Happy Free Choice Friday Morning!!!!

[LittleDudesMom]

Good Morning Friends!


We made it to Friday! It was a short week for us, but I'm still glad that Friday is here.

I finally had to go and get some new workout clothes yesterday. I've been holding off because, well, I didn't want to spend the money yet! But, the fact that my v-neck t-shirts are looking a little "off the shoulder 80's", and I'm having to pull the pants up to the bra was getting a little old! easy child and I went out last night and I grabbed some pants and went to the dressing room. As I was taking them off the hanger, easy child said, "Mom, those are too big for you". Low and behold, I was grabbing stuff two sizes too big. I really didn't know what size to get. The loss of the first 50 pounds really hit me in the dressing room last night. I look forward to the changes of the second 50 (see power of positive thinking and optimism!).


Not a too busy day today - the gym this morning and then the grocer. After that it's anyone's guess until difficult child pick up time. Then he and I will pick easy child up at the house. She wants to get a new debit card with Hello Kitty on it!! So we will go to the bank, then difficult child has a new game reserved at Game Stop. After that, we will run to Macy's and check out the Ralph Lauren Dept. My mom's birthday is the 24th and easy child and I going up to take her out to dinner and spend the night later this month. She wears, almost exclusively, Ralph Lauren. Sometimes I can find some real bargains at Macy's in the designer dept. If no luck there, I will take a drive one day to the outlets that are about an hour from here.

We should be back home at 5 when difficult child will probably spend the evening with his 360 buddies on line with the new game. It's friday, so easy child will be out with friends. My cousin is coming over for a drink or two and we may throw something on the grill since the weather is nice.

I hope your Friday is a good one and that your Free Choice makes you happy


Sharon

 

[timer lady]

Good morning all,

Oh, Sharon, what a wonderful feeling ~ new clothes in smaller sizes. You must be so proud of yourself. :queen: Once I'm off the prednizone, I'm hoping you'll become my personal trainer.

Yup, Friday ~ end of the week, end of the first quarter for kt & no school Our SD has more days off than I've ever seen.

kt has in home therapist visit today, plus Integrated Listening Systems (ILS) worker. As a surprise, a staff member from the day treatment center she attended last year will be showing up here around noon to take kt out to lunch. Ms. ktbug will be delighted as she loves Ms. D.

As for me, if the rain continues, I believe a long warm bath is in order & back into pj's for the day. The only outing I'd like to make & doubt it will happen it to the art store ~ I dropped & broke my wrist bridge. As my arms have become so weak I need that bridge to paint. I got so frustrated with the mistakes I've made because I miss my bridge so much that I tore up the current painting I was working on ~ as I love the subject of the painting so much I've already started over again. If I talk of cutting off an ear please stop me.

:coffee2: Time to put on the hmj & enjoy the quiet of the morning.

Here's to a calm & cooperative Friday. I hope you accomplish all you set out to do & find one very good reason to smile.

Groceries being delivered this afternoon & I have an easy dinner planned.

 

[Marguerite]

G'day, folks.

Sharon/LDM, congrats on the weight loss! A tip from me regarding replacing clothes - use op-shops. You're too likely to be still changing, plus it may have been a while since you were 50 pounds lighter and it can take some practice to work out what suits you and what doesn't. This way it's not such an expensive mistake if you get it wrong. Also hang onto the clothes - you might be able to take them in further, or (shudder) you might need them if you gain back any weight. You DO have to get through winter and all the stodgy food of the holidays. When is Thanksgiving again? And Christmas?

Linda, I hope kt enjoys her surprise. I hope you can replace your wrist bridge soon, or maybe get two just in case. My father made his wrist bridge with two wooden cotton reels and a small 'plank' of craftwood.

We're getting back to some degree of normality. However, it was still a difficult day today. It began at 8 am when I turned the computer on to collect the email promised by the school principal. Then he rang at 8.20 to let me know he still hadn't sent the email. The phone conference began at 8.30 and continued until past 10.30 by which time it was almost time for difficult child 3 to begin the Geography exam that was already a week overdue. I got him started right on 11 am (just as his school TV programs finished) but I miscalculated, the exam was only half finished when it was time for us to leave for my doctor's appointment. So we still have half of it for difficult child 3 to sit, probably tomorrow. Very awkward. But after being sick this week as he has been, perhaps he should stay home from the usual Saturday work detail at the train park, anyway. He can work for a while to do some more catching up now the new medication dosage is helping. husband has also had a bad day today, first day back after being sick himself and then looking after me while I was in hospital.

