomorrow!
By no means is this meant to offend anyone. This is my blog so therefore, my opinion and I am allowed to share it. So again with more cliche's-Cowboy Up, Put on your big girl panties and suck it up, Life's what you make it, Life is like a box of chocolates-(which by the way, you may not know what you're gonna get but I only eat the ones I like and avoid the ones I don't).
So my final words of wisdom to spew to the masses today- "Eat the good chocolate avoid the bad, but try it first to see if you do or don't like it. Try new things, make mistakes. Live every day to the fullest, don't let the small stuff get you down and look the big stuff in the face and tell it who's boss (that's YOU by the way, in case this still hasn't really sunk in yet)."
Thank you, that is all!
Oh and also in keeping with true form to the blog, here is my shared resource for the day: I will be manning the About Special Kids Booth on April 30Th at Speedway United Methodist Church Info and Resource Fair, 10a.m-2p.m. This is one of the largest resource fairs around. They have attracted hundreds of people each year as they reach out in the community and the city of Indianapolis. Last year they had 60 exhibitors and hope to have more this year. So if you are in the area, come by and see me!:)
Friday, April 15, 2011
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Old habits die hard
We are in our second/third week of Jake not having any homework after school most days if not all week. This is HUGE progress for him. He used to refuse to work during school and was sent home with HOURS of homework almost every day. I am not gonna lie.. Homework with a bipolar/adhd kid is NOT fun! I would get frustrated, he'd get frustrated, it would get ugly and I hated it. Over the past few weeks, he's done all his work at school and is no longer bringing home any work at all!! He sees how proud I am and I also know how proud he is of himself. He's trying really hard to make it all week with no homework. He's also had some really good weeks with behavior too.. Not great weeks but close to 80% if not right over, and most weeks are at least 4/5 good days with 1 icky day in there to drop his points down so he can't progress up to the next level and get back into gen ed classes..
We've also instituted a 30 minute no electronic policy each night. No TV, no video games, no cell phones, no computers.. We play card games, board games, puzzles, play Lego's, read together and exercise. The first night he was right at 30 minutes and the TV was back on, second night, was like an 1:15 minutes and it was awesome. He kept pushing it out, "No, let's play another game, let's keep going." He's really liking it and being supportive of the new rule. I am really impressed.
He's still doing well after school on his own but could be a little better with having some stuff done around the house before I get home (Like his toys picked up) but small steps and small victories :)
My biggest thing is looking past the last 5-6 years of how his behavior affected things. How he reacted, how I could predict what he would do in certain situations. His behaviors and reactions have changed, mine not so much. I am working on it though.. Just as hard as he is.. Except sometimes he gets upset with me because he thinks I always see or expect the worst from him. I know we are not out of the woods and this is far from over but for now it seems like he really has this under control and his meds are working and he is making the right choices. I am really very proud of him and will continue to support his progress and do everything I can not to hinder it. Sometimes I do have to remind myself that I am a MOM though. Yeah I am the mom to a Bipolar child.. but I am a MOM. I make the rules. I am in charge. If he breaks the rules he gets consequences. Walking on eggshells and trying to avoid blow ups or rages happens a lot but it's still done with the best parenting skills I can offer!!! Both his med Doc ad therapist were very impressed with his progress at his last doctor appointment and when others see what he is capable of, like I do, it's really a great feeling for both of us!
He is growing up so fast and pretty much continues to amaze me and make me laugh every day. I am a little nerved by the upcoming teenage years but we will get through it together, just like we always do!
I am still active as a Family Response Team member with CABF and I do my best to reach out to those who seem lost, need help or just a little extra support and advice. I finally get to work my first information fair for About Special Kids (ASK) at the end of April. I am looking forward to that. A little nervous though since it will be my first but excited to be able to offer help and support to people who need it.
Spring break is coming up soon and we are heading to Chicago. This will be his first trip there and I am really excited to take him. I know it's not sunny FL or anywhere warm and we will only be there a few days but it will be packed with trips to the aquarium, museums, LegoLand and swimming! Oh yeah and shopping :)
We've also instituted a 30 minute no electronic policy each night. No TV, no video games, no cell phones, no computers.. We play card games, board games, puzzles, play Lego's, read together and exercise. The first night he was right at 30 minutes and the TV was back on, second night, was like an 1:15 minutes and it was awesome. He kept pushing it out, "No, let's play another game, let's keep going." He's really liking it and being supportive of the new rule. I am really impressed.
