Things do get better
4 years ago on Christmas Eve I paged our pdoc. Now you can imagine that things had to be pretty bad for me to decide to page our doctor on Christmas Eve. Although we are Jewish and our pdoc is Jewish, Channukah fell on Christmas that year and we were having a Latkes dinner with my parents. Our pdoc let us know that he too was at some celebration that night and was in no condition to help us. My son got upset about something and went into the kitchen and knocked all the lit menorah's over. Thankfully he didn't start a fire and the only casualty was a table-cloth. My son had been struggling at school due to his dyslexia and his bipolar and we were unsure what was triggering him lately but this incident with him knocking over the candles was very upsetting to us and to our son. Our pdoc promised to call back on Christmas day. The next day we figured out that our son was peeing out his Lithium. That vacation week was one of the worst I can remember, although we had plenty of others before this one that came close to being as bad.
Fast forward to this week. Our son is home after his first semester at College. I have to pinch myself as I listen to him talk about his first semester. So many of the things he says sound so typical of a kid his age, and yet he has never been a typical teen or a typical kid due to his BP. He is engaged in a way I never imagined him to be engaged. He is even returning to school early in January because he has a job.
Yesterday I came home to find him frying up some noodles I had planned on using for a casserole (Kugel) that night. He was making himself lunch. Later that day I was whining to my mother who reminded me that only 3.5 years ago we were fearful that he might never live independently and would need long term psychiatric care. And here he was, cooking himself lunch. And when he was done the kitchen DID not look like a bomb had exploded in it.
Lesson: Things do and can get better. These kids can grow into loving wonderful adults. Happy Holidays everyone.
--
Jistac
Mother of 3 (21, 19, 16) with a variety of mental health issues. Been involved with using Empower as a treatment since 2003
So very happy for you. And happy holidays
--
Michelle
mom to Emily 13 bp, Scout 11, Nathan 9.
married to doug
2 grown step kids
Thank you for writing this. Today, Christmas Eve, has been a nightmare to say the least. I hope and pray that my son will someday have the results that your son has had. Reading your post makes me feel a little more hopeful. Thanks again.
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~Diane
What a timely post.
How we rejoice in our children talking, acting and experiencing "typical." Isn't it amazing how even after years of illness and lost opportunities some can catch up so quickly - rapidly making up for lost time.
I know the wonderful feeling you had at seeing "typical."
--"Naomi"
Older dd: formerly(?) teen-onset bipolar: After over 13 years - finally STABLE off meds for over a year! Treated: Sleep, Candida, food sensitivities, nutritional needs, low-ish thyroid hormone. Now fine on just the diet changes and higher thyroid levels.
Younger dd: formerly(?) Childhood-onset schizoaffective, TS, OCD with disabling migraines since infancy. Also off antipsychotic and meds for migraines. Stable - no hallucinations. Treated for multiple endocrine problems, food sensitivities, nutritional/mitochondrial needs, gut issues, sleep issues.
Thank you for posting this. We too are having a terrible holiday break and reading this has given me some hope.
--
Chrissy--trying not to go insane
Aaron--exDH (undiagnosed and untreated BP)
Caleb--DS, 8 (BP) currently on Tegretol (200 mg 2xs a day) and Prozac (10 mg a day) and Risperdal (1 mg before bedtime)
"Instead of waiting for the storm to end, I learned how to dance in the rain."