Make Believe & Koko Pea

Well, as I mulled over what to call this posting (and what to focus on since I've been wating to write for over a week now!!!) I decided to focus on Sam and his creativity.  In the beginning of our search for an answer to our issues with Sam - through testing we found that he did not 'pretend' NEAR as much as a child his age should - I knew there were possible issues - but the tests really hit home.  He would not pretend to put a cow in a toy bathtub - because cows do NOT take  baths!!!!  That is just one example.  Now - he is willing to do silly things - MOST of the time. Sometimes the literal side kicks in  - but for the most part - he does a great job of really using his imagination:-) 

Looked up Apps for the iPad 2 - (I say 2 because of the camera capabilities - we would/could use this to create his picture schedules - we could take a pic of his OT in Hastings for example instead of using a generic pencil drawing of a 'friend' that I use now for any person .....the more specific the better...etc.)  There are apps for labeling emotions; there is one that really excited me - as I think it would help him to talk to us about his day at pre-school.  Right now he just gets angry and frustrated and does not want to talk about it - but the app I found would encourage him to interact on the iPad and tell about his activities.......I digress.

Last Friday - March 11 - Koko went to heaven and I also had to take Sam to the Dr. - within a two hour time period.  HORRIBLE day - besides the obvious and a horrible headache - Sam was coughing terribly.  By the time he saw the Dr. he had a temperature and was in bad shape.  He has been sick for a week - no temp now but very bad cough and very irritable.  He does not do well when he is not 100% - it seems to be magnified with him as with everything else:-)  He has been very physical with his sister - one moment he is approaching her and wanting a hug (she turns away because she thinks he is going to hit/pinch her or yell in her face - so then he gets mad because she is turning away and he doesn't understand why.....) then in the next minute his is yelling in her face and shoving her to the ground.  It is awful to witness and my heart aches for her sometimes!!  She is tough one - yes she cries and yes she eggs some of it on - she knows what toys to touch to make him mad - and it works but much of the time she has done nothing to bring this on. 

K - I've written enough.  Wait.......we have an 'IEP' meeting - not sure what to think.  Then we have the meeting with the school that he could be attending next year in late April.  Don thinks he'll do well in Kindergarten if we send him all ready - I do not know what to do at this point.  Guidance is needed.  We shall see how this unfolds....TBD.     

YAY! Very Intense Week.....

Ugh, have been trying to blog all week.   WOW - YAY my husband and I went to a meeting last Monday that consisted of Asperger's parents only - it was AWESOME!!!  The fact that we could share stories, understand, not have to justify or defend and laugh was great.  There were 7 or 8 of us and all the others had a child between the ages 11-30.  So- we had 'experts' to ask our many questions and get advice on some of our issues.  I am sooooo grateful to have made priceless contacts - I all ready have a list of names and numbers to call regarding therapists that might help us get a handle on Sam's anger/'violent' tendencies.  Now we will all be meeting the second Sunday of the month.....YAY!

Then, I had the pleasure of meeting with our pastor's wife Wednesday.  Pretty intense and great.  It took us 6 years to have Samuel (as I stated in earlier blogs) and she was one of a few that were praying for a child for us.  When we met this last week, she asked 'is he a 'destiny' child' - woa!  Hadn't put it that way before - I do believe in healing and I am also believing for God to give my husband and I the tools to handle Sam.  

STICKER CHART:  well, the sticker chart is not a fantastic incentive for Sam unless he knows I have 'cheap' toys in the closet for him when he gets on a 'circle'.  Hot Wheels, Dollar Tree thingys, Backugans (sp?), candy, etc.  Twice in the last week he has said he does not want his sticker chart anymore - 'THROW IT AWAY!!!!'  We had a mega meltdown Wednesday all afternoon - he wanated the two Hot Wheels that he knew were in the closet - he counted how many stickers he would have to get before getting them - 7.  He was overwhelmed by all the 'chores' he would have to do to get the stickers (these 'chores' are hardly tiring - but to him they are!!) and flew into meltdown mode.  I couldn't take it anymore after 45 minutes - not only was he in a fit, Nasya was bawling and in the middle of it and I was TIRED - so I set them out and crossed off the circles.  It was an 'advance' as far as I was concerned - and that is what I told him.  The next several stickers he received I just barely mentioned them to him and did not make a big deal about it until we got close to the next circle.   He's so stinkin smart - he always figures a way around our methods/incentives/etc.  It's not a good thing.

Those of you that have known me for a while know that I've dealt with headaches all my life.  Some days are tolerable and some are unbearable.  I have gone to many doctors over time and get the same lazy answer - tension.  They are in the back of my head/neck area and I have just been told take ibuprofen and learn to relax.  GRRRRRRRR - yes I've had stress in my life - esp. the last 5 years - but what was I stressed about when I was in elementary school????  I bit the bullet and went to a neurologist Thursday.  They looked at my MRI from 2003 and think they have the answer.  I have a funky bone behind my left ear - that has muscles/nerves attached to it - because it is bumped out it is pulling on those muscles and nerves - to make things worse I have whiplash from 26 years ago - my neck bone is straight.  They are working against eachother - makes sense.  SO - due to all the ibuprofen, Excedrine Tension/Migraine, and Fiorinol (sp?) I have taken I also get rebound headaches - therefore - I am in 'detox' this week and quitting cold turkey - UGH!!!  Today - Saturday is my first day with no drugs.  They have given me something else that will teach the muscles/nerves to chemically relax and hopefully this will all be the answer.  I honestly cannot imagine a day without dull pain and/or horrible pain - and I really cannot imagine a day without ibuprofen!!!!  I am excited to hopefully have the answer I have been needing!