Life is bamboozling me!

[ladycattat]

I don't wanna whine(much) but do you ever get the feeling that like that song says, if it wasn't for bad luck, I wouldn't have any luck at all?
I just got the news that my 87 yr old favorite aunt(who is more like a gramma to me than my real one EVER was) just broke her hip and has to have surgery this afternoon. She lives much too far away for me to go and help out or do anything but pray.
My ATM card got pick-pocketed this morning while I was shopping at a local thrift store for a Hermione wig for my daughter for Halloween. The bank says it will take 7-10 working days to replace it.
My 6 yr old son has been having more and more trouble in school. He is in first grade and is just unable to sit down and focus and we got a referal to counselor who talked with us, and him at great length......and there is a really great possibity that he may be on the Aspergers/Autism spectrum. what that means in the big scheme of things right now, I am not sure, but I do know it means less than smooth sailing for him and for us.

I'm just emotionally beat....at least with my SN, I look good

Laurie

[lcash]

And I was feeling sorry for myself that the cat barfed on the carpet! I'm sorry to hear you've had such a difficult day. It's very frustrating when you can't physically help someone you love, but you can also love her with prayer, cards, phone calls, flowers, letters, or whatever. When my dad was in a nursing home, I emailed my step-mom frequently and she would read my emails to him (he couldn't manage the phone). Certainly not the same as being there in person, but you are with her, nonetheless. I'm a junior high school counselor and I've worked with a number of kids with mild autism and Asperger's Syndrome. With patience and consistency, most of them do pretty well, especially as they mature and learn to manage their own behavior. Don't rush into anything here - make sure you understand every step of the way what's being considered and recommended, especially if it involves medication.

When things get rough, it's especially important to take the time to look and feel good. I'm glad you're doing that! I'll add your well-being, your aunts recovery and your son's progress in school to my prayers. Hang in there. Lauren

[~*mikie*~]

Lauren, you're a gem! Good advice!

Laurie, you hang in there. Your aunt *knows* you love her & would be there if you could. She *knows*. Your son will be on the road to getting help.

Bad days DO end & GOOD stuff can *also* surprise you in streaks.

We're here. Vent anytime. We ALL need to from time to time.

Fluff even when you don't feel like it...that's often when we NEED to most...for *ourselves* & the minutes of joy doing the process. Also, my experience is that when life gets crazy & troubles/worries mount, anything *normal* is reassuring. Fluffing is *normal*, routine, comforting, reassuring.

mikie

[JenW]

My heart goes out to you, Laurie! We definitely all have our things to bear, and I really appreciate that you are allowing us to give you a little support. I feel honored.

As I am reading this post, I am so touched by the wisdom and support given by these two ladies (Mikie and Lauren). I need a tissue! You are all such a great group of women here!

[ladycattat]

Thanks ladies for all your love and support. My cousin just called, and apperrently the hydrolic lift that they were going to use in the hip replacement surgery for my Aunt Jeanne broke just before the surgery, so now she will have to be transported via ambulance to Lake Tahoe(over 200 miles away) to do it later tonight!
According to my cousin, my aunt still seems to be in relatively good spirits. It's been a rough year for her.....her husband of 50+ years, my Uncle Gordon , pasted away this past winter, and she moved out of the home they had lived in the entire time of their marriage into an assisted living facility in another city to be near my cousins. She is 89 years old, and really about as spry as a 60 year old. She is amazing. She never forgets a birthday or an anniversary, and can discuss books with the best of them.
Since I wasn't able to get a Hermione wig for for DD, I did what most time and money-challenged moms do when they need a costume quickly, I did the ole' Gypsy costume thing.( she has a Girl Scout meeting tomorrow night, and they are supposed to be costumed!) I took a pic, sans make-up(which will make a huge difference) and I hope I can get it to post here.
AS far as DS goes, we've known for a little while that there was *something* going on on in that little brain of his. He had a very rigid, demeaning, sarcastic kindergarten teacher last year that pegged him as a troublemaker from day one, and that was very condecending to me, and I went against my better judgement, and didn't have him transferred, because I didn't want to be *that Mom*. This year I fought to get him the first grade teacher I felt would be the best fit for him, and even though he is still having difficulties, I know at least this teacher isn't giving up on him, and I trust that he and I and my DH can work well together as a team with DS best interests in mind.

And yes, sometimes fluffing helps! And so do you all, more than you know!

Laurie

Oops, cannot add pic, it says it's too big! I'll take a pic tommorrwo night with camera phone

[mgmsrk]

Laurie,

I’m sure your DD’s costume will be just great. It’s good to hear you Aunt is in good spirits, that will usually do wonders for recovery.

I agree with Lauren 100% about medication, it is often the first thing Dr’s reach for but it can be scary in children. I don’t think 6yos are designed to sit still for long periods of time. I have a nephew who has Autism, he was diagnosed at about 3yo and has been in special programs since, he is in a regular class but has full time “helpers” and goes to a year round program for the summers. He is considered high functioning but there is no way he could of made it to School age without the diagnosis, his behavior was simply too over the top. My guess would be that your son has very mild tendencies. Like Lauren said most do go on to lead perfectly normal lives. I know lots of people with the condition, several members of my DH’s family(all the males(and some of the females) in the family have aspergers) one of the Vet’s at our Vet College has Autism and I used to work with a firefighter in my company with aspergers.

It’s a wonder how some people make it to be teachers when they should not be allowed anywhere near children. My kindergarten teacher was also a disaster but thanks to tenure she was kept on. The last day of class before winter break she rounded up the class, after separating the Jewish, Muslim and Buddhist kids and making them stand facing the wall ‘because this doesn’t concern them” so she could tell the rest of us that our parents were lying to us and that there was no such thing as Santa. She also gave us pointers on where to look to find the presents that our parents were hiding with his name on them. That is not even the strangest day we had with her, I think the first day of school was the worst. She was finally fired and arrested the next year when she lost a student during morning recess and did not notice for the whole day.

[~*mikie*~]

YIKES!

mikie

[tizzylou]

I once wrote a college English comp paper on the fact the teachers were the only profession that once they got tenure really didn't have to preform up to standards, needless to say the college professor didn't appriciate it, and I still feel this way. I have seen and experienced to many teachers that shouldn't be allowed anywhere near a child ( including my own 1st grade teacher who literally tied students in their chairs if they didn't sit still). However, I have also experienced the excellent teachers who made learning exciting and fun, and who were more than capable of handling students with learning disabilities, who managed to turn what might have been an education disaster into an education success.

Laurie, continue to fight for you little guy to have appropriate teachers who don't just label , but rather want to see your child succeed and everything will work out.
Hollis