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!

Friday, May 28, 2010

The End of School!

Caroline has finished one complete year at one school! Yay!!!!! She wasn't feeling too well, probably the residual effects of the double dosing two nights ago, but she went to school, got the yearbook signed, teacher gifts handed out, and found out that she did quite well on her final exams. So thank you God, for getting her through this year successfully!! We found out that the less competent teacher is not returning, which is a relief, and that while Caroline's favorite friend is not returning, the other new girl is, so we are all happy. And Caroline will be going up to the ninth grade for some of her classes. Thus we stroked the registration check, and hope for the best for next year. Now what to do with her for the next three weeks until lacrosse day camps start? I wish she loved to clean. :)

3 comments:

Anna said...

Megan,

I just read about your love of the piano and that you have songs in your head. You must write them down if they are in your head! This is an amazing talent. I love music and I sing a little plus play the keyboard. I only had a song in my head once. It was not very good either. Please do not neglect your talent. It will provide a good example to your children of self-nourishing. Self-nourishing is important to all of us but most especially to those of us with mental illness.

Yeah and Yeah again on a full year in one school!

Anonymous said...

I am so thrilled for you guys and especially Caroline. As many hurdles she has faced this year, even as stable as she is, she persevered mightily. What a daughter you have there! Tell her aunt Jen is so so so proud!!!

CC said...

Yay! Congrats on another school year down! I know I feel the same way about my daughter!