Today's adventure

Oh my, what a day.

First, I got dressed to meet a guy who runs an agency that I am interested in volunteering at. I was at the appointed place at the appointed time and he did not show up. Later, I found out that I had the wrong day -- tomorrow, not today -- but I didn't know that, felt awful, starting to believe that I could do nothing right. Finding out later about the wrong day thing, I almost felt worse. Now, he knows . . . what?

Then, I picked Julia up for OT and Christy told me that had a rough afternoon. She had problems finishing her math work, finished it during choice time, got angry and hit another child. Julia told me that she hit Ginny, the special ed teacher, but she didn't want to talk about it beyond that. She was cranky in the car, told me that she didn't want to see Annie, and I told her that we had to tell Annie that we were not going to meet with her. This is a tactic that I use at times when I cannot think of a choice to offer her. After a while, she will tell me that she is willing to do what she is supposed to and we talk about doing that thing.

At OT, Julia was amazing. She was able to concentrate and follow directions for almost 45 minutes. She made a butterfly with the grad student that is shadowing Annie. When they were done making the butterfly, the grad student and Annie wanted to play Red Light, Green Light, but Julia would have none of it. She got angry and tried to rip the red/green sign that Annie had made. She said she was angry and she said that she wanted to hit the sign. Instead of insisting that she play the game, Annie suggested that Julia use one of the swings. Annie took down the swing made of a knit material and in which Julia can curl up like she is in a sling. Annie swung her, and bounced her with a big ball. When Julia came out of the swing, she was no longer angry.

Annie and I talked about Julia's anger. This is the behavior which is so hard to do something about. It comes on quickly Julia either threatens me with hitting or tries to squeeze my arm, or wants to do damage like she did with Annie's sign. I stop her and she becomes contrite but is unable to say why she was angry. Annie and I talked about whether it was the result of sustained concentration or maybe even going back to her behavior at school.

After OT, I realized that what I thought was a few bites on my wrists was really poison ivy. I called my doc, was unable to see her or anyone in the office today, and was advised to go to an Urgent Care Clinic. There was a clinic close to where we go for OT so I took Julia. She was cooperative and concerned about my itches, quite caring in her own way. The doctor that we saw did not see it that way -- she reprimanded Julia a few times when she was fidgity, bumping her feet on part of the chair and touching a painting hung in the room. I just wanted some medicine and to get out of there but I am sure that the doc thought me a lazy mother who was not disciplining her child. I was so itchy, I just wanted drugs.

So, the drugs -- hopefully the prescription steroids will short cut this bout of poison ivy. Very unfortunately, the side effects are irritability and an insatiable appetite. These I don't need. Not at all, but if it helps the rashes, I am there.

All this, and it is David's birthday. I started a dinner before I left to get Julia for OT. He had to finish it up. We had a little cake and Julia sang happy birthday enthusiastically.

And now, I am going to bed. It all starts all over again tomorrow.