After my doctor's appointment we had to rush into the city for difficult child 3's first appointment with the professor. We were ten minutes late, even later after we filled in the usual new patient paperwork. We still got the full hour though, and covered a lot of good stuff. This bloke is good, really good. I wish we'd been able to see him back when I first wanted to, when difficult child 3 was first getting diagnosed at 3.
Outcome - we're going to consider anti-anxiety medications, maybe easing back on the dex (although he is doing better academically on it) and at the same time looking at getting the Aussie equivalent of a neuropsychologist assessment. At last! It's only been 12 years! Also this bloke is in touch with people who can help the school understand exactly how to modify the work to difficult child 3's needs. I'm hoping we don't have to repeat difficult child 3 to do this, but it will be good to have SOMETHING in place. I have some notes and I now need to email the Special Education support teacher to see how much she's done along the plan recommended by the professor.

From what I can understand, this prof is maybe one step down from consulting with someone like Tony Attwood, personally. He doesn't replace our current psychiatrist, but I felt we needed a different angle.

I'm still feeling tired and a bit frail but I managed the drive into the city and back. I played the opera CDs I bought last Sunday, all the way there and back. Amazingly difficult child 3 seemed content although he's been very talkative all afternoon/evening. I'd got a phone message from girlfriend to say she and difficult child 1 would be here for tea but it was an odd message, as if confirming a previous arrangement with me. So I stopped to buy a chook to roast (and a spare for luck) and threw it in the oven with the last of my energy when we got in. husband rang just as we made it home - he should have already been on the way home but had taken longer because of the disrupted week. And just as he was leaving, a lab upstairs exploded and as warden he had to stay and handle the paperwork and safety stuff.

He rang just as I was taking the roast out of the oven to say he was leaving. It's now 10 pm and he's still not home, I'm about to ring to see if he's OK. Meanwhile I have confirmed that the phone message from girlfriend was a mistake, her phone malfunctions sometimes. So it looks like we have some leftover roast chicken for tomorrow. Easy lunches. I'm OK with it. difficult child 3 & I are watching "Prisoner of Azkeban" on TV tonight, it's almost finished.

I'm thinking husband may be thinking twice about taking himself to the train park tomorrow. it will be hard work and I really think he needs to take things quietly, after the week we've all had and the day he's just had to deal with.

Never a dull moment.

I keep saying that, don't I?

Marg

 

[Rabbit]

Good Morning All!
Sharon- Its wonderful u lost the weight!
Way to go!
Timer lady-I hope Kt enjoys her day!
Hope everyone has a great weekend!
I am looking forward to a weekend of rest and cleaning and making difficult child do schoolwork without a hassle.
Sending Hugs to All! Rabbit

 

[Fran]

Good morning my friends.
It is incredibly beautiful, almost too warm. It was a great day to walk. The leaves are gorgeous.

LDM, enjoy every size down. I remember I couldn't believe that I was actually in a smaller size. One gets such a distorted view of one's own body. I was so used to not wanting to see my body that I couldn't believe the scale and was afraid of sizes. I still don't believe I can zip jeans and feel comfortable. Congratulations, LDM. Every size smaller is a success over your own personal challenges. You are so much closer to your goal than you were a year ago. Hugs.

Linda, enjoy your low stress day.

Marguerite, good luck with the professor. Hope the anti anxiety medications help and difficult child is able to maintain his attention. 12yrs for a neuropsychologist type exam is sad isn't it?

Rabbit, enjoy your weekend of rest and cleaning.

My easy child is coming home Sat. am. I am planning on a thanksgiving dinner on a small scale for Sunday. Today is grocery shopping, baking and cooking. This time of year always makes me want to cook serious comfort food and bake desserts.

difficult child is going to have a nice long list of things to do. He is not always cooperative but if I give him some lead time he will generally be pleasant.

Have a wonderful weekend.

 

[SearchingForRainbows]

Good Morning Everyone,

Sharon (LDM), 50 lbs!!! Way To Go!!! You have worked so hard this year and I'm very, very proud of you!!! Enjoy your evening - You deserve some R & R!!!

Linda, Lunch out - What a nice surprise for kt. I'm glad you're taking it easy today. A long hot bath... pjs.... listening to the rain outside... What a nice relaxing, peaceful way to spend a day...

Marg, I'm so glad you're feeling better and out of the hospital!!! My internet service was down all yesterday and I wasn't able to check on you. As usual, you're way too BUSY!!! Try to find a bit of time for yourself. You've had a very rough week. And, I'm glad you're making progress with getting the school to provide the things difficult child 3 needs to succeed. I've got my fingers crossed that difficult child 3 gets that Aussie equivalent of our neuropsychologist evaluation... Sending lots of positive thoughts your way...

Rabbit, I hope your difficult child gets all of the school work done peacefully and you have a productive weekend and time for a bit of R & R too...

