Diane V - LOL!! Your daughter sounds hilarious! I think we all have to have a sense of humor to get on with our kids, don't we? And yes, I ask myself all the time how this kid will take care of himself. You don't EVEN want to know what his room looks like. He's gone for this week and I'm goin' in with reinforcements to clean that horrid mess! Reminds me a lot of my brother, he was a total piggy growing up but he turned out ok, just like every ADHD kid before him.
randyjim - thanks for your kind words. There have been many dark days in which being an inspiration is the last thing on my mind. Sending him to the boarding school (which he reminds me about to this day and how we sent him away "for arguing") and holding his hand to get him through the last few months of school, was really really hard. I am scared he'll get depressed as an adult and won't take meds, I'm worried his wife won't put up with him the way only a mom can... The list is endless : )
But.. I know everything will be ok.
Marinewife, Thanks so much for sharing your story. It is inspirational. I wish you and your family good health and all the best! some days I think, WOW it's getting better she's going to do ok, and others I think OMG how in the world will she EVER take care of herself!
marinewife,
I hope your husband is ok in Afghanistan. My husband was in Iraq a couple of years ago and I know how hard it can be. I'm sorry you have to go through all this on your own. Tell your husband thank you for his service. And THANK YOU for yours and your families service and sacrafice.
I am so glad that your son is doing so well. And don't worry he'll find a wife one day that will put up with it, my husband did!! LOL Your son sounds like a wonderful guy! You are very lucky! Thank you for the inspiration!!
Good luck!!
Marinewife, thanks for sharing your story. You have dealt w/ a lot, and it sounds like your family is doing really well. You give great hope to all of us.
I hope your husband returns safely and not too long from now.
Marinewife, One I'd like to thank you for the sacrifices YOU and your husband and family make daily for our freedom...Truly from the bottom of my heart THANK YOU!!
Second, I gasped when I read that 'adhd took a backseat to cancer'...Cancer is such a terrible word isn't it??? However, God must have an AWESOME plan for your almost-man!! :) Seriously, though, I think you could call him a man for having overcome so much in his short time. I can't imagine it and I'm 27!! God bless him...God bless your whole family.
I appreciate your "It'll be okay"...I'm finding that out, but it sure is nice to hear from someone who's been in BIGGER shoes than mine!!
I have nothing but the best wishes for your family!!
Good afternoon all!
My last post was in April 2006 and boy have things changed since my son went to the boarding school. There have been ups and downs during the past couple of years, things definitely have not been easy for Eddie. Last December, Eddie got really sick after an injury and needed surgery. Days after the surgery we learned he had cancer (Burkitt's lymphoma). As you can imagine, ADHD takes a back seat when something like this happens. Eddie was in the hospital for about six weeks in the beginning.
During that time, we made the decision to take him off his meds for a few reasons: the meds weren't making a huge difference and we wanted him to have control and make the decision about meds on his own. I knew it may be harder for him to cope without his meds but we let him make the decision.
His chemo treatments took four months and OMG was it hard dealing with him during those times! LOL. We all know how impulsive and demanding these kids can be so you can imagine how it was living in a hospital for a few weeks off meds. It was a tough time to go through, but all along the prognosis was good so we kept a very positive outlook.
He turned 17 two days ago. I love that boy so much! But having a man-child live in the house, no matter ADHD, cancer, etc. is hard. My husband is deployed to Afghanistan - he was able to stay around for treatment but left soon after the treatments were done.
There is so much that has happened during the last 11 years since his diagnosis at age 6. School has always been and always will be hard for him. He eats way too much junk food. He spends way too much time playing video games. He's very adamant and always wants his way. He's extremely argumentative. But then that describes almost all of the other teenagers I know. Oh and there's that control-freak thing I have going on where I try to control his every move.
But on the good side, many of the ADHD behaviors have gone away. He's growing up to be such a fun guy and I know, despite all my fears, that he will do well. He's polite, loyal, friendly, and can do anything he puts his mind to (when he wants to, that is). I only wished someone would have told me 11 years ago that everything would be fine and work out. Or had a message board to connect with others. Reading your stories has helped me greatly.
I blogged about Eddie's treatment and recovery: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/eddiewells
But I want you all to know that it will be OK and some day your little guy/girl will be driving around playing the car stereo too loud, working at a job, dating, and they will be happy. : )
WOW! What a story. God bless all of you. How did YOU survive all of this!
And thank you for posting this. My daughter is 13, 14 in August and some days I think, WOW it's getting better she's going to do ok, and others I think OMG how in the world will she EVER take care of herself! She goes from wanting perfume and teen magazines to acting like a baby, to playing with webkinz, to poking everyone, to wanting to do her nails and go to dinner.....all in one day................
Dear Lisa,
You are an inspiration to us! Just knowing what you and Eddie and your family has been through makes me know that we can get through our years with Jon, also. I am so glad Eddie is better. He looks like a very handsome young man and he obviously is a fighter!
God bless you and your family!!
Randy