Too Much or Not Enough?

Lots of happenings going on with Faith lately.  We had a meeting on Monday with the school. I just wanted a clearer idea/understanding of how she was doing in school.  The meeting was with me, the principal. pre-k teacher, special ed. teacher, and Faith's aide.  She's made some great strides in the past year and it appears as if she is going to be Kindergarten bound next year.
Tommy and I were/are a little concerned that her speech may not be being addressed as well as it could be, but it's not really any ones fault.  It's just kinda how things have landed this year.  Anyway, since we were concerned I called a couple of places and got an assessment set up for her for next week to have some private speech (on top of what the school does for her).  We will see if the insurance will pay for it, but if insurance won't, we will just pay for it.  We think it's pretty important.  So, Wednesday night she has another speech assessment and we will see if more can be done for her.  We're also looking into the possibility of play therapy but I don't really know what all goes into that so I'll ask more questions about it after the speech assessment is done next week.

I attempted to take into her first ever dentist appointment earlier this week.  We walked into the waiting room area and Faith grabbed my hand, turned around and drug me back to the door over and over and over again.  She was unhappy just in the waiting room. Then the "fun" part came.  We got called to go back to the room where the hygienist was gong to attempt to brush her teeth, Faith wouldn't even sit in the chair.  It took just a couple of minutes for them to figure out she would need someone who specialized in this sorta thing, so we got a referral to a pediodentist (that may not be how it's spelled, but you get the idea). So, we are going to go there next month and see how that goes. The first visit they will *try* to do a cleaning and x-ray's.  What I figure will happen is they will realize they can't and then we'll come up with a "game plan" of what needs to be done to help her out....if she needs general anesthesia, oral sedation, or both (or maybe they're the same thing...I've no idea at the moment).

She has started sitting at the table with all of the other kids at school (she was in a high chair at the foot of the table but still included with all the other kids).  We discussed trying that out with her too at the meeting on Monday.  Also after our visit to the dentist she did something that made me proud and totally freaked me out.  We were on our way to get something for lunch before taking her to school and I hear all this laughter coming from her.  When I looked back I discovered she had figured out how to unfasten her seat belt.  I mean she's climbed out of the seat belt before but never unfastened it.  Obviously I had to pull over and get her settled back in.  That's not safe (and also illegal) but cool she is learning things.


Angelus is still doing pretty good in school.  We're looking to get him all set up with dentists and such after we get Faith all taken care of (I can only handle one at a time, I'm pretty sure).  I'm also thinking we probably need to get his eyes checked.  Not that it appears his eyes are horrible or anything, but he does little things here and there that make me think he may have very slight vision problems.  He made a super awesome looking mask at his Cherokee Pride program. He said it's supposed to be "Darth Mal" (not sure if that's spelled correct).  He did a really good job on it.

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My side of the family has had a rough time of it lately.  In the past 5months or less I've lost 2 uncles, 1 aunt and a lady that I'd consider one of the closer friends I've made in my adult life.  One uncle we lost just yesterday.  My momma is the youngest of 11 and my Dad is next to the youngest of 7.  I didn't know my aunt or uncles as well as I probably should.  That makes me kind of sad and I'm hoping (and going) to change that with the remaining ones.  I want to know them. I want to know all of my family, learn about their lives and listen to their stories.  They all have so much they could teach me.


Well, until next time.

The Good, the Bad and the sometimes a little funny.

We've had some good news and bad news this week.  Angelus did great at parent/teacher conference. He had a B in one class it was an 89, so that's still pretty good. He also got a 99.86% in reading, if you round that it's a 100. :) He thought that was pretty cool. Angelus is still learning more about his Cherokee heritage and enjoying himself while doing it. I also think he likes the fact on nice days he gets to play outside with other kids for an extra 30min. to an hour.  He checked out his first non-picture Library book yesterday.  It's all about Star Wars (I know. Shocking.)

The other day Angelus got his iPod back from Tommy and Tommy had his facebook page up in which one of his FB friends had posted a photo of ladies in a bikini.  Angelus goes "Oh! I do not need to be seeing this!" and "it's inappropriate!" just gotta say, that made me feel good. He's right, he just needs to be a kid and like little kid stuff. Ya know, little girls in bows and stuff...NOT ladies in bikinis.  (Yeah, I know it's coming ....I'm just in no hurry for it).

Faith was denied the communication device and the OT had already spoke to them about it before I got there today. This time it was more of a "solid" denial.  We could reapply in about a year or so and get more footage of her working with augmentative communication, and we'd need to go through a place in Tulsa but the place in Tulsa works with all of this kind of stuff everyday all day so it might be a smoother process.
 The OT said that since it stated in her IEP that they have articulation goals with Faith is the BIG reason they don't see her as a candidate for the device (currently), but if a child has been getting speech (which she has been for about a year and a half) and hasn't responded well to it (and she really hasn't) if they don't have speech by 5yrs of age the likelihood goes WAY down. Apparently every great once in a while it happens when they're 10 or 13 but it's very rare and of the 3 girls the OT works with (that have autism) none have language. She almost looked like she was gonna cry when she told me this. I can usually take it, I just want to know what I'm up against. It's so very frustrating when they won't say.  I still fully believe Faith will communicate more clearly as she grows, how she's gonna do that.....not sure. Some kind of a communication device, sign language, possibly PEC's (which to date haven't worked at all with her).

Her SLP has missed a little bit of school this year due to his dad being sick (he takes care of his dad who has easily got to be in his 80 or 90's 'cause I'm pretty sure her SLP is somewhere in his 60's probably closer to the mid-60's).  So, I'm not really sure how she's doing in Speech at this point. Hopefully he will be there next week and I can talk to him about it.

We had to buy some extra food to take up to school for her so she will eat something.  Apparently she's super picky up there for them. So, I did some grocery shopping for school this morning and took it up there. It did the trick. She ate the stuff I took up there for her. Nobody wants her to go hungry. :)

Tommy gets to go do an autograph signing on Saturday in Tulsa for his 2nd comic book that's out. If I knew how to link things I'd link to the webcomic he has up here, it's enjoyable and pretty well everyone can read it (I mean it's not inappropriate).

.......

We've been working on trying to get Faith a communication device for over a year now. In the years time, things became outdated and resubmitted 'cause they were "sitting on it" for far too long. The DVD video of her using the device got tossed in the trash, broken, and then was also outdated so we resent that in as many times as possible. Today we received a letter that stated since the IEP and SLP are addressing articulation (although in the IEP and SLP plan for working with Faith it states that they were going to incorporate augmentative devices to help her) so she was not a good candidate at this time. I [obviously] think they are wrong, but at least it's FINALLY an answer and we can see what else we can do to try to help her communicate.  Probably an iPad with the app. -Proloquo to go- is what we'll be trying to look into next.  Wish us luck.

Friday I took a potty chair up to the school (that looks exactly like the one we have here at home), so they are going to work with her there too. Last week her aide had said, "I really think I could help you if we had a potty chair" so I said, "I will get you one".  I know I've said it before but her aide is fantastic! I'm so glad she's the lady helping our little lady out.

Angelus has began an after school program to learn more about Cherokee heritage and language. Last week he learned a new song, how to say 'bird' 'red bird' (which sound nothing alike). He brought home a permission slip to do that and one to do basketball.  He handed me the basketball one and promptly said..."I don't want to do this" but I DO want to do this and handed me the permission slip for "Cherokee Pride".  He's only been going for about a week, but he LOVES it.