Janna
New Member
Dylan goes in August 13th. He's been accepted for the program. It's a voluntary one. 8-10 months, residential, intensive therapy.
The program is great. They have stables and horses for theraputic riding. They have a greenhouse, garden for horticultural therapy. Dogs and hamsters for pet therapy. Dance, art, music therapy. They do individual, group and family counseling. It's, well, intensive.
I can visit every day if I want. The first 30 days he can only come home one weekend, which is going to be hard, but after that, it will be more. We will work up his discharge plan when I admit him, which is great.
He will be watched 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 8 boys in a home, 3 boys to a bedroom. All his age, give or take a couple of years.
It's very interesting how I've noticed things with Dylan over the last several months that are so clear, that I didn't really see before. I see the mania, moreso now than ever. He gets so incredibly silly, laughs uncontrollably, even when prompted it's inappropriate, he gets so frustrated because he just cannot stop. His babbling, his increased hyperactivity. It's really something to see. I don't know why, I just didn't see it that way a year ago.
We still are thinking hypomania. We don't see a depressive side of Dylan, although he is still self harming with the head banging type stuff when he's frustrated. This concerns me, as I have spoken with several teens/young adults, who started out as head bangers, to later turn out to be self injurers (cutters). I am hoping the Residential Treatment Facility (RTF) will help Dylan to get out of that bad habit, and find other ways to express his feelings.
He has also become increasingly frustrated and angry since ending the Abilify. With no add on, he is struggling.
We have pretty much figured that the Lithium is doing a good job, he obviously needs an add on (but we don't know what to try), and we're hoping that all this intensive therapy will teach him new ways and techniques to deal with his anger. Luckily for us, he is not "ODD", it's gone, removed from his Axis, and he is not defiant. The woman at the Residential Treatment Facility (RTF) almost didn't believe how over-compliant he is, raving about how wonderful it'll be to have someone OFFER to do the dishes lol. That's my son :smile:
I have cried and tormented myself over this decision after all that was with B. But this is different, and luckily, I do not sign anything over to anyone. Nor is Dylan the same type of child B is, or was, or ever will be.
I have big hopes for Dylan to make big progress in this environment, but also am realizing how incredibly hard this is. So, for those of you that have had to go this road, that I could not understand before, I fully understand now, and feel your heartache.
I have received alot of positive feedback from parents that have put their children through Residential Treatment Facility (RTF). I'm hoping this will be positive for Dylan, too!
Just thought I'd give an update on my sweetheart. Hope you're all well.
Janna
The program is great. They have stables and horses for theraputic riding. They have a greenhouse, garden for horticultural therapy. Dogs and hamsters for pet therapy. Dance, art, music therapy. They do individual, group and family counseling. It's, well, intensive.
I can visit every day if I want. The first 30 days he can only come home one weekend, which is going to be hard, but after that, it will be more. We will work up his discharge plan when I admit him, which is great.
He will be watched 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 8 boys in a home, 3 boys to a bedroom. All his age, give or take a couple of years.
It's very interesting how I've noticed things with Dylan over the last several months that are so clear, that I didn't really see before. I see the mania, moreso now than ever. He gets so incredibly silly, laughs uncontrollably, even when prompted it's inappropriate, he gets so frustrated because he just cannot stop. His babbling, his increased hyperactivity. It's really something to see. I don't know why, I just didn't see it that way a year ago.
We still are thinking hypomania. We don't see a depressive side of Dylan, although he is still self harming with the head banging type stuff when he's frustrated. This concerns me, as I have spoken with several teens/young adults, who started out as head bangers, to later turn out to be self injurers (cutters). I am hoping the Residential Treatment Facility (RTF) will help Dylan to get out of that bad habit, and find other ways to express his feelings.
He has also become increasingly frustrated and angry since ending the Abilify. With no add on, he is struggling.
We have pretty much figured that the Lithium is doing a good job, he obviously needs an add on (but we don't know what to try), and we're hoping that all this intensive therapy will teach him new ways and techniques to deal with his anger. Luckily for us, he is not "ODD", it's gone, removed from his Axis, and he is not defiant. The woman at the Residential Treatment Facility (RTF) almost didn't believe how over-compliant he is, raving about how wonderful it'll be to have someone OFFER to do the dishes lol. That's my son :smile:
I have cried and tormented myself over this decision after all that was with B. But this is different, and luckily, I do not sign anything over to anyone. Nor is Dylan the same type of child B is, or was, or ever will be.
I have big hopes for Dylan to make big progress in this environment, but also am realizing how incredibly hard this is. So, for those of you that have had to go this road, that I could not understand before, I fully understand now, and feel your heartache.
I have received alot of positive feedback from parents that have put their children through Residential Treatment Facility (RTF). I'm hoping this will be positive for Dylan, too!
Just thought I'd give an update on my sweetheart. Hope you're all well.
Janna
