a bipolar daughter and the family who loves her: One Week Down, Many to Go

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.

Saturday, September 10, 2011

One Week Down, Many to Go

I was so exhausted by the end of this first week of school. Were you? I am getting used to this crazy new routine of multiple, differing pick up times. We are spending A LOT of money on gas driving back and forth from our town to another for school and doctor appointments, sports practice and such. I wish the cost of gas would really come down. Talk about a budget blower!

Caroline seems very happy at her new school. I am wanting to get to know the teachers better as I haven't even really laid eyes on several of them. There are P/T conferences coming up at the beginning of October I think. In the meantime, I probably need to draw up the letter I always write for her new teachers every year explaining about her bipolar disorder, the meds and their side effects, her triggers for meltdown, etc.

3 comments:

mamaGoose said...: how are you doing? been a little tough here the last 2 days...; September 13, 2011 at 8:11 PM
Rachel said...: Please vote for my mom on her blog thanks http://www.smilesandtrials.blogspot.com/; September 14, 2011 at 4:57 PM
Megan said...: mamaGoose--This has been the craziest time, driving here and there, to school and back twice on most days, all the sports and ballet activities. I am exhausted! Caroline is adjusting, but I feel kind of out of touch with her right now. Bill is mainly handling her right now while I deal with the other two. Divide and conquer! Really tired of no job, no income though. I'm over this year. Thanks for asking. How about you?; September 14, 2011 at 6:53 PM