Lots of Appointments....

Honeybunches' had lots of appointments lately. 

Last Friday he went for his 10 year physical.  That went very well.  The nurse practitioner in the office whom we prefer to see cause she's E's favorite person was the one who did it.  She was impressed how well he's doing and how good he looks. She said "Keep doing whatever you are doing with him cause he looks great". :) She was also impressed by how much his speech has improved too. He did awesome for me at his appointment and even waited patiently for the bus to come back to pick us up. I love how easy life is when we are at our magic # with his magic pill. If only it could stay like this lol. I always appreciate the good days and am very thankful for them. Honeybunches has gotten taller by a couple inches, but actually lost two pounds in the past year according to her...

On Monday this week Honeybunches seen his GI doc aka Gastroenterologist and the Nutritionist that works with him in the same office.  The Nutritionist seemed happy because Honeybunches BMI went down a bit.  The GI doc gave me heck because according to their scale Honeybunches gained 2 lbs in the past year and according to him weight gain is never good.  According to his scale he weighs 117.  According to the scale at the pdoc office he weighs 115.  IDK.  I am thinking last time they might have taken a few pounds off for clothing and this time they didn't.  Whatever... He said for me to work harder at getting him to lose weight.  Although he's on the Vegan diet, his cholesterol is still high as are his triglycerides.  The Cardiologist he sent us too in the past said those were most likely genetic and from the Abilify he's on.  The GI doc ordered another liver ultrasound in six months and a follow-up in six-and-a-half months. It was odd being at that hospital.  That's where my father passed away back on May 1st.  Amazingly I handled it much better than I expected.  I thought for sure I'd either cry or have a panic attack while there.  A couple lonely tear drops did fill up my eyes but didn't fall out as I expected them too.  Sitting in the plant filled atrium hearing the waterfall brought back the most memories of the nights we spent there getting a break from my father's room.  That hospital sure is beautiful. 

Yesterday we seen Honeybunches pdoc.  We got his fasting blood work done on Saturday, but she didn't get the results so while we were in his appointment she called the lab.  His most recent Lithium level was 1.3.  Because he's doing so well she chose to leave his dose alone.  She wrote a medication order for the school to give him 1 cup of water every hour-and-a-half.  I think his levels went up because the school doesn't push him to drink as much as he was during the Summer.  I sent that "Medication Order" along with a paper about symptoms of Lithium Toxicity to the school nurse.  The pdoc asked if she should write a script for water but I told her the medication form should be good enough lol.  She was very impressed by how well he's doing.  She said he is one of the few children that she's seen Lithium work on.  Her boss hasn't agreed with him being on it, but she fought to keep him on it cause it is obviously working. She spent a half hour with us yesterday.  We were talking about his future too and how I worry about him becoming unstable when he gets to the teenage years.  She promised not to retire before he turns 13 lol. 

At the lab last Saturday Honeybunches amazed me.  Although his usual lab tech was not there, he cooperated just fine and did an awesome job.  He also did well for me all the way on the 1 hour ride to his appointment with the GI doc in a stranger's vehicle. (Medicaid transportation is not the little bus I thought it would be.  It seems they contract with people who use their own vehicles.  At least this one said a company name on it lol.)  

Yesterday for his pdoc appointment he did much better than I thought he would without Daddy (Who stayed home cause he was not feeling well).  He was calm on the bus, quiet and attentive at the library and playful but respectful at the pdoc appointment.  On the way to the bus, I told him we should stop at the store to buy a drink.  He asked for ice cream, which I refused telling him "We should find something more healthy".  Then he began with the threats. "Well I am going to act up then.  I will run across the street.  I'm not going in the store."  I dealt with that well and in a way I'll try again.  I walked a bit in front of him, didn't look back and stayed quiet.  When we got near the store, I kept on walking past it towards the crosswalk where I waited for him.  "Fine.  Let's go.  I'll pick something healthy."  lol.  He changed his mind... until we get in the store and he sees the ice cream.  We ended up leaving the store empty handed after a few minutes of negotiations were not going any where.  Then we went outside for a couple minutes.  He then asked me to go in and get him a drink.  At 1st he was refusing to come in with me, but then he agreed to stand near the inside of the door (It's a tiny corner store so I could see him).  I got him and myself drinks, paid for them and we went to the bus stop.  He asked if he could still go on the computer.  I told him yes and that I was proud of him for "Turning it around as Mrs ___ (Mrs Understanding) would say".  I told him that he made the right choices.  Back a few years ago that situation would not have had such a happy ending.  He really has come so far. Not to sound conceited, but I think I've come a ways in learning how to prevent some situations from escalating too. I've learned he hates to be rushed, pushed into doing things, or feel like he's threatened.  Yesterday was another lesson on things to do that have worked...

EEE Worries...

