We've put a lot in our past. There've been surgeries, evaluations, therapies, and hydrocodone out my ass, but we've made it past a lot of the big stuff, and I really only lost my mind once, last night, as our plane touched down at home after a few days' vacation with The Hub. The thought of coming home to a child who has so many physical, emotional, and developmental problems and needs, and who doesn't like me all that much anyhow, well it was enough to have me sobbing from the time we started our descent until we picked up our luggage.
Yeah, I'm having a hard time with everything. If you hadn't noticed by now, I tend to withdraw when I'm unhappy or depressed or whatever. There's really only so much maintaining I can do, and times have been rough. I think it is time for mommy to get some antidepressants.
But here's a rundown.
No heart surgery needed, woohoo.
Eyeglasses are correcting Huck's vision to 20/70-ish.
The tonsils and adenoids that were taken out of his throat were the size of a grapefruit all together.
The ear tubes are holding in place just fine, even with two nights of slasher-movie amounts of blood pouring out of the ear he sleeps on.
The psych evaluation revealed even more fun areas of improvement, and a whole new layer of needed therapists and services.
We won't know for a little while longer how bad his ears are. Hopefully, they'll improve past the 60% hearing loss now that the ear tubes are in and once he heals.
Huck's voice is totally different now.
In news that hasn't surprised anyone around here, Huck tested at the 97th percentile in verbal communication, one wrong answer away from genius level.
Meanwhile, he's at the 43rd percentile for nonverbal communication, which is just fine. However, probably because he's blind as a bat, he's at the 8th percentile for motor skills, which means that he's about a year delayed. So now we get to add an occupational therapist to our ever-expanding list of regularly visited professionals.
There's more, but it is snacktime. Anyone still out there?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
12 comments:
You have come so far and made so much progress! I know it must be hard to face the day to day struggles. I can remember a time when coming back from a short vacation made me weep for most of the train ride at the thought of what I was coming back to (this was when I was overseas, long before I had kids. Not nearly as difficult as what you are living...) Get what you need to take care of yourself. You are doing a fabulous job!
We are here! We are here! We are here!
Don't boil that dust speck.
Dust speck? Huh?
Run to your local library and borrow, "Horton hears a who."
Horton, the elephant, finds an entire world on a dust speck on a clover. At one point all the other animals, trying to save Horton from his insanity start chanting, "Boil that dust speck.
Boil that dust speck." While all the people on the tiny, tiny planet join their voices to yell, "We are here! We are here! We are here!"
It was made inot a television cartoon special too.
It's a Dr. Seuss and one of my favorites.
Clearly you have some research to do!
Hey!
Glad you are back.
Please keep us updated! It sounds like you are very strong.
Still here!!!! Still pulling for you and so happy to hear that you're making so much progress. I know it must be hard to face such a huge task day-to-day but it sounds like you're doing a great job.
Wish I could do more to help.
I sympathize with you for all that you're struggling with. I just wanted to point out that there is a silver lining. Many of his behaviors may have been exaggerated because of the pain involved with his ears & tonsils and the inability to see and hear well. Compound that by everything he's been through and well, most people would have been curled up in a ball and non-functioning! Sounds like you have one heck of a STRONG little boy!!
Also, I know a bit about the tests you're talking about because I'm a grad student studying the exact same thing. The verbal comp score is an incredibly good sign. I hope this gives you reason to celebrate! If you have to pick a most important score, thats the one - it correlates the highest with intelligence and ability to learn.
I hope that you can start to see some improvements in your relationship and know that this kid has a lot of potential!
I'm not going anywhere. Well, I might faint from exhaustion now and then, but for the most part I'm here. We signed ourselves up for quite a job, didn't we? Hang in there!
I still check on you every day. I think you are brave, all of you, and you're one of my favorite families.
I never have anything to say that's relevant because I have just no working idea what you're going through, but I check in every day and I'm rooting for all of you.
I check you every day as well -- I'm always happy to hear an update. I'm not good about posting comments though, mostly b/c I'm afraid I'll end up giving assvice, when what I'd like to give is a hug and a batch of homemade fudge.
Keep on Keeping on, mama.
I'm here. I hope you are hanging in there.
Post a Comment