I'm very glad today is Friday. It's been a busy and stressful week for me. I have some errands to run, calls to make - We recently switched to a cheaper insurance plan. Unfortunately, the timing was poor as I had to have some medical tests and doctors visits that we hadn't planned for. Now, I have to call the hospital, doctors' offices and make sure the claims get processed under the right plan and ID no. This is easier said than done... I hate health insurance companies!!! Work is very slow and I've been applying for part time work. I need to pound the pavement some more...

Anyway, I hope everyone has a great weekend WFEN

 

[SearchingForRainbows]

Good Morning Fran,

It's nice that easy child will be visiting you this weekend. Enjoy your scaled down Thanksgiving dinnerwith easy child

 

[artana]

Morning all,


Sharon - You go!! How awesome to lose two sizes.

Linda - Good luck with the visits.

Marg - I am so glad that this professor is going to help so much!! That must be such a relief.

Rabbit - Have a great weekend.

Fran - Have fun with your easy child and the early Thanksgiving.

WFEN- Ugh, I can sympathize. I hate the paperwork and hassle. I hope you get through it ok and get the coverage you need.

Me,
I am feeling so relieved. Next week I made a meeting in the school and I think, for once, all the right parties are involved. I have called my Gifted advocate to be on the phone call so he can help coordinate curriculum accomodations, we have a behavior therapist through the school who is familiar with many different issues children have, we have the principal, Special Education teacher, and difficult child's main teacher. The Gifted advocate told me he will continue helping the teacher past the meeting if she needs it. I told him if this was the decision we came to I would not hesitate to pay his retainer. He was invaluable last year and I hope he can help this year.
Also, my child's original psychologist has her hands untied now by the county and is very upset that anyone would call my son ADHD in one meeting. Her e-mail to me said "difficult child is a very COMPLEX little boy and I think that we will talk to him a bit more before coming to a diagnosis." I love her, she's awesome. Anyway...things are looking up and my stomach is unknoting.

 

[Andy]

GOOD MORNING
.
.​

Little Dude's Mom - Isn't it fun going shopping when you have dropped sizes? I did that years ago and actually switched from one section of the store to the next section sized down!

Timer - I am so sorry about the wrist bridge. Can you get it replaced soon?

Marg - Your family does need a quiet few days of calm and relaxation.

Rabbit - Good luck with all your plans today!

Fran - Enjoy your preparations for Sunday.

Wishing - Good luck with all your phone calls.

Today feels like Saturday even though I had Monday off. This afternoon I help with 2nd grade Social Study class then to Community Ed to sign difficult child up for a babysitting clinic tomorrow. After school, I will decorate my two trivia tables and order pizza to be delivered to the tables at 8:00 tonight. I hope the weather doesn't cancel or keep people from coming in.

I will also figure out how to use the church/school's ovens to cook lasagna on Tuesday. I also need to make sure they will hold 2 -3 pans plus room for garlic toast.

I was "called to the prinicipal's offic" yesterday morning at work. It has been a frustrating week (good thing it was a short one for me). I also think of "what did I do wrong?" I am suppose to help OP staff with a project but can't find the time right now and I pretty much refused to help a counselor who I feel is trying to get me to do her job. "Um people, co-worker people, I am only at work for 4 hrs per day and do actuallly have about 6 hrs per day of my own work to do." This counselor wanted me to talk to one of her clients to ask for the client's dad's name and address. Hello, you can ask! I was told "It should be in the chart." (she wanted me to go look it up) "No, when she was admitted, she was angry and was not giving us any info. I doubt anyone went back to ask this question of her since she is now feeling better. Staff needs to get the info and forward to me." I do know that if I do this for her that she will continue to ask me to do stupid little tasks that are less time consuming for her than for me and is her job - I am not a personal assistant. She is on the unit and has easy access to both the client and the chart. It ended up that the supervisor needed to talk to me about something else - not in trouble!

Those of you in blizzard areas stay safe and don't send it my way. Wow, what ever happened to getting nice calm quiet non accumulating snowflakes to gently get us ready for winter? If this is an indication of all of the snowfalls this coming winter, we are in for a long season (we learned about weather and season on Wednesday in 2nd grade social studies).

Everyone have a GREAT day - find a way to make your difficult child laugh.
​

 

[Andy]

Artana - You snuck in on me. I know how the psychologist feels about the ADHD diagnosis. I really feel that the ADHD diagnosis has been so misused and abused. It is an automatic diagnosis given by too many doctors and 'professionals' to brush the child's real needs aside. Too many people think this is a cure all end all. It is used as a label instead of a diagnosis in way too many cases. Then when the medications don't work instead of taking the next step in trying to find what is really going on, the doctor just changes medications as guess work to find the ones that will work! These poor kids!