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!

Monday, May 18, 2009

Great Friend

I just wanted to post a note sent by a friend because it is probably the nicest letter of encouragement I have received in years.  She writes:  "You're a great mom.  A good mom feeds, clothes, and shelters her daughters.  A great mom is a parent and mother, always; isn't afraid of being unpopular, seeks help from experts when her own skills aren't enough, does the right thing, even when she's tired or doesn't feel like it, loves and cares for all of her daughters even when they (temporarily) say "I hate you!", gives herself a break to rest and rejuvenate, always shows a united from with great Dad.  You have our admiration and prayers..." Isn't that amazingly sweet?  She sent a note to Bill too, but I haven't read it.  I know that he took it with him on the day he had a meeting with our oldest's prom date to talk "man to man" about the evening.  I think he must have felt that the note was worth sharing with this young man as he considers his choices in life.  Her date told Elizabeth after the meeting, "Your dad is like the closest person to God I know."  Funny,  but we actually don't mind that he views him that way.  It's good to have a little fear of your girlfriend's dad in you--keeps you in line.  
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