He's still doing well after school on his own but could be a little better with having some stuff done around the house before I get home (Like his toys picked up) but small steps and small victories :)
My biggest thing is looking past the last 5-6 years of how his behavior affected things. How he reacted, how I could predict what he would do in certain situations. His behaviors and reactions have changed, mine not so much. I am working on it though.. Just as hard as he is.. Except sometimes he gets upset with me because he thinks I always see or expect the worst from him. I know we are not out of the woods and this is far from over but for now it seems like he really has this under control and his meds are working and he is making the right choices. I am really very proud of him and will continue to support his progress and do everything I can not to hinder it. Sometimes I do have to remind myself that I am a MOM though. Yeah I am the mom to a Bipolar child.. but I am a MOM. I make the rules. I am in charge. If he breaks the rules he gets consequences. Walking on eggshells and trying to avoid blow ups or rages happens a lot but it's still done with the best parenting skills I can offer!!! Both his med Doc ad therapist were very impressed with his progress at his last doctor appointment and when others see what he is capable of, like I do, it's really a great feeling for both of us!
He is growing up so fast and pretty much continues to amaze me and make me laugh every day. I am a little nerved by the upcoming teenage years but we will get through it together, just like we always do!
I am still active as a Family Response Team member with CABF and I do my best to reach out to those who seem lost, need help or just a little extra support and advice. I finally get to work my first information fair for About Special Kids (ASK) at the end of April. I am looking forward to that. A little nervous though since it will be my first but excited to be able to offer help and support to people who need it.
Spring break is coming up soon and we are heading to Chicago. This will be his first trip there and I am really excited to take him. I know it's not sunny FL or anywhere warm and we will only be there a few days but it will be packed with trips to the aquarium, museums, LegoLand and swimming! Oh yeah and shopping :)
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Ready for Spring
Wow, ok so yet again I promise to keep this more up to date and I am a slacker. Sorry folks!! So here goes.
The past 2 weeks have been good for Jake. School has been better, he's not bringing home much or any homework these days and he seems to really see a difference in himself when he has good days and does this. He's happy!!! He tries really hard to accomplish this. Still having those issues at school with his little potty mouth however.. Yes folks, my 11 year old sweet innocent.. oh wait.. never mind.. my 11 year old cusses like a sailor and is rude and obnoxious! But hey at least he's not breaking windows, beating people up or breaking teachers toes.. Right?? Silver lining? Positive thinking?? Small Victories where I can find them??
Meds seem to be ok for now but we still have room to increase doses if we need to. I like the combo he's on now and hope it continues to work.
The weather has caused some issues but not as bad as I thought it would. He's bored a lot but not being destructive or anything.. A little more on the hyper side but I will take the high side to bipolar any day over the low side with him. He's been spending a lot of time with his Lego's but really wants to get outside and play, travel and have fun. I think he gets that from me LOL
He got his grades up from last grading period too.. :)
He's eating a lot better these days too. Eating a lot of fruit but still need's to get more active. So ready for spring to be here.
We are planning a pretty fun trip for Spring Break. It's only going to be a few days and close to home, sadly no place warm but hopefully we will be able to do that over the summer! Mommy really needs to get some things in order and straightened out but that's another story for another time.
The past 2 weeks have been good for Jake. School has been better, he's not bringing home much or any homework these days and he seems to really see a difference in himself when he has good days and does this. He's happy!!! He tries really hard to accomplish this. Still having those issues at school with his little potty mouth however.. Yes folks, my 11 year old sweet innocent.. oh wait.. never mind.. my 11 year old cusses like a sailor and is rude and obnoxious! But hey at least he's not breaking windows, beating people up or breaking teachers toes.. Right?? Silver lining? Positive thinking?? Small Victories where I can find them??
Meds seem to be ok for now but we still have room to increase doses if we need to. I like the combo he's on now and hope it continues to work.
The weather has caused some issues but not as bad as I thought it would. He's bored a lot but not being destructive or anything.. A little more on the hyper side but I will take the high side to bipolar any day over the low side with him. He's been spending a lot of time with his Lego's but really wants to get outside and play, travel and have fun. I think he gets that from me LOL
He got his grades up from last grading period too.. :)
He's eating a lot better these days too. Eating a lot of fruit but still need's to get more active. So ready for spring to be here.
