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!

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Not So Bad, Maybe

Caroline has been talking on the phone to her friend "Dana" who says that her mom actually didn't ban her from being friends with Caroline, that she had misunderstood what she had said, and that it was really Dana who was in trouble not Caroline.  I am not sure exactly if this is the true story of if the mom is softening up.  Whatever the reason, Caroline seems to be able to talk to her on the phone now and maybe hang out.  I am still skittish though.  I still want to move.

Tomorrow is Caroline's placement test at the private school.  I am quite nervous, as is she.  I will let you know how it goes.

I am so exhausted by all of the end of the year events at everyone's respective schools/homeschool classes/ballet/lacrosse/cross-country/graduation related stuff.  I can't wait until June the 14th when it is all done!  My oldest is graduating from high school and we are having a big party here.  I tried to postpone it, but we another very busy time the following week starting June 20th with lacrosse/vacation Bible school/summer college orientation.  I am tired just thinking about all of that!!  But at least a party here means we have to finish house and yard projects, so bring it on!

To my fellow blogging friends, please know that I read your blogs but don't always have time to comment.  I hope this summer to be a better bloggy friend to all of you!

3 comments:

Dee said...

Our daughter is graduating this year as well - from the charter school at Meridell! We found out about MAC through your blog when we were close to our wits end over our daughter's difficulties. It took a while to make it happen, but ultimately she wanted to go to MAC. She has been there a little over three months now and will be discharged the same day she graduates. We are excited to have her coming home and very encouraged by the help she has received at MAC. Good luck with your upcoming activities and festivities and please use this comment as a reminder that you do help the rest of us who keep up with your trials and victories!

Anonymous said...

Hang in there, summer is almost here. I understand you being skeptical of the mother, sometimes people fake that everything is the same, just to avoid the uncomfortable relationship. Experiencing that now.

Megan said...

Dee--thanks for writing and sharing about your experience at Meridell. I am so glad that your daughter has improved there and is home. How are things going now? Sometimes I wish a place like Meridell existed here close to us as a day school, don't you?