Girl On The Go!

 Our Thanksgiving weekend was hopping in part because T was busier than usual that weekend.  Our sweet T has always been a "Girl on the Go."  She had a pair of PJ's with this slogan when she was just one, but it so deeply describes her.  She is always seeking adventure, always curious, always daring.  This is a huge blessing in many ways.  This also makes life as her parent tricky.  To help curb T's impulsivity she has been taking meds for a few years.  The meds have helped and we know that now more than ever.  In November we were really struggling with some things and talked with her prescriber.  We discussed trying a stimulant, but learned she would have to wean off of her current med first.  

As we were weaning her off the med, things got a little wild around here.  I searched some emails that I sent to her prescriber and therapists during that time so I could share some of stories with you. I think that T will get a chuckle out of these one day which is why I am sharing them. Here is a snapshot from one afternoon: T said she was playing LOL's in her room, but was doing google searches.  Then she went outside with Brandon who had just come home from the hardware store with five new strands of lights for our outdoor Christmas trees.  He had just opened the package and was stringing some lights when he turned and she was using the lights as a jump rope breaking several of them.  Within 30 minutes of this she was helping Brandon fill the bird feeder and poured birdseed on the patio for the squirrels not once, but twice after Brandon told her not to either time.  After this she put on M's roller blades and went around the patio, but wanted to add some adventure so she turned on the outside water so the patio would be soaked.  When she came inside she saw that the candle warmer had been fixed so she climbed on to the counter and stuck her fingers in it then smeared the red wax on the candle warmer globe and all over her yellow pants.  All of this happened in about one hour while Brandon was with her (or close to her) and I was cleaning the kitchen and bathrooms.  About an hour later she ran to the bathroom and then yelled that she had a potty accident.  I cleaned that up and got her more clothes.  Then she told me that she hurt her leg.  Apparently, while I was getting her clothes she was playing "the floor is lava" and was standing on top of the toilet and jumped with both feet up to try to get onto the sink but slipped and scraped her legs.

 

T: A little for the birds and a little for the squirrels.

M: I poured all of mine carefully into the feeder.

 

The day following the incidents above we decided to pull the plug on the weaning from the current med and not even try the stimulant.  This is the reason why: While I was washing dishes T saw a squirrel in the tree.  She asked me if I could lift her into the tree, and I told her I could after I was finished with the dishes.  A couple of minutes later I heard her come in the house and go upstairs.  When I was finished washing the dishes I asked her if she needed help in the tree.  She said, "No the squirrel isn't in the tree anymore.  He went onto the roof and so did I." Yes friends, she went on the roof in dress shoes without me knowing it.  She was chasing the squirrel with peanuts trying to get it to eat from her hand. Keeping T alive is a full time job!  

T: I love the look, the feel, the smell of wax on my fingers.

Parenting T helps me think outside of the box.  Chasing squirrels on the roof isn't safe, but I could allow her to play with candle wax safely.  We melted some wax and she dipped her fingers in and then waited for them to dry.  It ended up being quite relaxing for her. 

Once we were able to slowly increase her dosing of the original meds we were able to settle on an amount that seems to serve her better.  She is still our girl on the go, but we now know for sure and for certain that the meds are taking a major edge off her impulsivity.  I am so thankful for them and for this sweet girl!