I don't make it onto the board very often anymore, but I spent the morning with thank you on Sunday and it make me think of you all. So many of you were with me during the bad old days, I thought you should hear about the good days.
I was meeting him at a store to get him a computer for school. I walked in and was looking around for him - couldn't find him. Then I realized that the good looking very tall guy in the computer dept was my son. LOL - I felt a gush of pride. All he's been thru.... and he looks the best he ever has. Still wicked thin, but clear eyes and skin, charming, appropriate, just wonderful.
He's been on his own now for over a year. Has learned how to manage his money. Has had a job for virtually the entire time as a contract server (goes to various venues to serve food). Started EMT classes yesterday. Has *finally* learned that planning means more than jumping from point A to point D without hitting B and C, and is also occasionally jumping *thru* the hoop!!! Old timers will remember his propensity for going around the hoop, no matter how much extra work that took, LOL.
He will ask for advice and actually listen to it. He is an utter delight to be around. Absolutely just the greatest kid. Warm and loving and ... very cool. husband had to go out of town a couple weeks ago, and thank you volunteered to come over to help me out with picking Diva up from school and with Boo. I really didn't expect him to follow through, but he did. On his own. I was just so proud of him (though a bit insulted that he thought I needed help, LOL, but mainly just proud that he was that thoughtful).
He still struggles with his thoughts/moods and chronic insomnia but made the decision to start following up with a psychiatrist again, on his own. He is frustrated that he isn't more ... I guess "established" is the word, but I remind him over and over again that he is making continuous forward progress and will get there. He's only 23, really still just a baby, and getting established will come. It's fun to watch him make plans now because they are *realistic* plans and he has some medium-range goals that are definitely achievable.
We talk a fair amount about the old days, about choices we made and ones we could have done differently. He is pretty adamant that we did the best we could and that it was always on him to own his life. It still hurts my heart that he's had to go through all he has to get to this point, but... it is what it is. I do think umpteen years of therapy did finally click with him and that he's got decent insight into how his brain works. He's proven he knows when he needs help, either professional or just a midnight call to me. It's nice to have the phone ring (very rarely) in the middle of the night now and not immediately go into panic mode. Sometimes he just needs to talk.
I wish you could see him. He has come so far. He's doing better than I ever dreamed he would. I'm so proud of him, and you guys have to take credit too because you nursed me through a decade of hell.
I was meeting him at a store to get him a computer for school. I walked in and was looking around for him - couldn't find him. Then I realized that the good looking very tall guy in the computer dept was my son. LOL - I felt a gush of pride. All he's been thru.... and he looks the best he ever has. Still wicked thin, but clear eyes and skin, charming, appropriate, just wonderful.
He's been on his own now for over a year. Has learned how to manage his money. Has had a job for virtually the entire time as a contract server (goes to various venues to serve food). Started EMT classes yesterday. Has *finally* learned that planning means more than jumping from point A to point D without hitting B and C, and is also occasionally jumping *thru* the hoop!!! Old timers will remember his propensity for going around the hoop, no matter how much extra work that took, LOL.
He will ask for advice and actually listen to it. He is an utter delight to be around. Absolutely just the greatest kid. Warm and loving and ... very cool. husband had to go out of town a couple weeks ago, and thank you volunteered to come over to help me out with picking Diva up from school and with Boo. I really didn't expect him to follow through, but he did. On his own. I was just so proud of him (though a bit insulted that he thought I needed help, LOL, but mainly just proud that he was that thoughtful).
He still struggles with his thoughts/moods and chronic insomnia but made the decision to start following up with a psychiatrist again, on his own. He is frustrated that he isn't more ... I guess "established" is the word, but I remind him over and over again that he is making continuous forward progress and will get there. He's only 23, really still just a baby, and getting established will come. It's fun to watch him make plans now because they are *realistic* plans and he has some medium-range goals that are definitely achievable.
We talk a fair amount about the old days, about choices we made and ones we could have done differently. He is pretty adamant that we did the best we could and that it was always on him to own his life. It still hurts my heart that he's had to go through all he has to get to this point, but... it is what it is. I do think umpteen years of therapy did finally click with him and that he's got decent insight into how his brain works. He's proven he knows when he needs help, either professional or just a midnight call to me. It's nice to have the phone ring (very rarely) in the middle of the night now and not immediately go into panic mode. Sometimes he just needs to talk.
I wish you could see him. He has come so far. He's doing better than I ever dreamed he would. I'm so proud of him, and you guys have to take credit too because you nursed me through a decade of hell.
A mother's heart..... I have felt pride in my difficult child more and more...still a bit guarded and waiting for the self sabotage to happen but it is less and less. Celebrating with you.
