So, I wrote the following blog post yesterday afternoon, planning on positing last night...but then crisis happened.
Well, we have good news to report this week. We have been noticing a change with Arley since we pulled him off the Intuniv and lowered his dose of Lovan. He has been much happier (three epic, violent meltdowns, but none this week!). At tennis on Friday Arley had his best lesson yet. Afterwards, Jarrad our coach asked "Who is this kid??" and said he has never seen him so positive, with such a good attitude, and putting in so much effort and playing so well. Then I took Carmie to see our psychologist on Monday and the psych told me afterwards that Carmie is in a really good place and she didn't think Carms needed to come back. I then went to see the psych for Arley, and she said we should wait to see her again because it sounds like Arley is in a great place too. Then on Tuesday Arley had a session with his support worker who also saw a different boy and wants to get him reevaluated for a new behaviour plan. Arley is like a different kid! He had one difficult day this week - that was yesterday. We went out with new homeschool friends to Sawtell, and he was being troublesome and bothering Carmie, who was having some anxiety being out. For the first hour or so, Carmie was really anxious and upset, and Arley was doing his utmost to make her worse. But we settled in and it turned out to be a lovely time. We built a little fire on the steps near the sea pool using sea grass and twine and whatever else we could find, and lit it using our flint. Arley did some whittling and the kids hung out and it was really fun. Other than Arley being difficult then, he has been brilliant all week!
This morning I took Arley to the doctor to get paperwork to get his blood drawn. I already had paperwork for Carmie. We have to test their iron levels and calcium and zinc etc. Right afterwards we went down to the lab to get the blood tests. The kids weren't terribly happy about it but were up for it. We had bought them numbing patches to wear. Carmie went in first and freaked out when the numbing patch came off (it's like a big bandaid). She was fine, but then the nurse couldn't find a vein. She said Carmie had to drink more water before she tried again. So then I took Arley in and he was calm and didn't even feel me take the patch off him. But then he freaked out when it came to getting the needle, so the nurse couldn't take his blood either. We are trying at a different lab tomorrow, one that has two nurses. As we left the nurse wished me lots of luck. I'm not sure we are going to be able to get their blood drawn.
I have been getting out every day with the kids, if only to the neighbourhood park. One day we went to the oval and played tennis and baseball. We've also been scooting and taking Bella for a walk - all without complaints from Arley! Carmie is always happy to get out of the house, she is never a fuss. Her sleeping is better because we are using 5mg of melatonin plus 3mg of slow-release melatonin, and she has been getting sleep every night. She's been a little sick this week, just feeling a bit off, but nothing to worry about.
On Monday Lolo and Dida are coming to stay for a few days before they stay in an Air B&B. Jeffrey and I are heading up to the Gold Coast for three nights and I can't wait! I'll be seeing a good friend from Aiglon (we're actually staying with him), so that will be a trip!
I told you it was good news!
After I wrote this, we had dinner, all was good. Arley and I made blueberry muffins together, because he is on a muffin kick. After his shower he came out to lick the bowl, then I sent him off to brush his teeth. For some reason he started telling me he wasn't going to use the new reward app and he wasn't going to brush his teeth. He was lying on the floor in the study, wrapped up in a blanket, refusing to brush his teeth or go to bed. This all escalated into a horrible violent meltdown. It was really terrible. Carmie was really scared, Arley was out of control. It went on for over an hour. We all went to bed depleted and sad. Today we are a little better. We had tennis this morning, and Arley only participated for half the lesson (even though he was playing like a champ!). The kids are both doing better now, and are friends and hanging out again. Arley has lost his screens for four days because of the violence. These highs and lows are killer.
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