Koopman Kraziness

I always say that I need to blog more often, but it's really going to have to happen.  Things are looking like they are going to become really intense and involved over the next few months, and I have to document it all somewhere or I'll never keep track of progress. In regard to my sweet Kamden...  Where do I start?  Just before Spring Break, we started noticing some behavioral changes.  Nothing to severe, but enough to catch attention of those at home as well as school and therapy.  After returning to classes, things seemed to just keep going down hill.  Kamden has been very much not himself in regard to how he acts and reacts to those in authority, and even in how he treats his friends and classmates.  Additionally, he has started to lose his motor coordination, speech processing, and other normal functions.  The most likely cause is that he has started having complications tied to bilateral ventriculomegaly.  We were told after his MRI ...

I despise the word "normal" for a variety of reasons, but primarily simply this: Everyone has a different definition of what "normal" is.  For some, working all night and sleeping all day is normal.  For others, being shot at on a daily basis is normal.  For still others, normal involves the general stereotype - 2.5 kids, mom and dad in the same home where either dad works and mom stays home or both work. Here's what "normal" looks like for my little family. I (Mom) go to school full time.  I completed my Associates of Science in Biology this semester, but I start back full time at the end of January to work on my Bachelors in Biotechnology and a minor in Psychology.  I also work two unconventional jobs.  Currently I work for myself as a housekeeper for a handful of faithful clients and I am getting a new business as a Independent Beauty Consultant with Mary Kay off the ground.  I'm fully aware that I need to make more money than I do ...

**I want to preface this by saying that the last few weeks have been highly stressful and there has been much less sleep than usual.  I'm a bit delirious and kind of just doing what I call "word vomit" in hopes that it will calm my mind.  I apologize if this doesn't make sense in parts. ** I'm exhausted, but I can't sleep.  This has been my pattern for almost 2 weeks now.  My mind begins to race when I lay down and while there is so much good going on regarding Kamden right now, there is so much that weighs heavily on my heart and mind. It has hit me recently that we will never have a "normal" life.  One part of me thinks, "What is 'normal' anyway?"  Then there is the other side of me that watches my son live his daily life and that side's heart breaks a little every time I see just how different things are. He has the biggest heart I have ever seen...but he can't control his emotions.  When he sees someone else is ups...

...worn?  Tired?  Exhausted?  Out of ideas?  LOL I'm keeping up an insane pace lately.  Things should slow down some around the first of the year, but as it stands now there's something going on every day.  I don't know how parents of multiple children do it and I want you to know that I applaud you! A typical week for us is as follows: Monday: Laundry Day 1-2 hours of homeschooling for Kamden Working on homework for college or pharmacy tech classes An hour to an hour and a half at the gym Math Class for 3 hours (night class) Dinner/Bedtime "rituals" for Kamden Math homework and studying (it's a fast track class so there's no waiting to do the homework) History exam (weekly) Tuesday: Cleaning job in the mornings Lunch Kamden goes to occupational therapy 1-2 hours of homeschooling for Kamden Finishing up any remaining laundry Studying for history class and pharmacy tech classes Wednesday: Grief/PTSD therapy every other week 1-2 hours...

I'm not even going to apologize for the lack of posting this time.  I think I'll just explain myself instead. The last time I posted here was sometime around early to mid-June.  I had an eight week summer class in Child Developmental Psychology which was a lot of fun, but was also very intense.  I also started taking on extra cleaning clients to help with the expense of Kamden's occupational and behavioral therapies, so time was short on hand. First day of hydro-therapy We started working toward getting Kamden ready for Kindergarten and had him assessed by the school for special needs assistance for his autism.  A very long story short, the determination made by the assessment team was that Kamden is "not autistic" and does not need or qualify for special need help through the public school system.  Normally, this would be a wonderful thing to hear and most parents would feel a sense of relief.  I was terrified.  It is HARD to get a diagnosis o...