The report from day one....

[buddy]

Dee,

Well, we got through the first day with FLYING COLORS! He gave us quite the start yesterday at the end of the meeting. We needed to be better prepared and today WE WERE! The main teacher/case manager did a magnificent job today! She juggled the 2 boys (both fairly new to her) with a sub-para and rolled out a day without significant issue or concern.

Thank you for all the detailed emails (lol I bet, haha) – they helped show us ways to look for the nuances of his behavior. Each of his diagnoses could qualify him for Setting IV special education services. To be honest, I’m quite surprised he’s been as successful as he’s been over the years.

Of course we are still working to formalize a “schedule” for Q. At this point (teacher) has drafted something that worked for today and should the rest of the week. We’ll re-evaluate things when we get a bit more experience with him. We’ll expect you sometime tomorrow afternoon to talk more precisely about what curriculum we are looking to implement - but again, we need more time to get this formalized.

We spoke with the Speech /Language pathologist who works with the student in our program. She looked at the IEP and 3-year assessment and has agreed to see Q in a 1-1 situation a couple of days per week first thing in the morning. She will also be helping us to implement strategies when she isn’t in the building. I don’t have to tell you Speech/Language happens all day every day so the more we all know about Q and his processing etc the better we can help him when his verbal language fails him. We’re hoping (and so is everyone in his life) hope to teach him skills he can use instead of feeling the need to use his “behavioral language”.

Have a good night!


(program facilitator/teacher)

He came home OK, decompressed on me but no physical stuff.... blurts till his Integrated Listening Systems (ILS) came but it petered out as time went on....he left and said good bye nicely. Now to see if he comes home ok, last Friday he ripped her shirt on the way home and I had to drive to get him, he raged and kicked my car etc... it was not fun and I warned him this was the last chance and then we will have to take a break.


Hopefully he will transition home ok.

Thanks for sticking it out you guys. I realized it is like I had been holding my breath for months. And now I am gasping for air. I have usually been good in a crisis and then shake and cry after.... I think this may be similar (and of course pms does not help, sigh)

so sorry I have been kind of self absorbed lately, I am sore from the hits yesterday, head, neck and arm....so hopefully I will feel like typing more later in the week. But I am reading and thinking of you all....

 

[AnnieO]

The report just made me smile... It's the break you've needed!!!

 

[keista]

Yay! So nice to get such a positive report. I couldn't help thinking how different it was from previous emails.

Positive vibes keep going out to you both!

 

[Malika]

How good to have some of the pressure off you, Buddy, and the sense it must give you that some other qualified people can now share in Q's education and welfare. Here's hoping that this positive early trend continues exactly the same way!

 

[TeDo]

Sounds VERY positive to me!! I am so happy for both of you. Keep those good reports coming and don't freak out if there's a hiccup along the way. Overall forward motion is all many of us can hope and pray for. This was a HUGE step forward. Any steps back will be small in comparison.

 

[whatamess]

I would be so happy to get a report like that from school staff- it sounds like they are valuing you as a team member.

 

[InsaneCdn]

{{hugs}}
At last! "Somebody" gets it. Q can be managed by somebody other than you. Which means, YOU will be able to begin transitioning back to a "normal" life...

It will take time to recover from this stretch... it was long, and hard.

Look after yourself.

 

[buddy]

Step, Malika and Kiesta, I know, right??? Kind of nice to have a kind word.

SOOO, his Integrated Listening Systems (ILS) worker R just called and said that he is talking a lot about his new school. He wants her to come and visit, he has a really nice friend named A. and his teacher C. is really nice. He was super worried about eating in the lunch room (remember how many times he didn't get to??) and these guys eat in their class anyway...so he asked if he could some day and they said that would be a good goal to work toward. He told Robin it was good they told him that because it made him feel so much better.

I knew he would start blabbing to her and that I would find out before he comes home, so that is really nice. He will tell me too but not until he is in bed and his mind starts calming down.

 

[InsaneCdn]

Integrated Listening Systems (ILS) worker is on your page - you knew that already.
So is advocate, therapist, psychiatrist... and probably a few others (because I can't keep them all straight!)

And now... school.

How fantastic that they wouldn't say "no" to his question about eating in the lunch room... instead, turn it into a goal. WOW. Can you tell that they have already started working on that IEP?!

 

[StressedM0mma]

I just read Q's report, and let out a huge sigh of relief. I didn't even realize that I had been holing my breath as I was reading it. I am so glad things went well today. Hopefully it continues. (((hugs)))

 

[buddy]

IC....yeah wasn't that good? And they just say things that feel like they so get it. It is probably one of the few places Q can have some shining moments. I know the district will want him back at some point but I already have input from people on what to do to the IEP so that our district can't possibly provide the services needed. they simply do NOT have the vocational training options. And no classes with only a few kids (by the time they would want Q their "sun" program will be full.

Stressed, oh thanks, I know... I feel that way too about people here, my mind goes to them all thru the day. I think that connection does have an energy that is supportive to us though so thanks so much. Now we both can breathe.

 

[Wiped Out]

 

[pasajes4]

Yippie

 

[buddy]

NOW, the day is finally over....he is home from his Integrated Listening Systems (ILS) time and they went to three or four places, he did GREAT with her and came straight in the house. He asked for soup and a hotdog and now is eating end of the night meal (do all teens have a normal supper and then another?)

He is being very very good. R said that he gave her multiple hugs, he really felt awful about the rough night they had last Friday.

 

[Ktllc]

Enjoy your success. You have made it all possible for Q. I am so proud of you (you are probably too humble to realize it: but you should be proud of yourself).
May this new school allow Q to reach for the stars. I watched a very good autobiographic documentary about autism ("Loving lamp posts") and a quote striked me: "your imagination is not big enough to envision what your child can become".

 

[buddy]

That is lovely.

 

[recoveringenabler]

 

[susiestar]

wow!! this is awesome!!! i am thrilled to see him having such a good day. i have been reading/listening, but haven't posted as much lately, sorry. now it sounds like you will have a truly supportive team in every aspect for Q - and it is so awesome to see the great results on the first day. they truly seem to get it and to WANT to help him. THIS is what schooli s supposed to be like for all kids!! tonight also shows the huge stress that Q has been under all this time - the difference between tonight and last Fri is huge and awesome, isn't it?

you really should be proud. you are an amazing mom and have done an incredible job wth a truly wonderful, special young man. PLEASE give yourself some time to break down - after such a period of stress it is more than natural. it will pass, it just may take a little while. you had so much trauma and so much stress, now that you can breathe again it will take a little time to adjust and stop waiting for the abuse of Q to start again. You were so much watching every move they made and it took a lot mroe than you realized. been there done that and it is exhausting, esp for such a long time.

REWARD YOURSELF. you truly have earned it, and after the breakdown, start enjoying this new chapter in your and Q's life.

Yes, teens, esp teen boys, do often eat a second or third meal a day. They grow so fast and use so much energy, and with all the anxiety that Q has he would need more than most, in my opinion.

sorry for the capitalization, combo of hand and keyboard issues.

 

[keista]

(do all teens have a normal supper and then another?)

I don't know, but I've always heard that teens eat A LOT, so I have been letting son have a "second dinner". Usually a chef salad, or a sandwich or something to that effect.

 

[InsaneCdn]

(do all teens have a normal supper and then another?)

Even teen girls can be that way in a growth spurt.
Usually, it's like an extra lunch - not an extra "dinner"... what Q had would be about right.