Dawn Is Me

It’s a weird thing but sometimes I think to myself: Thank God it’s Monday!

We had a bit of an episode this weekend with Kimmie, resulting in bad fright for yours truly.

This is a situation that gets you a case of Mixed Feelings.

First, you’re frightened.

If you’re anything like me (and maybe even if you’re not), you’re also frustrated enough to want to bitch-slap the little darlin’ for hurting herself like that. Or even wanting to hurt herself like that.

You’re hurt because that’s how you feel when you’re babies hurt. And you hurt more because you don’t know what to do.

Now, I’m tired. Kimmie is okay physically; I won’t vouch for her mental state. She keeps saying she hates herself and she’s being really stubborn about it, too (hence the frustration).

All I want is for her to not hurt herself anymore.

Okay, now that that’s done.

I am facing what I call a monumental challenge.

I have a daughter who (a) has ADHD, (b) is an introvert (making her susceptible to overstimulation), and (c) is probably gifted. Yes, we’re talking about Kimmie.

Did you know that there are a lot of characteristics (or symptoms, depending on your orientation) often displayed by children with ADHD that are also displayed by children who are gifted? And sometimes, they are both.

My challenge is to persuade the state of New York to provide her with the education she is entitled to. Because I need to establish, through the use of objective resources (because the morons at this school district are very resistant to the idea that she may be gifted, they are too wedded to the idea that she is a dangerous lunatic … grrrrr), that she really is gifted or talented or whatever it turns out that she is.

Once I’ve done that (and I don’t even know where to go with it right now, who tests for these things, what kinds of qualifications should the have, etc.), I can sit down with them and craft an IEP that will actually meet their needs. I’m very, very lucky to have her counsellor on my side.

It’s annoying to have to go through all this; not like I don’t have other things to do. On the plus side, it’s worth the trouble. There’s a lot of potential in this girl and, if I don’t do this for her now, this school system will let her go straight down the toilet. That, as far as I’m concerned, is not an option.

I hope you’ll pardon me while I go get my suit of armor out of the closet and check it over for rust spots …

David is back, in more ways than one. We brought him home on Thursday and we celebrated his birthday yesterday. He’s a legal adult now. It’s a very strange thing when your first baby crosses that threshhold. It’s even stranger when they have the kind of challenges David has. I still haven’t figured out how I feel about it. Happy and sad and unsure about what is supposed to happen next.

It’s been lovely, though, to watch him take his place in the family again. The kids, especially Gina, are fairly thrilled at how much easier it is to talk to him, how much more rational he seems now, and how much easier it is to get along with him. I’m loving it!

The meds are going to be an issue. Clozipine (I finally got the name of the stuff straight) can have some very, very serious side effects for a small minority of patients, so they are very, very carefully monitored. He’ll need blood work every week and the lab will have to give me a form to show what his white blood cell count is before I can get the prescription filled. And then, too, most drug stores don’t dispense this stuff. Gino is making special arrangements so that the local drug store will stock it (so I don’t have to drive 20 miles to Oneonta every week to get this script filled).

All things considered, I’m willing to jump through all the hoops I need in order to make sure he has his meds. What a difference they’ve made!

So, we’re pretty much back to normal at this end of the world, only better. Many thanks and much love to all those who sent their good wishes, prayers, and other warm fuzzies our way … you guys rock.