Good to Know

Goldilocks' meltdowns have been increasing in frequency, intensity, and duration over the last couple months. Once St. Nicholas Day was over, he found other things to yell about. Or nothing in particular, just yelling angry nonsense. We are working with his doctor, adjusting his meds, trying to find a combination that keeps his behavior under control. I know some people are anti-medication, but when we've done every available therapy, and tracked down and accommodated every sensory and social issue we can, and he's still screaming, hitting people, pounding on the walls, tearing down pictures, and attempting to break windows for hours at a stretch, all for no discernible reason, and this happens four to five days a week, we turn to medication. Without it, someone would have been locked up a long time ago.

We missed church yesterday because of bad weather. It turned out not to be quite as bad as we were expecting, but the National Weather Service was still advising people to travel only in an emergency. We decided that going to church was not an emergency, but if the weather got worse, and we were stuck there or on the way home, we would have an emergency. Today he was not yelling; He was just being annoying. Asking repetitive questions. Making unreasonable demands. No matter what you offered him, he upped the ante. I decided to take him and run a few errands. He gets the go bug, especially when we can't or won't take him anywhere for a day or two. Sometimes just going someplace helps. So I took him. We even stopped for 7Up and doughnuts, which made this an official "adventure" in his book.

Later, Mama Bear had some errands, including a doctor appointment for the Sinus Infection That Will Not Die, so I was home with GL. He suddenly decided that he was finished with all his library DVDs, and I was going to take him to the library to get some more RIGHT NOW! I explained that I had to do a few other things first, including checking to see which things needed to be returned to the library and waiting for Mama Bear to come back with the car. He was back every five minutes, nagging. I was gathering the library materials when MB arrived. I apprised her of the situation. As GL and I headed out the door, Mama Bear said, "You're a better man than I am, Papa Bear." Thanks, Mama Bear. That's good to know.