We are planning a pretty fun trip for Spring Break. It's only going to be a few days and close to home, sadly no place warm but hopefully we will be able to do that over the summer! Mommy really needs to get some things in order and straightened out but that's another story for another time.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Cabin Fever has set in
Ok well gotta love winter in the Midwest.. Or is it just Indiana weather? Last week.. we were buried under a few inches of ice then several inches of snow and there was no school FOR 4 DAYS!!!! I managed to hang in for 2 then had to have mom step in and take him the other 2.. Since I would also have him for the weekend.. Oh wait, I'm a mother, I should be happy to spend 24/7 with my child right?? Shhh, don't tell anyone. I'm already in the running for mother of the year, I don't need this to tarnish my rep!!! LOL
I finally got the doc to put him on a new med and we didn't go the Prozac route, we put him back on Geodone. He has been on this before, but she started him on the lowest possible dose.. So far.. it seems to work well with the trileptol but I can definitely see it being increased as well.. So hopefully with the med change, we can get back on track, get school back under control and keep the weight down too. We've backed off group therapy for awhile too so I hope he gets back into that. He doesn't like this one as much as the one at St V's but I hope he gets there one of these days. Group therapy seemed to really work for him.
Not much else to report tonight but promise to be more current with the updates and resources.
I finally got the doc to put him on a new med and we didn't go the Prozac route, we put him back on Geodone. He has been on this before, but she started him on the lowest possible dose.. So far.. it seems to work well with the trileptol but I can definitely see it being increased as well.. So hopefully with the med change, we can get back on track, get school back under control and keep the weight down too. We've backed off group therapy for awhile too so I hope he gets back into that. He doesn't like this one as much as the one at St V's but I hope he gets there one of these days. Group therapy seemed to really work for him.
Not much else to report tonight but promise to be more current with the updates and resources.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Possible relapse or just a bad week??
Uggghhhh! I know it's all part of the territory and this is nothing that any of us are none to familiar with when raising a bipolar child. Good weeks, bad weeks, relapses, stability, calm. And as always, the medicine dilemma.. So here is how things have been.. About 2 weeks ago we weened off the invega due to the weight gain. The pdoc wanted to put him on Zoloft or Prozac in it's place ad I was leery of it. First week with no invega was great, didn't adjust other meds or add in any new ones.. Really? Could this work? Trileptol is rumored to work better when paired but I thought maybe we won't have to, or at the very least, lets up the dosage since he's still on a really low one before we add in a new med. Week 1 passes and week 2 starts, not so hot this week. Soo much trouble at school, plus a little more at home then we've seen in a few months. Craptastic!! Luckily no suspensions from school or trips back to the hospital yet though because I still see some control in him that he didn't have before. He's still able to pull it together and get it under control.. now if we can just work on all that from the beginning. I still see the progress from the last hospital visit and treatment and there's still days when he wants to be in full control ( I don't allow many but we do try on weekends sometimes). He's also very on board with taking control of it, not letting it control him. Show it who's boss, & kick it's ass, we always say!! I'm still so very proud of him and know that he won't let this beat him or that he won't use it as an excuse as he gets older.
He's growing up so fast and soon we will have to deal with puberty and him being a teenager. He's got such a heightened curiosity about things that I am not ready for him to be curious about yet and I'm not sure Mom is the best person to help him through boy puberty stuff, but I'll do the best I can and hope I just don't scar him for life. He knows he can ask me questions about anything he knows not to hide things from me so hopefully as he gets older he will remember that.
He's got a lot of anger for such a young kid and I hope that someday as he grows up, he will either be able to move past it or work through it. Unfortunately, this is a fight I have to watch from the sidelines and can only cheer him on but cannot be his coach. I hate that he has to deal with it as a kid and I know from experience, it's not an easy fight.. But I know he'll come out on top someday and will prevail in it. He may not like how it happens or what he needs to to do get there but I know he will do whats right for him in the end.
He's growing up so fast and soon we will have to deal with puberty and him being a teenager. He's got such a heightened curiosity about things that I am not ready for him to be curious about yet and I'm not sure Mom is the best person to help him through boy puberty stuff, but I'll do the best I can and hope I just don't scar him for life. He knows he can ask me questions about anything he knows not to hide things from me so hopefully as he gets older he will remember that.
He's got a lot of anger for such a young kid and I hope that someday as he grows up, he will either be able to move past it or work through it. Unfortunately, this is a fight I have to watch from the sidelines and can only cheer him on but cannot be his coach. I hate that he has to deal with it as a kid and I know from experience, it's not an easy fight.. But I know he'll come out on top someday and will prevail in it. He may not like how it happens or what he needs to to do get there but I know he will do whats right for him in the end.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
When did that happen and other random stuff
Yeah, Yeah I know.. Slacker comes to mind. I was doing really well with keeping up with the blog, then the holidays came AND WENT.. and now, well no excuse. So, I promise to keep this updated.. But I can't always promise anything exciting so hopefully you will still stick with me to find out.
