Disability Schmisability

Hellooooo.. and welcome back to this crazy life that we live! We made it another week, and everyone is still alive, 🙌🏻 so I call that a win! We had 5 basketball games this past week with a wrestling tournament sprinkled in. 🏀🤼‍♀️ Poor guy got the stomach flu the morning of his second day. Needless to say, he lost his match and has been in bed ever since he came home. Hoping for a contained virus and a quick recovery. He's been down since Saturday and it's not like him to just hang out. Between Boop and the twins, we won all 5 games, one resulting in a forfeit for the other team only having one player show up. Boop has grown so much as a player since last year, has become much more basketball savvy and aggressive. Sheamus is following along in his footsteps, and is almost too invested and Magnus is just happy to be there. He didn't get much playing time in the second game, but he did make a basket and he "stuffed a kid", which was the talk of the house for the next couple of days. LOL. We stayed after Boop's games to watch our friends on the 2nd grade team and that was a sight. Haha. So little and all just want the ball. Makes for an entertaining game. 

We have been noticing some changes with Magnus the past couple of weeks, since school has been back in session. With his diagnoses, he has to take medicine twice a day for his epilepsy, plus a med for ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) and ODD (Oppositional Defiance Disorder) in the morning. He takes a med to help him sleep in the evening, otherwise homeboy would be up all hours of the night. 😵‍💫 The ADD and ODD meds only last for a specific amount of time, which works well while he is in school. That's when we want him to be focused and his impulses to be controlled most. But MANNNNN, when his medicine wears off, he is starting to become a whole different kid. Don't get me wrong, he is still the sweetest and fun-loving, but he is off the chain sometimes. He was mad when it was time to leave the 2nd grade game, so he ripped his toboggan off, threw it on the ground and then slumped to the floor, causing me to physically lift him. Then, as we are walking in to our car in a dark parking lot, freezing and cars everywhere, he tries to take off. Que instant panic. I snatched him by his hood. He did NOT like that. So, gaming privileges were taken for the rest of that night. He had to be checked quite a few times yesterday, as well as told to watch his mouth. (Cussing) We are starting to wonder if he could benefit from medication mid-day, even if it's only the med for ODD. The impulses are what cause him the most grief, thus causing us the most stress. He has a hard time deciphering what is dangerous and absolutely doesn't think before he does something. Pencils stabbed in oranges, milk spills hidden by towels, packages opened that he knows he shouldn't, climbing onto the counters to get yet another piece of junk candy. He asks to go to the store with me and then slumps in the back seat when it’s time to go in, make me have to physicall pull him out. It makes me worry for when he is older, bigger than me and I won't be able to physically redirect him. I worry for danger he might put himself in when rebelling, versus him hurting me.  

We/I met with the school Psychiatrist, his speech therapist, his Intervention Specialist and teachers to go over the plan of action for him. 📗📘📙 Because he has an IEP (Individualized Education Plan), he has to be evaluated by the Psychiatrist once every 3 years, teachers and therapists once a year. After multiple tests performed, it was determined that while he is in 3rd grade, he is understanding and functioning comprehensively at a Kindergarten age. This was a gut punch. I was almost in tears thinking about how his little brain works so differently, and where his twin is academically compared to him. And we know that we shouldn't compare kids, but it isn't easy when they are twins. Will he always have a hard time with learning? Will he always be 3 years behind? At what point will he just stop and not go beyond that comprehension level? Will he be able to live an independent life once he is older? He is doing well with what he knows right now and slowly but surely will pick things up. He just requires more time, re-direction, repetition and reward.

But then I had to check myself. Because he IS learning and he IS improving. He is meeting the goals that they have set forth for him. And he is HAPPY. God, he is the happiest kid in this world, unfazed and, again, just happy to be here. He is a friend to anyone and once you are his friend, you better watch out because he will latch on. He is his classmates and friends and family members biggest cheerleaders, he only wants what's best for everyone. And when he isn't a cat, he can give the BEST hugs. Even better ones when they are out of nowhere. And if he says he loves you back, you hit the Jackpot. We don't care if he lives in our basement forever, if he falls asleep beside me in bed and Ryan has to carry him as long as he can. When you are sad, he will comfort you. When he has a snack, he will share with you (within reason lol). When you lose your Championship Football game he will cry with you, taking it harder than some of the kids on the team. While I don't wish for anyone to have the obstacles and setbacks that he has had, I wish everyone could have the triumphs and victories that we have. The cheer, the excitement for the small things, the love shared and the friendships made. For everyone to have a Magnus. ❤️ 

Even if he does leave pee on the seat. 😏