About our Daughter

I am mother to four wonderful daughters, ages 17, 19, 21, and 23, and wife to the greatest husband on earth. God has given us a special child to raise one who was diagnosed with early-onset bipolar disorder at the age of seven, though she showed signs of it from the age of fifteen months. She also has ADHD, Sensory Integration Disorder (sensory seeking), Dyslexia, and Non-Verbal Learning Disorder-NOS, all typical comorbidities for a bipolar child. In spite of the trials, she enjoys lacrosse, running (finished her first marathon in October of 2014!), and reading and writing her own books. I will share with you the many joys and sorrows we have faced and will face in the future with the hope that you may find better understanding about this mental illness caused by both chemical and structural abnormalities in the brain. I desire that you will be encouraged by this blog if you are also dealing with a bipolar child. Thank you for reading and sharing in our journey.

How Did You Know She Was Bipolar So Young?

I wrote a long explanation of how we came to this bipolar diagnosis in a child so young under my post of March 19th of 2009. If your child or a child you know bears similarities, please seek out a good psychiatrist and don't wait for "things to get better." Often they will simply get worse, and the longer a child is unmedicated, the more damage their brain can accrue. Early diagnoses and treatment are key to providing these children with a chance at a successful life later as a teen and an adult.
Never change, start or stop a medication without the approval of your child's physician!

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Not Hopeful That the Bullying Will Stop

Tonight Caroline received a nasty text message from one of the two girls who have been so mean to her all fall. I am blocking their numbers. I guess that the big pow-wow the administrators had with them just before Christmas break didn't have the desired effect. I just wrote a long letter to the principal threatening to withdraw her. Well, threaten is a strong word. Perhaps warning is a better word. I know they want more parents like us involved with their school (they have said as much). I don't want these girls to be expelled, just that they would learn self-control and kindness. I feel sorry for them, really. I can't believe that we would find the "perfect" school for Caroline only to have it ruined because of two very insecure, unforgiving middle school girls. I want to call their grandmothers and give them a tongue lashing, but I think that the school should do that. Caroline is reluctant to return to school after being sick. I can understand why. Bipolar disorder is bad enough, but to be bullied is unacceptable.

3 comments:

Amy said...

I totally agree with you Megan. I hope the school will help you. Kenz was really bullied back in 5th grade by 6th grade girls that were in her class-they do combo classes at her school. Anyway, the school ended up letting Kenzie go to help out in the younger classrooms at recess. I also would sometimes pick her up at lunch and take her away for lunch and then bring her back. It was mostly happening obviously at lunch recess. This seem to work. she still has times where girls are not nice to her and it is hard. She has learned to put a wall up and not get close to anybody for fear of being hurt. Therefore, she does not have any real friends at school. Very sad and hard. I was really hoping that at Hope Ranch she would make friends that understood. Again, I wish she and Caroline could meet-I know they would be friends. Kenz is so accepting because of her stuff. Well, keep us updated. I will pray for you and her. Amy

Corrie Howe said...

I'm sorry this is happening. I'm inspired that you have a heart of love and mercy towards them, loving them in their ugliness, even as Christ loved us in our sin.

Megan said...

I want to love these kids. They are very prickly, but maybe if I pour out grace upon them, they will see that love covers over a multitude of sins....