So first and foremost.. the reason for this blog.. Jake!
So far we are off to a good start for the year and sometime while I wasn't looking apparently, my little boy grew up! Oh my! In less than 2 years, he'll be a teenager but after dealing with the behaviors and actions he's exhibited over the years, the teen years should be a breeze right?? No, Seriously, I want someone to answer that for me!! I have spent so many years with the rose colored glasses and kid gloves on, I guess I missed a few things.. and it may be time to take them off.. (but still keeping them both within reach of course). No I am not ready to ship him off yet and he's still a kid but he's grown up so much in the past 6 months. So many things I protected him from in the past, I don't think I need to anymore. I have always been the reluctant mom of the bipolar kid, so I went to birthday parties with him, kept him close in certain situations, worried about things that most mom's never have to worry about. He has shown me lately that I may not need to worry as much as I used to. I need to loosen the rope a bit and see what he does with it. He stays home by himself in the afternoons after school and is really enjoying the responsibility. He has a school field trip coming up in Feb and at first instinct, I contacted his teacher to talk to him about it, telling him I would go so that J could attend. The teacher said I could go but I wouldn't be with Jake during the day so it wasn't really necessary and of course I thought that if I did go and couldn't be with him, it would upset him. We talked about it and he already knew that if I went he couldn't be with me and was ok with it. Um?? Really!! Ok.. He still wants me to go though.. but will be ok with it either way if I do or don't and I won't be nervous nelly at work all day if I don't, waiting on the phone to ring.
(ok well maybe will a little bit, but old habits are hard to break right??)He's not showing as much of the immature tendencies as he used to either. Yeah!!! I took him off one of his meds last week due to some weight gain issues and so far so good without it. But still watching for any major changes in mood, behavior and whatever else.. He's doing well with the new doctors at Aspire but not so keen on the group therapy yet but I keep trying to push it and get him to go. He did soooo well at the group therapy sessions at St.V's while he was in that program and although I am glad he is done with it, I know there are days I really wish he still had it. He's talking to me more about his feelings and problems and this is huge for him to open up like that. I am soo proud of him and hope that he continues on this path towards success.
This weekend, I need to do a little reorganization on all other things bipolar in the house, I need to update some binders and start some new ones. The big red binder now has company. There's the Med Hx binder, the resource binder and the everything else binder. Well ok there is a Med Hx binder but the last 2 are conceptual at this point with full intent of being created soon. I have the info, just haven't had the time to organize and put them all together. So much information, so many resources. Once I get a better handle on everything, I will also get back to sharing them in the future blogs.
For now, however I can share a few pieces that every parent of a bipolar child should have..
For your Med Hx binder-
http://www.nami.org/namiland09/BASICSrecordkeepingsystem.pdf
Another good one to have on hand, especially if you are first starting out is the treatment guidelines:
http://www.bpkids.org/sites/default/files/treatment_guidelines.pdf
and the medication guide:
http://www.aacap.org/galleries/default-file/aacap_bipolar_medication_guide.pdf
Good Luck out there, and know that you are not alone. Reach out to local organizations for resources (ASK, in IN, or CABF and NAMI for national resources which will lead you to local resources in your area).
www.aboutspecialkids.org
www.bpkids.org
www.nami.org
Join a support group, become a parent volunteer with one of these organizations, do whatever you need to do for yourself to be the best parent to your bipolar child. Be educated, be informed and BE AWESOME!
So first and foremost.. the reason for this blog.. Jake!
So far we are off to a good start for the year and sometime while I wasn't looking apparently, my little boy grew up! Oh my! In less than 2 years, he'll be a teenager but after dealing with the behaviors and actions he's exhibited over the years, the teen years should be a breeze right?? No, Seriously, I want someone to answer that for me!! I have spent so many years with the rose colored glasses and kid gloves on, I guess I missed a few things.. and it may be time to take them off.. (but still keeping them both within reach of course). No I am not ready to ship him off yet and he's still a kid but he's grown up so much in the past 6 months. So many things I protected him from in the past, I don't think I need to anymore. I have always been the reluctant mom of the bipolar kid, so I went to birthday parties with him, kept him close in certain situations, worried about things that most mom's never have to worry about. He has shown me lately that I may not need to worry as much as I used to. I need to loosen the rope a bit and see what he does with it. He stays home by himself in the afternoons after school and is really enjoying the responsibility. He has a school field trip coming up in Feb and at first instinct, I contacted his teacher to talk to him about it, telling him I would go so that J could attend. The teacher said I could go but I wouldn't be with Jake during the day so it wasn't really necessary and of course I thought that if I did go and couldn't be with him, it would upset him. We talked about it and he already knew that if I went he couldn't be with me and was ok with it. Um?? Really!! Ok.. He still wants me to go though.. but will be ok with it either way if I do or don't and I won't be nervous nelly at work all day if I don't, waiting on the phone to ring.
