*Jacob made the local paper in Salem when the police had to find him for us, once again. This was true terror for me and Chris. Thank heavens the article let us remained anonymous and lessened the finger-pointing.
*Jacob broke my fairly-new MAC and lost all my pictures and documents. (Which is why I have been AWOL.) My heart is broken for all the beach, first day of school, downtown Salem and other great pics I lost on my dead hard drive. :(
*During our move across the country, a stranger called tho police when she saw us manhandling Jacob into the car with force. Um, Lady? what do you advise we do to keep our teenage-sized-but-toddler-minded-and-violently-tantruming-autistic-child-who-can-escape-any-kind-of-safety-restraint from running into traffic in a strange city? Cause I promise you that, left in your self-procliamed more capable hands, he would have kicked your 115 lb butt and gotten away, weather you are a nurse or not. But thank you sooo much for glaring at us from across the parking lot until the cops showed up. It was oh-so helpful to the situation. And for the record, the police sided with us. Burn.
*3+ months into the 2011-12 school year, and he hasn't gone a single day. Mommy needs a break.
*Even though Jacob was approved in the past for the Katie Beckett Medicaid Waiver, and rumor was that, once accepted, a child could not be denied in the future, AND said Katie Beckett was an Iowa citizen, all signs point to him not being eligible for the program in IA.
*I hope I am wrong here, but so far my research says that, here in Story County, kids with ADHD can get respite and other supports. Kids with a full blown autism diagnosis don't qualify. I'd gladly let him bite all the involved lawmakers to get that ridiculous rule changed.
*So far in Iowa people have been very kind. We have had dinner invites, cookies delivered, and even got to put Jacob on a horse, which he loved. I truly hope they all still like us after they get to know us better and Jacob hits, bites, steals toys from, or in some other way tortures the local children.
Now that all these headlines are out there, I have to hold myself to expanding on them. Stay tuned.
2 comments:
I'm so sorry things didn't go better! I'd like to punch that lady that called the police on you. Seriously. I miss you guys, say hi to everyone for me.
Oh, my, oh, my.....I am so sorry about these troubles. I think of you often. My 114-pounder had one of his meltdowns in the OT office where they know us and work with autistic kids all the time. Actually it was in the cold hard tile bathroom where I was trying to change a poopy diaper by myself. I managed to get him to the office, lying on top of him to keep him from bloodying his face, and one of the gals came out to help, and I burst into tears and cried, "Take him! Take him forever!" Thankfully, they know and love me and didn't call CPS on me. :)
We have figured out that he hits himself because he wants to be wrapped: a neoprene tennis brace around both wrists (together), and an exercise weight around both ankles (to hold them together), and to top it off, a karate helmet with an electric toothbrush tucked into it next to his ear. Calms in five minutes. Getting the wraps on when he is in full tantrum mode is another thing altogether.....
The people at the therapy clinic said I could get a note from the pediatrician to show people in public who are concerned about seeing him restrained.
How did things go with weaning Jacob off behavior meds? We discovered that he needed lamictal to balance out the rage caused by his Keppra. Risperdal doesn't seem to do much.
I am very, very (very!) interested in your life! Please keep writing!
Mindy
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