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, April 8, 2009

Out of Control Stress

Now Caroline has really gone into a full-blown manic state, which we now see she has been ramping up to for weeks now.  We may have to admit her to an acute psych unit until she is more stable to go to RTC.  In which case, neither she or my husband get to go on the SeaWorld/Disneyland vacation we have planned and paid for much of it beforehand.  We did get travel insurance on the airline tickets, which we will always do now.  I am really really stressed out about Caroline's crazy behavior, and my youngest is really acting out, and my oldest is running a 102 degree fever.   This is so very hard.  I was filling out Caroline's  Merridell application today and there was a section to check off previously tried meds.  I checked so many boxes.  About 14 actually.  Then there are the seven psychotrophic drugs she is on now, plus a few others for asthma and severe eczema.  And the boxes I checked for anger and agitation, plus lack of focus were numerous.  I sure hope the RTC things happens soon.
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4 comments:

domandkat said...

Would it be any help to have your youngest come spend the night Friday?

Bummed about the trip. That's just so wrong! Glad you got the travel insurance though...

Or would YOU like to come spend the night Friday?
:-)

April 8, 2009 at 8:54 PM
Megan said...

We are leaving, if we leave, around 6:00 am on Sat morning, so a sleepover wouldn't work then. But we'll take a raincheck! Love, megan

April 8, 2009 at 9:36 PM
Kimberly Collingwood said...

What is the deal with having asthma, allergies and bipolar? My daughter has all of these too. I wish we knew more!

September 21, 2011 at 12:08 AM
The Mom said...

Kimberly, My son also has allergies and asthma along with his bipolar. Weird!
Megan, I could say so much but for now I just feel extreme gratitude for finding this blog. A couple of posts ago you said suffering is the worst but loneliness in suffering is unbearable. Tonight after connecting with you and your readers, I feel a little less lonely. hugs

November 26, 2011 at 8:41 PM

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