(ok well maybe will a little bit, but old habits are hard to break right??)He's not showing as much of the immature tendencies as he used to either. Yeah!!! I took him off one of his meds last week due to some weight gain issues and so far so good without it. But still watching for any major changes in mood, behavior and whatever else.. He's doing well with the new doctors at Aspire but not so keen on the group therapy yet but I keep trying to push it and get him to go. He did soooo well at the group therapy sessions at St.V's while he was in that program and although I am glad he is done with it, I know there are days I really wish he still had it. He's talking to me more about his feelings and problems and this is huge for him to open up like that. I am soo proud of him and hope that he continues on this path towards success.
This weekend, I need to do a little reorganization on all other things bipolar in the house, I need to update some binders and start some new ones. The big red binder now has company. There's the Med Hx binder, the resource binder and the everything else binder. Well ok there is a Med Hx binder but the last 2 are conceptual at this point with full intent of being created soon. I have the info, just haven't had the time to organize and put them all together. So much information, so many resources. Once I get a better handle on everything, I will also get back to sharing them in the future blogs.
For now, however I can share a few pieces that every parent of a bipolar child should have..
For your Med Hx binder-
http://www.nami.org/namiland09/BASICSrecordkeepingsystem.pdf
Another good one to have on hand, especially if you are first starting out is the treatment guidelines:
http://www.bpkids.org/sites/default/files/treatment_guidelines.pdf
and the medication guide:
http://www.aacap.org/galleries/default-file/aacap_bipolar_medication_guide.pdf
Good Luck out there, and know that you are not alone. Reach out to local organizations for resources (ASK, in IN, or CABF and NAMI for national resources which will lead you to local resources in your area).
www.aboutspecialkids.org
www.bpkids.org
www.nami.org
Join a support group, become a parent volunteer with one of these organizations, do whatever you need to do for yourself to be the best parent to your bipolar child. Be educated, be informed and BE AWESOME!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
New Year, New Beginnings
OK so wow, it's been awhile since I blogged last.. Guess, I better catch everyone up. We got through the holidays with flying colors and surprising success. (even tho I hate that term, "made it through" because that just sounds so lame and awful!!)
Thanksgiving was quiet as we opted for a small party of 2 meal this year with no extended family. It was stress free and quiet. Christmas, well wasn't as stress free and quiet but no major issues to report there.. Spent A LOT of time with family, running around, being away from home, blah blah blah.. BUT he did great.. Had 1 or 2 issues that could have escalated into his old behaviors but they didn't. I think he did better with the holidays then I did.. but as a mother, it was easy to "keep up appearances."
( but that's a log for another day)
We are back to school now after 2 weeks off and 2 days in, we have had 1 good day & 1 well- not so good. Around the time of my last blog, we had an issue with after school care and since the end of November, he has been staying home by himself after school. He's been doing great and has taken really well to the responsibility.So proud of him!!
So with good things to report so far, I will keep this short. Still not physical violence, no damaged property and the outbursts are small and easily contained these days. Still battling with some med issues tho health wise and hoping to get that under control soon. The med's are doing great right now for the behaviors but causing some issues with weight gain & fatigue. Good Luck to you all out there in the bipolar world & here is to a Happy, Healthy & Successful New Year!!
Thanksgiving was quiet as we opted for a small party of 2 meal this year with no extended family. It was stress free and quiet. Christmas, well wasn't as stress free and quiet but no major issues to report there.. Spent A LOT of time with family, running around, being away from home, blah blah blah.. BUT he did great.. Had 1 or 2 issues that could have escalated into his old behaviors but they didn't. I think he did better with the holidays then I did.. but as a mother, it was easy to "keep up appearances."
( but that's a log for another day)
We are back to school now after 2 weeks off and 2 days in, we have had 1 good day & 1 well- not so good. Around the time of my last blog, we had an issue with after school care and since the end of November, he has been staying home by himself after school. He's been doing great and has taken really well to the responsibility.So proud of him!!
So with good things to report so far, I will keep this short. Still not physical violence, no damaged property and the outbursts are small and easily contained these days. Still battling with some med issues tho health wise and hoping to get that under control soon. The med's are doing great right now for the behaviors but causing some issues with weight gain & fatigue. Good Luck to you all out there in the bipolar world & here is to a Happy, Healthy & Successful New Year!!
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