Category Archives: Medications and Treatment Options

Diagnosis 911: Is it Really ADHD?

After 5 months of counseling, we have a working diagnosis of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD without the hyperactivity) with secondary Anxiety, a touch of perfectionism and perhaps a smidge of OCD. I see the Psychiatrist to get the official diagnosis for the 504 committee and to get the modifications and accommodations. With barely a glance at the 15-page patient history and 11 minutes…

Learning to ride…one step at a time…

A Cowboy Needs a Horse Johnny lives in a big city, but has everything a cowboy could want (Everything, everything) He has a place to pan for gold (Panning, panning) And he has time to shoot a buffalo everyday (Shooting, shooting) And every night, he dreams he’s a cowboy riding the rangeFinally found the words…

Is that too much to ask?

This week my husband’s grandmother passed away.  She was 93 year old, never took more than a multi-vitamin in her life.  She did however, several years back, begin her journey with Alzheimer’s Disease.  It was a long journey, spending 10 years in a nursing home.  She had 5 children, 12 grandchildren…and so many great grand…

I was desperate for sleep

Define Sleep:   A natural periodic state of rest for the mind and body, in which the eyes usually close and consciousness is completely or partially lost, so that there is a decrease in bodily movement and responsiveness to external stimuli. During sleep the brain in humans and other mammals undergoes a characteristic cycle of brain-wave…

New Groove

I need a sabbatical.  I know from time to time we all need a break.  I’ve taken to calling this much needed break a sabbatical.  You see life got turned upside down in August.  My mom entered the hospital with what we thought was going to be pneumonia but spent 2 weeks inpatient getting a…

Smooth

Is it Saturday already? At times, this week has flown by. And at others, it has dragged on. Especially from 5 a.m. to about 11 a.m. on Tuesday morning when Tim had surgery on his foot. He plays in an adult soccer league and a week ago Tuesday, he got kicked in the foot. That…

Notes from a Musician Mommy

I hate these words “lets get some lab work.” My daughter, Mary, is a terrible stick.  Her blood flows sooo slowly.  Her veins collapse and they are hard to see in the first place.  There has been one person at the children’s hospital that has been able to stick her on the first try, but do…

pills make the day go round

We tried 18 mg of Concerta (Methylphenidate). Then we upped it to 27 mg. After little success, we hesitantly moved up to 36 mg. We were surprised when it didn’t work very well. It has helped her sister immensely. That’s probably where we thought wrong.  Since when are siblings ever on the same page on…

Flu Shot, Anyone?

****WARNING – HIGH YUCK FACTOR****

The Neurologist

Every 6 weeks or so, we spend part of our morning with The Neurologist. He notices Jack’s new hat. I notice that he’s lost weight. He asks how J is doing with school. I ask how his girls are doing in high school. We dance the dance. He tells me things I don’t want to…