jcox
New Member
Yesterday Elijah's two week good spree came crashing to an end. He woke up very hyper. He pulled his ten y.o sister's hair so hard she fell to the floor. He threw a chair at his other sister who is twelve. He choked the puppy. He thew his television on the floor twice breaking it. Then got mad because it was broken. I had to hold his body during which time his nose started bleeding. He then tried blowing his nose saying he wanted to blow all his blood out so he could be dead. He proceded to eat some watermellon seeds and paper thinking that would make him die. I decided to drive him a half hour to his counseling appointment. Bad decision!
On the way there he was banging the windows in the van, kicking them, trying to open the door as we were speeding down the highway... thank goodness for child lock! Then he got his arm out of his seatbelt, leaned forwards, and grabbed my hair as I was driving. He did this about three times on the way to his apt. Twice once off the highway so bad my head came back as I was driving. He was throwing things at me like his lunch box and a dust pan that we keep in the van as I drove. Once we got to his appointment he would not let me unbuckle him. He can not unbuckle himself because we have this cover on his seatbelt because he used to love to unbuckle as we were driving. So I leaned over to try to unbuckle him and he tried to attack me again. I called inside to his counselor who came outside. I told her I thought he needed to go be evaluated and she agreed.
We were in the ER from about 2:45 until 1:30 this morning. The crisis service worker last night was awesome. I had a list of hospitals I would approve him going to and he went right down the list. Number five had a bed, but none of the others like the hospital where his psychiatrist is. They were all full. So at 1:30 in the morning I had to drive an hour from where his appointment is... an hour and a half from my house to the child psychiatric hospital where they admitted him to do his intake paperwork. I got home at about five this morning. I only got about two hours of sleep. Then the phone began ringing... nothing major, just his social worker introducing herself and setting up a meeting for later this afternoon... and his psychiatrist calling about medication changes.
They are making immediate medication changes beginning this morning. They are stopping his Risperdal, Vistaril, and Celexa immediately. They are adding Abilify, going to most likely up his Lithium if not in the therapeutic range, which it was not when last checked... lower his clonidine to only one dose at bedtime instead of four times a day. He said they will use the Risperdal as needed for aggitation atleast during the changes. He is putting him on something called Cojentin.. not sure of the spelling just in case of side effects.
The psychiatrist told me Elijah presents as a child with Autism, most likely Aspergers, and bipolar. He said Elijah is complicating.
I am going to go for a meeting with the social worker this afternoon and a visit with Elijah. My heart is breaking apart, but at the same time I really think he needs this. It is just so hard. This is the first time he has been hospitalized. Last night he knew how to make me feel bad. He was crying Mommy please don't leave me here. I kept saying sorry but they will help it so your body does not tell you to do bad things so much and they will help you feel better.
I am full of worries. My heart literally hurts. I wonder if they will take good care of him, help him with bathing etc. that he needs to be talked through. Wonder if they will comfort him while he is upset. Also lots of other worries. This is so hard for me, but inside I know it had to be done. Even his new psychiatrist said that he needed to be watched 24-7 so he could be evaluated. I am happy the medication changes are moving right along.
I could use lots of prayers now that Elijah will be safe, that they will take good care of him and comfort him, that he will know I love him, for strength to get through this, and for safe travels when we have to drive an hour and a half to see him each day. Also for the rest of my family to be strong.. for Elijah to be alright...
Thanks for all the support... any suggestions etc. are always greatly appreciated.
Janice
On the way there he was banging the windows in the van, kicking them, trying to open the door as we were speeding down the highway... thank goodness for child lock! Then he got his arm out of his seatbelt, leaned forwards, and grabbed my hair as I was driving. He did this about three times on the way to his apt. Twice once off the highway so bad my head came back as I was driving. He was throwing things at me like his lunch box and a dust pan that we keep in the van as I drove. Once we got to his appointment he would not let me unbuckle him. He can not unbuckle himself because we have this cover on his seatbelt because he used to love to unbuckle as we were driving. So I leaned over to try to unbuckle him and he tried to attack me again. I called inside to his counselor who came outside. I told her I thought he needed to go be evaluated and she agreed.
We were in the ER from about 2:45 until 1:30 this morning. The crisis service worker last night was awesome. I had a list of hospitals I would approve him going to and he went right down the list. Number five had a bed, but none of the others like the hospital where his psychiatrist is. They were all full. So at 1:30 in the morning I had to drive an hour from where his appointment is... an hour and a half from my house to the child psychiatric hospital where they admitted him to do his intake paperwork. I got home at about five this morning. I only got about two hours of sleep. Then the phone began ringing... nothing major, just his social worker introducing herself and setting up a meeting for later this afternoon... and his psychiatrist calling about medication changes.
They are making immediate medication changes beginning this morning. They are stopping his Risperdal, Vistaril, and Celexa immediately. They are adding Abilify, going to most likely up his Lithium if not in the therapeutic range, which it was not when last checked... lower his clonidine to only one dose at bedtime instead of four times a day. He said they will use the Risperdal as needed for aggitation atleast during the changes. He is putting him on something called Cojentin.. not sure of the spelling just in case of side effects.
The psychiatrist told me Elijah presents as a child with Autism, most likely Aspergers, and bipolar. He said Elijah is complicating.
I am going to go for a meeting with the social worker this afternoon and a visit with Elijah. My heart is breaking apart, but at the same time I really think he needs this. It is just so hard. This is the first time he has been hospitalized. Last night he knew how to make me feel bad. He was crying Mommy please don't leave me here. I kept saying sorry but they will help it so your body does not tell you to do bad things so much and they will help you feel better.
I am full of worries. My heart literally hurts. I wonder if they will take good care of him, help him with bathing etc. that he needs to be talked through. Wonder if they will comfort him while he is upset. Also lots of other worries. This is so hard for me, but inside I know it had to be done. Even his new psychiatrist said that he needed to be watched 24-7 so he could be evaluated. I am happy the medication changes are moving right along.
I could use lots of prayers now that Elijah will be safe, that they will take good care of him and comfort him, that he will know I love him, for strength to get through this, and for safe travels when we have to drive an hour and a half to see him each day. Also for the rest of my family to be strong.. for Elijah to be alright...
Thanks for all the support... any suggestions etc. are always greatly appreciated.
Janice