Another update....

Well after decreasing Chris's meds, we are increasing them again, lets just say he got into a bit of trouble at school, why a combination of things I think, 1 being he has this whole new world open to him (school) and he is trying to see where he fits in, 2: the decrease in meds I feel had a part of it as well. Anyway things are improving again.

Chris is loving school which is so nice to see and it is lovely to see him smiling and ready and rearing to go when the taxi arrives to pick him up.

Some more great news is that Attitude TV (Channel 1 Sunday 9.30am) is coming to do a story on Chris on the 20th March, I am pleased about that as they are not going to focus on just the Tourettes or OCD but they are going to focus on him as a person with mental and neurological issues. If it makes 1 person understand kids like Chris better then it will all be worth it and also knowing what sort of stories they do it can only be positive. Chris is excited about this too.

Chris did the school special olympics swimming the other week, his relay team got a first and he got a second for 25m freestyle and third in Breastroke, which was meant to be Backstroke but somewhere along the line they got it muddled but was proud of him for doing it anyway.

High and Complex Needs well this is still ongoing, the application is going ahead again so cross fingers we will hear in the next month or so.

We also have Youth Horizons Trust wrap around program in our home, right now we are working on some of the OCD stuff... she (Jan) has only just begun and I can see it will be a long and slow process but just maybe we can work trough this OCD stuff.

So yes quite a bit has happened but right now Chris is doing ok and he is happy and I couldn't be happier right now with that..... back in a couple of weeks to let you know how the filming goes.... anyone know how to lose 30 kilos in 2 weeks lol.....

Have fun and take care all catch you soon :-)

2009 Catch Up.....

Well lets go back to the holidays, over all Chris had a great holiday he is so much happier at the special needs unit at Otumoetai College and I give the staff and the unit 10/10. It is a fantastic place and for Chris it is ideal. We used emergency Respite a couple of times that was all over the holidays. Huge thanks to Youth Horizons trust for giving us this respite. There was one sad moment in the holidays one of his classmates in the unit passed away Boxing morning, he was in Auckland so never got to the funeral but we did visit the grave on his return and the school had a memorial for her last week was beautiful RIP Queree xx

He spends some time in the unit and some time in the mainstream with a teacher aid, he does English, Maths, Cooking yes cooking and Tech in the mainstream. He has made some friends which is fantastic, he is happy and looks forward to school every day, in fact he can't wait for the taxi to come and pick him up.

At the moment things are going just brilliant and I really could not ask for more.

Don't get me wrong things are still far from normal in this house - but then what is normal, have no idea anymore lol..... We have even decreased Chris's anti psychotic meds again now he is settled. Youth Horizons also have a program where they come inside the house and work along side us as a family and work on behaviour stuff and also his OCD stuff which is the killer. I met Jan last Thursday and she is meeting the kids next week and we will begin, I am excited about that especially if we can work through some of the OCD stuff......

Right now for Chris I think life is pretty good, and I hope so much that this year will be the year he stays at school full time, wow how exciting is that. The High and Complex Needs application is once again going ahead..... I am not even going to start on that how frustrating that is.....

Anyway back soon with an another update.....

Merry Christmas ....

Hi all, well Chris has settled down again, school has finished for the year, he enjoyed the last couple of weeks at college doing transition for next year, the same teacher aid is continuing with him next year which is great.

We upped the anti-psychotic meds both mornings and nights and think that has helped heaps.

We have been approved crisis respite for the holidays which is fantastic cause at the moment Chris is very high needs and I am exhausted... they are off to their dads on Christmas Eve and back the 4th January, so will get a decent break then.

Chris has been doing some animation with lego so thought I would post it here... the quality is not that great cause he was using a webcam.... but have said to him I will look at trying to get him a decent video camera next year.









Anyway have a wonderful Christmas all and I will catch you all in the New Year. Stay safe :-)

Chris slept through....

Chris enjoyed the college again yesterday :-).

Heard from the psychiatrist and we are upping Chris's anti-psychotic in the morning for now. I did give him an extra med last night and he slept through the night the first time in about 10 days :-) (the meds make him tired till he adjusts). I have now locked away all the sharp knives as again yesterday I caught him cutting himself.

Think today we will have a quiet day just cruising :-)

Friday Morning...

I am out of routine and I hate it, I love routine like Chris.... discovered Chris had cut himself some more on Wednesday night. he had new cuts on his arm yesterday morning, they are still on the top of his arms but are getting deeper :-(. He went to the Intermediate yesterday to watch the trolley derby (with his teacher aid) and to collect his books, another kid saw the state of his arms and asked him how it happened -
Chris: "I cut myself"
Kid: "why"
Chris: "cause when things are hard I want to hurt myself, it makes me feel better"
Kid: "when I am sad I eat chocolate that makes me feel better"
LOL I could so relate to that last comment.... speaking of chocolate I have been eating a bit to much of it the last few days....

Today he has the college for the morning, and he is looking forward to that.