Sharing the Reality

I often say,  "reality smacked me in the face and it stings".  Well, here's the thing.  I started this blog a couple of months ago with full force.  Reality is, life hasn't been all that smooth.  I wanted to share what I knew about our experiences but didn't have anything to share that I knew recently.  What I am trying to say is there will be days when you feel like you know nothing.  No strategy, no coping skills, no tool to help your child through.  Been there, done that, bought the T-shirt.  Even for us after years of learning new strategies, new skills, new techniques, we still have those moments when I have no clue what to do!  We are there, now. 

  So what do you do.  You just start trying everything you know.  When you have tried something and it fails, try something else.  For us, we lose functioning capabilities when lithium is too high.  That means I give lots and lots of verbal cues to him throughout the day just to get him through.  (He is 19, people.)   I make sure he hydrates, exercises, and doesn't have any other health issues like a cold.  Then, I notify his doctor and call for a blood level on his lithium.  These are the times when I have to be careful of his safety.  If he is helping out in the kitchen, he could cut himself.  While walking in public, he is usually oblivious to cars or people around him.  He stays in a fog.  Everything is difficult.   Simple tasks and everyday routine become difficult for him.  These are the times when I feel like I don't know enough on how to help him. 

There is another time when I doubt myself.  When a doctor says, "It's simple, you just..."  Those are words that a parent who is living day to day with incredibly difficult situations that can make you feel like you don't know anything.   It happened in therapy recently with me.  I felt my mind start to questions if I had missed something.  Could it be that simple, just....  Come on people.  They don't live in your house every moment that you do.  They can offer some great tools and techniques and even wisdom, but you are doing the every day life with your child.  You see more than anyone what is happening, when it happens and even gaining insight as to why.  My advice, take those comments " you just...",  evaluate them, try them, but don't let them sink into your emotions or heart and cause you to think you don't know anything.  You are learning everyday what it takes to help your child to function at a higher level.  Some days you make strides, some days you don't.  That's just the way it is. 

Reality is what you deal with.  There will be days it smacks you in the face and it stings.  You miss things you wanted to do, you lose sleep, you have to change your schedule and the list goes on.

My reality is I have a great family, great parental and sibling support, and most of all the help of my Heavenly Father to see me through every step I take.   So, it's okay I don't know what I am doing, for He does!

Thanks for stopping by,

Lynne