Category Archives: Medications and Treatment Options

Insurance Advocate: Why You Need One and How To Get One

Remember that list of caseworkers I told you about? Well, in my haste to count on all my fingers the number of caseworkers in our life, I neglected one very, VERY important caseworker / liaison we’ll call “Miss W, The Insurance Gal”. I could tell you a lot about “Miss W, The Insurance Gal”; give…

The Hardest Word I’ve Ever Said

Seven years. Over a thousand hours at hospitals and specialist appointments. Countless interventions at home. And it turns out the most important word to help my daughter’s treatment is this: NO. No… we’re not doing a nineteenth round of medication adjustments. It’s time for hospitalization. No… I won’t take her home from the hospital and…

Helping Siblings Deal with “Survivor” Guilt

A month ago my 8 year old entered a residential treatment facility. Three weeks and 6 days ago, my 9 year old began to feel horrible about it. No matter how hard things had become at home with her little sister’s behaviors, her absence brings anxiety. Partly because said 9 year old has challenging behaviors…

Waiting for Treatment

I want to write to you to tell you all the positives that can come from special needs, or rather, what we learn and how we grow as individuals raising children with special needs. I want to give inspiration rather than sorrow, the promise of a rainbow after the clouds. But I can’t. Not because…

The Value of Life.

…”The hard part is trying to answer the questions Walker raises in my mind every time I pick him up, What is the value of a life like his — a life lived in the twilight and often in pain? What is the cost of his life to those around him? … If Walker is…

Not All Diagnosis’ Fit in the Same Box

The problem with diagnosis is…. It puts people, individuals with likes and dislikes, quirks, needs, abilities and disabilities in a box. Cutting out their very individuality that makes one person differ so entirely from another. The differences between them no longer seen. In essence treating one person with an ability within a diagnosis the same…

Raising a child with two competing special needs

I silently nudged her in the darkness. Slipped her out of her top bunk. Wrapped her in a blanket and ushered her to the van. Maybe if I didn’t wake her just yet, she’d forgive me, I thought. The sun wasn’t up yet, but I’d already been up most of the night, fearing the next…

Botox Dip

My son had his Botox treatment this week.  I knew about 2 weeks ago it was needed.  It’s funny how that works.  At first you think, is it worth it?  Am I doing it for him or for me?  Actually, both.  I do it for him. His spasticity is so severe, he could curl into a…

holiday traditions…where are you???

I’d like to appoligize first.  My weeks have been just flying by and I again forgot to get my post posted.  Feeling like an airhead right about now! Easter is on my brain today…It’ll be here before I know it.  What are your traditions?  Do you do anything special for your kids?  Have you made…

Gourmet baby from the getgo…

Do you cook seperate for someone in the family?  Do they have special dietary restrictions or needs?  My son has a dairy allergy.  I say an allergy because it appears that if we avoid it all together we have a sweeter life.  We’ve never had an official test, but doctor’s have said why test you…