Category Archives: Health

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About that quilt…

“About that quilt.” I know, the title is rather cryptic.  It is not at all descriptive. And that’s okay.  Last Spring, I wrote about the unfinished quilt. Remember? I wrote about how in a situation like ours, we were constantly removing pieces of the quilt and trying different things in their place. Since we moved last summer, we have made incredible changes.  Our family dynamic has changed.  We owe this simply to the move into the city from our small community.  Jobs changed.  Stress levels are reduced. We now have four kids in college. So what is different? Simply put – Everything.  This time when David is discharged, he will be coming home to a new house he has never lived in.  He will be starting a new school.  He will have access to activities that weren’t available in our small town.  He should have access to a greater range

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Where is the failure? Thoughts on FASD

A year ago, David was diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). It’s a developmental disorder he was born with because of the birth mom’s drug and alcohol usage during the pregnancy. If he had been diagnosed before age 3, he would have DD services. Right now, because he didn’t have that diagnosis, he doesn’t qualify. It is their belief that he is capable of being entirely self-sufficient. and he isn’t. He may be 16 physically, but he is about 6 or 7 in most ways, and 8 or 9 in others. In every other way, he qualifies for DD services.  Except, depending on the day and his affect, his IQ scores too high.  I make the argument that an IQ score alone doesn’t indicate self-sufficiency. FASD   Initially, for the first 9 years, we fought to keep things “normal” for him, which meant that while we saw doctors, we

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Don’t give up on me.

With those few words, “Don’t give up on me.” David ended our phone call tonight. I assure him each time that I won’t.  He is our son and will always be our son.  See today he admitted to assaulting his mom.  If he had been adult, he would have been guilty of a felony. As it is, he is in a detention center where he has been since March 27th.  On Friday he will move to what is called a safe bed, which will allow him a bit more freedom, as well as a chance to get back on his medication.  (why the detention center for youth doesn’t give him his medications like they are prescribed is a fight for another day).  Then next Tuesday, he will be moving to a Youth Home in another city. See.  For the longest time, we (his whole team) has referred to his condition

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