What do You Think?

Since moving to our new town, it's been a high priority to find The Boy a doctor so we can keep the medication train going. We found one out in town that I think may just work out. *By "out in town", it just means he won't be seen on a military base.* She is a Mom herself with six year old twins so that helps the Mom in me feel better. She took a long time to listen to The Boy's history, asking questions along the way. Instead of the quick allotted 15 minutes, she was very generous with her time and wanted to know all she could about this boy and his medical history. That scored some brownie points in my mind.

As the conversation progressed, she furrowed her brows and asked The Question.

"Are you going to medicate him during the summer while out of school?"

Blink.

Blink.

My reply? "If he were an asthmatic or diabetic, I wouldn't quit medicating him since he's out of school. He will definitely be medicated during the summer as it helps him maintain control of his hyperactivity and impulsivity."

I was honest with her...we can't live with him if he's not medicated. You might think badly of us, but I'll tell you like I tell everyone else. You don't know him. You don't know how fast he can get out of control. He doesn't like losing control. He likes being able to focus. With medication, he can sit on the floor and play with his cars and action figures without having to get up and run around.

I don't know if she was going to suggest taking him off of medication or not...but she kept her thoughts to herself, nodded and wrote a prescription.

We now have a referral for a child psychiatrist that he will see in August after school starts back. Some times I wonder if it will always be this way. Will my child need a psychiatrist his entire life? Will he ever be able to get off this medication? I don't mind him going to the psychiatrist at all. I don't mind the medication now that I know how much it helps him. I just hope and pray and pray and pray that one day he won't have to have these things to function. I guess time will tell.

Oh, did I also mention we're waiting on a speech therapy referral, too? This kid talks so fast because his brain goes ninety miles an hour. He's so intelligent, but you can't understand a word he says when he gets wound up. Therefore, here we go with speech therapy again to help him slow down and communicate.

The Boy is such a light in our lives. He and Paige call each other "Best Friend" when they call one another around the house. Makenna has this magic way about her with him when it comes to taking his medication in the mornings. I don't know what kind of voodoo she uses, but she can always get him to take those two magic pills without fuss...when minutes before he's fighting us to the ground. I have a path worn in my carpet from times where he and Prissy chase each other around the entire house. Prissy always loses traction when she hits the hardwood in the hallway and she skids a foot or two before catching her feet to keep chasing. This usually tickles The Boy to where he can't run so she catches him in the end.

So what if he has to take a few pills the rest of his life? So what if he has to see a psychiatrist once in a while to make sure all is well in his world? It is what it is and I'll do my best to make sure I do my part to make it happen.

I thought I would share a couple of pictures of my handsome boy from 5K. Moving an ADHD kid who is a tad OCD in the middle of the school year is a bad ordeal for a Mama. God had His hands all over the situation when he put my baby in Mrs. P's class. That teacher was a Godsend and she worked and communicated with us religiously with helping him adjust to his new class, teacher, and school. He never complained about going to school (I think because Mrs. P. is a looker and he appreciates a pretty gal!) and we were amazed at how fast he was learning. Now, my baby reads and to keep him entertained in church, I give him math problems to do. I kid you not. He loves doing addition and subtraction..maybe I'll introduce multiplication this summer? I made sure to tell Mrs. P (and Mrs. S., the aide) how much we appreciated all they've done. In fact, they might have gotten tired of my continued thanks by the end.

Now, we head to first grade and a whole new level. I am sitting here now with hands paused over the keyboard as I look up at him playing with his trucks, cars, and action figures...in his own little world of make believe. Two weeks from now I'll be writing about his graduation from high school (at least it'll feel like that!), and sad at how fast time flew by.

Isn't it just crazy how much love you can feel for a child? Each of my three and a few adopted ones I've gathered along the way just keep my heart full to bursting and I am just a better person because of that.

*I do have some really cute group pictures of his class, but I can't share. I don't have permission to put someone else's baby on the Internet. I'm sure you understand!*

The Man took a day off from work to go with The Boy on the field trip to the zoo. I don't do field trips if I can help it. I mean, I will, but it's not my favorite thing to do. We felt one of us needed to go since we didn't know if all that stimulation would make him go in to froot loop mode. He did wonderfully and had an awesome time spending the day with his Dad. I'm so glad my husband can do stuff like this and make some great memories!

My little town boy doing country stuff! He really liked this and had to tell me all about it.

Two very awesome teachers. I do have their permission to put their picture up on the blog. Mrs. S. is to the left and Mrs. P. is to the right. She received the Teacher of the Year award this year (well earned!) and one of the parents gave her a tiara to wear the day of the 5K program. (You all know I just adore a tiara so I thought it perfectly fitting.) I am in prayer now that my son will be blessed to have another teacher in his learning pathway like these two.