Dropping Like Flies

By Sandy on March 31, 2015

There seems to be a recurring theme to my blog posts. I tend to dwell on these issues: sleep (or the lack thereof), recurring illnesses, behavior challenges or bathroom blunders. I guess it’s because these are the recurring themes with Josiah. If we could just resolve even one of these concerns, life would be easier. Today is all about illness. I just checked Josiah’s online school records. He has missed 26 days of school so far this year. With approximately 50 days of school left we are almost at a 15% absence rate.

Josiah gets sick at the drop of a hat. Picture dominoes in a precise line, then cough on the first one. It doesn’t have to be a direct-in-the-face kind of cough, just an in-the-general-direction one. BAM! Down that first domino goes; Josiah in this scenario. Directly behind him all the others collapse, ie,. the rest of the family. I can not tell you have many times our entire family has been wiped out once Josiah gets sick. I really should be keeping track.

Little Glass Jars of Ombre Green Goodness

By Sandy on March 27, 2015

Josiah has become this incredibly healthy eater. His once extremely picky palate has seemingly out of nowhere become increasingly less picky. I swear he will eat just about anything you put in front of him nowadays. He will also drink juices and smoothies made with lots of fresh veggies and fruit. Actually he guzzles them as if they are the best tasting drinks he’s ever had.

Here’s the funny thing. For years the only liquids Josiah would drink were milk and water. That’s it. We tried apple juice, grape juice, orange juice, you name it. He didn’t like them. We tried Capri Suns, Gatorade and even a sip of soda here or there, just to see if he would show any interest. He didn’t. Josiah always looked in the cup offered to him before accepting it. If he didn’t like the looks (or maybe it was the smell) of the contents, he’d refuse to have anything to do with it. He wouldn’t even take a tiny taste.

Backwards Jammies

By Sandy on March 24, 2015

By far one of our most favorite products for Josiah are his backwards jammies. ‘Little Keeper Sleepers’ are inescapable zippered back pajamas that put a stop to sleeper and diaper removal.

If you have a child who requires little sleep and likes to assist with removing unwanted contents from his pull-up in the middle of the night when everyone is asleep, you may want some of these too. They are super cute, super soft and oh so comfy. Josiah really seems to like them. Rick and I love them. They are amazing and have been a life changer for us. Read more…

We Need Guidance

By Sandy on March 23, 2015

Josiah’s pediatrician’s office called last week. His most recent blood work shows elevated prolactin levels, most likely due to the medication Risperdal. Prolactin is a protein that in humans is best known for its role in enabling female mammals to produce milk, It can also cause breast tenderness and enlargement. Josiah is not female. We really don’t want this boy wearing a bra or producing any milk.

We were instructed to call his psychiatrist who prescribes and monitors Josiah’s medications to see what needs to be done. A few days later, the psychiatrist called me directly to discuss the situation. I was quite impressed he took time from his busy day to consult with me. This is Josiah’s first elevated level which seems to indicate it’s not a grave concern. However, Josiah hasn’t had blood work done in an extremely long time. Maybe the levels have been high for a while and we’ve just not known until now?

Take Another Step

By Sandy on March 22, 2015

Many times along this journey with Josiah the path has looked rather bleak. Try as I might to look for joy and find humor, it’s not always easy. There are times quite honestly, I just wish we were on a different road, one demanding less but promising more. If it weren’t for this blog, I would probably never even admit that to myself let alone anyone else.

In those difficult moments I feel sorry for myself. I feel sorry for Josiah and I feel sorry for our family. I compare our lives to others and wonder why we don’t have it as easy as so many do. Why the constant struggles? Why the increasing aggression? Why the daily battles?