For those of you who have been following Libby’s situation and offering support and guidance, thank you. You helped me stay sane through an extremely challenging time in our lives. You gave me strength when I needed it most.
We did receive an emotional disturbance status for the school system and I will be working to get the recommended accommodations put in place. I will also be tackling the issues of bullying that we are facing in school and out. My stepson has started really bullying her and is in therapy currently.
She is undergoing significant testing in the next thirty days but all signs are coming up as we expected. In a way I feel very justified in an “I told you so!” to all the medical professionals who disregarded me but I also know the battle is far from won.
So now what do I do? How do I manage this? What do I do next? The path is not clear to me once I get through these challenges. Life seems simple now after so much emotional turmoil. I feel like the lull before the storm.
I’ve been struggling to provide constructive advice here, ACM, because in my situation sometimes life with my son does feel like a cycle of lulls and storms. However, after the initial shock and immersion into the world of serious mental illness I gained the experience and knowledge to be more understanding and a better advocate for him.
His illness is episodic. During the lull times I can move on from crisis and into planning mode, where I can tackle longer term projects like understanding SSDI and SSI, addressing estate planning, researching additional mental health resources in the community, and getting therapy and taking care of myself.
But above all, I can provide the environment and experiences that help enrich my son’s life and show him he’s loved and has a future. When he’s able to, we go on short vacations, arrange to visit his grandparents and cousins, make memories with family and friends. Or just a Sunday drive.
The lull never lasts; I try to make the most of it.