Hi all,
I used to post a few years ago during the absolutely worse times of difficult child's behavior. I have continued to lurk and have gathered so much info from y'all...
About 3 years ago, I had to admit difficult child to the children's psychiatric hopital as I just couldn't take the verbal and physical abuse plus the fact that difficult child seemed to really be "losing it". Best thing I probably ever did, as the doctors and counselors gave us the help I've been begging for several years. This was during Middle School. Two years ago, difficult child started high school. I got him involved with FFA (raised a pig of all things... :nonono: )These past two years have been great for the most part with difficult child. He was going to school, passing his classes, and more importantly behaving (well...for the most part...)at home. For the first time ever, I have been able to say that I'm proud of difficult child and what he has accomplished.
Unfortunately, last April, difficult child was running a fever I couldn't get down. Took him to the clinic, the Dr ran tests, and I get a call that early evening that difficult child needed to go right away to the ER...he has leukemia. Can you say SHOCK!! Here is a kid that never got sick, for gosh sakes we didn't even have a primary physician...just took him to the clinic. And now I'm being told he has leukemia??!!
It absolutely breaks my heart. difficult child has struggled with mental disorders and we finally have it under control and now this??!! It seems so unfair but as husband told me this all started..."everything happens for a reason. We just don't know that reason is right now."
difficult child is in remission but it's been a hard road. His body can't take the main chemo drug. It caused what is called a Methotrexate Neurotoxicity--very similar to a stroke. I was told by the Neurologist that if difficult child has not been taking Trileptal all these years...he probably would have seized and stroke.
Anyways, Oncologist has never has a kid like difficult child. He was wanting to stop all medications but you can guarantee that I didn't let that happen!! :warrior: difficult child has come too far to revert. The Onc thinks I'm too hard on difficult child but I feel I have to follow the same behavior plan and consequences that were in place before ALL. Another problem is that the Onc and the Psychiatrist don't talk to each other about difficult child. I have to really keep on that communication failure.
I just never thought that I would have to use the skills I learned in dealing with difficult child and his disorders and apply it to cancer. Instead of psychiatrists and school issues, it's now Oncologist and hospitals, researching different drugs this time and totally different school issues.
That's my long introduction. I hope to get some guidance in dealing with difficult child. It's a fine line to keep him going forward and not giving up.
Mary
I used to post a few years ago during the absolutely worse times of difficult child's behavior. I have continued to lurk and have gathered so much info from y'all...
About 3 years ago, I had to admit difficult child to the children's psychiatric hopital as I just couldn't take the verbal and physical abuse plus the fact that difficult child seemed to really be "losing it". Best thing I probably ever did, as the doctors and counselors gave us the help I've been begging for several years. This was during Middle School. Two years ago, difficult child started high school. I got him involved with FFA (raised a pig of all things... :nonono: )These past two years have been great for the most part with difficult child. He was going to school, passing his classes, and more importantly behaving (well...for the most part...)at home. For the first time ever, I have been able to say that I'm proud of difficult child and what he has accomplished.
Unfortunately, last April, difficult child was running a fever I couldn't get down. Took him to the clinic, the Dr ran tests, and I get a call that early evening that difficult child needed to go right away to the ER...he has leukemia. Can you say SHOCK!! Here is a kid that never got sick, for gosh sakes we didn't even have a primary physician...just took him to the clinic. And now I'm being told he has leukemia??!!
It absolutely breaks my heart. difficult child has struggled with mental disorders and we finally have it under control and now this??!! It seems so unfair but as husband told me this all started..."everything happens for a reason. We just don't know that reason is right now."
difficult child is in remission but it's been a hard road. His body can't take the main chemo drug. It caused what is called a Methotrexate Neurotoxicity--very similar to a stroke. I was told by the Neurologist that if difficult child has not been taking Trileptal all these years...he probably would have seized and stroke.
Anyways, Oncologist has never has a kid like difficult child. He was wanting to stop all medications but you can guarantee that I didn't let that happen!! :warrior: difficult child has come too far to revert. The Onc thinks I'm too hard on difficult child but I feel I have to follow the same behavior plan and consequences that were in place before ALL. Another problem is that the Onc and the Psychiatrist don't talk to each other about difficult child. I have to really keep on that communication failure.
I just never thought that I would have to use the skills I learned in dealing with difficult child and his disorders and apply it to cancer. Instead of psychiatrists and school issues, it's now Oncologist and hospitals, researching different drugs this time and totally different school issues.
That's my long introduction. I hope to get some guidance in dealing with difficult child. It's a fine line to keep him going forward and not giving up.
Mary
