Snowy Update

It freaking SNOWED here today!  I heard mutterings of such an occurrence but didn't pay any attention to it.  HA!  Woke up to snow.  Not a lot, mind you but when that happens, BAM Christmas music is played all day.  Truth.

The snow is a little bittersweet, really.  It means the holidays really are coming and Isaiah still isn't home yet.  BUT, I think we are getting close.  Turns out the medication change that happened last week was not effective.  Seriously, Gabe and I should treat ourselves to something each time a doc wants to try a med increase when we can tell from the get go, it's not helping.  We know these things.
But, the doc tried something else and that may be helping.  I, again, go back to the opinion that meds don't make a huge difference and Isaiah has to want to be safe and home...and functioning.  I don't know if I should dare say he wants that a little more right now.

He has started to go to school for more time, has been staying relatively safer and the doctors have mentioned the 'D' word.  Discharge. Kinda wish they could think of a different word, actually.  We have a meeting tomorrow around noon to discuss his post-care plan and we have voluntary services in the works with DCF that will start at some point soon.  I could actually poke myself in the eyes with toothpicks thinking about having DCF back in our house.  Luckily the Social Worker at the hospital wrote a fantastic letter to DCF advising the kind of services that will NOT be helpful to our family.  Fingers crossed that DCF will listen! (that's actually a hilarious statement right there).

Some good things that have happened over the past week:
*Gabe went away to visit one of his coastie friends in GA for the weekend.  Had fun.  Isaiah missed him and was worried about mom being at home alone.
*Isaiah got a little stomach bug...no this is not good.  But he was wishing for mom to come take care of him.  His statement "They won't help me feel better here.  THEY WON'T HELP ME!!!"  This, of course is not true, but he seemed to think mom could help him.  Sweet.
*He is officially sick of the hospital food.  APPLAUSE!!!  Yesterday he started talking like a hippie threatening to not eat until he gets better food selection.  I am not even kidding.  He said "Well I am not eating here.  I am done eating this food."  My response: there's good food waiting for you at home.

Tomorrow at noon.  That's when the plan is set in motion.  Part of me thinks he is ready and part of me could actually vomit at the idea.  Really, this is our last shot.  I am certain that any subsequent hospitalization will result in placement in a residential treatment facility...so I pray he is really ready to be here and that the after care plan will be effective.

Until tomorrow...

Update

Today is November 3rd. This will be the longest day of the year. It always is, the day we turn the clock back. I've been up since 7 which is now 6. I'll do that all days too. "Well, it's _ o'clock but that means it's really _!"  Dives me nuts!!
I mentioned the date because I was just thinking that Isaiah has been in the hospital since October 15. That's a long, damn time. And yes, he's still there. Overall there has been progress. He has been less aggressive since last Monday, which is when a lot of things happened. And I hate when that happens. We have no IDEA what caused the slow change because we implemented more than one thing. So last Monday the following happened:

*His doctor increased the medication he's on. 
*We brought in Melatonin for them to give him at night and he finally slept like a baby!
*We changed our visiting plan

Although those may not all seem like things that could spark change, any of them could...alone. Never mind together. I hate when we do that!!!  I think I already mentioned that. Of course the doc is going to think it was the meds. I don't. I think it's a combo of the other 2 components. He's finally sleeping and therefore less agitated over all during the days. And I think he's finally starting to miss home because he isn't seeing one of us daily.  But the doc will think it's the meds, which I hate!!!!

Isaiah had a good Halloween. He decorated a special tee shirt and got to wear it. Had cookies and candy. Called home that night with a belly ache from eating too much. Pretty typical Halloween other than the trick or treating.  We went to visit him yesterday and I gave him a hair cut and nice hot shower. He hasn't been able to shower with his stitches but mommy snuck him in.  During that visit he must have felt close because we saw tears wen we left and we haven't see those in a while. And when he called last night his little voice quivered when he said "I don't want you to hang up. I like to hear your voice."  Ya. That's fun. 

We just keep telling him to do his jobs so he can come home and that we're also sad he's not here with us. You can actually see that he has to think about home vs. the hospital. I can see it. He's comfortable there.  He's still now quite sure about coming home. 

We meet with his team again this Monday to hear their thoughts and potential plan. 
Until then ...