I don't know if anyone reads this, and it's ok if you don't.
So the last you heard from me, it was March, and I was busy grumping about my husband (for one), as well as some gal online. (I've since stopped following her posts, and feel I'm the better for it). I was taking my son to a clinic through the local university, and grew real tired of the same B.S. from the doctor, month in and month out.
"Things not getting any better? Ok, we'll keep him on the same meds".
"Things getting worse? Ok, we'll keep him on the same meds... and dose".
Eyah.. so I found out that someone I'd been wanting to get my kiddo to more than a year prior, was finally accepting new patients. I called and practically begged the doctor to take Jack in, and thankfully she started seeing him in April.
Jack is off of the Elavil, which means no more regular blood work or EKG's. He's still on the Risperdal (min. dosage), with the idea of possibly changing it to something else in the future, depending on how he does. Jack is now on 10mg of Prozac. Shocking as it may be, this is the best medication he's ever been on, and certainly the one with the longest lasting success. There are concerns about any medication you put yourself or your child on, and I don't know how many meds are as scary sounding as "Prozac". However, the bi-weekly mood swings have gone to about once a month, and they are drastically improved. As well, the physical aggression stopped during the last few weeks of 5th grade, which was of great surprise to everyone.. as well as even his decrease in negative comments. Even his summer was pretty great. Not 100% perfect, but heck, I can't even get that from Savannah. Kids are kids. (Plus his father didn't have to yell at him more than few times over summer break, which is basically unheard of).
Before he started on the new medication, and before deciding that 10mg was the best dose for him for the time being, the school called me about some disturbing behaviors they'd been seeing. This would include a drawing they felt could be considered "threatening" towards his Intervention Specialist. The second was a chapter in a story he and another boy were working on together, which had a great deal of what they felt was disturbing violence, and was supposedly directed towards his Intervention Specialist.
I can tell you that the chapter in question is something so completely ridiculous that I gave the school a hard time about it. When this happened, the director of Special Ed for the district decided to look into another school for Jack, which is a school for kids with Autism (and their typical siblings). This was thrown at me a month before the end of the school year, when we'd already taken a tour of the middle school they led us to believe he was going to. She told me that she didn't think the school could handle him, and it wouldn't be a good fit, and we should go and check the other school out.
I should say that this had me pretty pissed off. Yes, I wanted to check out the school. I've heard about it for years. I also know it's very difficult to get into, and they were willing to let him in ahead of others on a long waiting list. But to think that she wanted to send him here based on him writing a nonsense story about aliens with a name sort of similar to his IS? (Also similar to an animal species, and totally NOT about her). To think that some other mom, one who knows full well about Jack's issues (and has a son on the spectrum herself, plus is a special ed teacher) decided to contact the school about the damn thing- how would she know who he was referring to, IF he was even referring to her? I mean, she has my phone number and can call me any time. Why would she do something like that? Something to get Jack out of going to a public school, which is in the least restrictive environment, per the law?
Jack and I did the tour, and you know? Not a bad school in theory, but when the principal keeps referring to kids with Autism as having a disability- while sitting in front of my son, no less- THAT is a problem. So Jack felt we were trying to send him to a school for kids who weren't normal. That isn't what I want. Sorry.
Today Jack starts 6th grade, and I hope it goes a lot better than last year. I know it won't be easy or fun all of the time, but I'm really hoping it's smoother than last year. His psychiatrist is trying to get me to send him to a regular counselor, but it's expensive and I don't feel like driving all over creation every week. But I do agree that it's important.
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