God bless the little girl in the town next to mine.  Look over her.  Let her parents have strength to get through this.  Hold her in your arms.  Comfort her and bring her back into good health.  Amen....

There is a little girl in the town next to mine that has "Triple E" as we call it.  It's otherwise known as "Eastern Equine Encephalitis".  Our town is "Critical" which is the highest risk category set by the Department of Public Health.  The Superintendent of Schools under the advisement of the town Board of Health, declared that children at Honeybunches' school are to have indoor gym and recess.  That sucks because his teacher even gives them extra recess for doing a good job most of the day.  God bless those teachers and give them extra patience! (Especially the Honeybunches' teacher/aides and the teachers/aides in the "Behavioral Classroom" too because I think they need recess the most and might not deal with the changes as well as "Neurotypical" children might...) It must be as hard for them to be stuck inside all day as it is for the children.  The town has also mandated the towns parks closed at 6 pm.  They say if anyone has to be out between 6 pm and 6 am for them to wear long sleeves, pants and bug spray containing DEET.  DH and I took that to also mean if you don't have to be out then don't.  We've been mean parents making Honeybunches come in at 6 pm.  I was just going to put bug spray on him and let him play out, but DH doesn't want to take any chances.  All after school games and activities after 5:30 have been cancelled.  The middle/high school in town where my girls go is being pretty strict too, except they are letting the children do gym outside on the "Artificial turf only".  Princess was talking to me about that saying that there is not enough room for everyone to have gym when they have it scheduled, cause there are only 2 gyms, the turf and 4 classes usually going on at once.  Some people might say that the town is over-reacting to the EEE situation.  What they don't realize is that my town is basically on wetlands.  There is a ton of swamp land here.  There is a swamp literally right behind Honeybunches' school (You can see it out the windows of his classroom and others on that side of the building).  Princess and Angel's school has a small pond, which also makes mosquitoes more prevalent there too. 

Anyways, all this having to stay inside has been affecting Honeybunches.  He hates his routine and schedule changed.  This has been a big one.  He has limited time outside now.  Right when I picked him up on Tuesday for his appointment he told me "Mr ____ called the school.  He told (The secretary) that we have to have indoor recess cause of the mosquitoes." So I know it bothered him.  Those were his 1st words to me that afternoon.  This morning he told me his aide said it was up to me if he went outside.  I passed the blame to the Superintendent saying that he "Said No".  That's the truth.  Last night Honeybunches seemed to be a bit depressed.  He just looked down.  There were no major issues though.  I know this is going to begin affecting him.  His life revolves around being outside catching butterflies, frogs and other creatures.  Only being out there 2 hours per day compared to spending the whole Summer out there from morning until the sun set is a huge change.  I hope it doesn't throw him off too much...

And so the "Concerns" begin......

And so the concerns begin! Honeybunches' teacher called this morning with their "Concerns".  Honeybunches was running around the building killing spiders.  Then he had a "Meltdown" (IDK what that exactly consisted of, but that's what she said).  They have an empty room where the preschool used to be (That got moved to another school this year).  She set it up with a bean bag for him and turned the lights off thinking if he was overstimulated that might help him get more regulated.  She called to ask me what I thought happened and mentioned twice about if he had his medications this morning.  YES he did have them.  I seen him put them in his mouth and swallow them.  I said maybe he was testing.  They also believe he was overstimulated.  His teacher also mentioned how this morning he seen a frog kill another frog so maybe that traumatized him.  He does love frogs.  When he got off the bus I asked him why he was killing spiders.  He said "Cause I was angry".  I asked him why he was angry.  Of course his answer was "I don't know".  He has a very hard time expressing his thoughts sometimes, especially the why's about anything.  His teacher wrote in his communication book:

"His day was not the greatest.  It pretty much continued like it started.  Very silly, a little noncompliant.  He was not aggressive towards people, only spiders.  Very silly after lunch, a couple refusals at language time.  After (His aide) removed him to the room text to ours which is very quiet he settled down and did all his work....."

Just as I thought it sounds like he was overstimulated.  He mentioned the other day how there are all new children in his class except one child from last year.  Anxiety could be part of his problem too.  When I was cleaning out his lunch box tonight I realized he ate NOTHING at school today.  He didn't even take a bite of anything.  He loves cucumbers and dip.  I thought he would have at least ate a few bites of that.  That is definitely not like him.  He loves to eat and usually eats a lot.  IDK if he didn't eat cause he was angry or was angry cause he didn't eat.  He did eat a good breakfast.  I wonder if he was mad I packed PB&J?  IDK sometimes...

Oh yeah... yesterday while I was bringing my mother on some errands in another town I seen Shnooks.  We made eye contact for a few minutes.  Then as I was driving down the street with him behind me, I could see out the side mirror him giving me the middle finger.  Whatever...