Where Have I Been?

Hi everybody.

​   Didn't mean to disappear for quite so long. Even I can't believe I haven't blogged since May. For the last month I've been participating in NaNoWriMo, which has gotten me writing again--something for which I am very thankful. But what about the other months? Here's what happened...

  This spring we started having some very difficult challenges with our youngest son. In addition to his autism he has Type 1 diabetes (which is auto-immune, not the result of eating too much, and which I do not recommend to friends). He had previously had behavior problems which had been successfully overcome. Then came puberty. The combination of rapid body changes and hormones flooding the system is difficult for any child, and particularly hard on those on the autism spectrum. All the behaviors came back with a vengeance and we were worried that we might have to place him outside of our home. 

     Our son ended up with a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) stemming from an incident at school in May; an incident for which I was present, and after which he ended up not going to school for most of the remainder of the school year. It was too stressful for everyone involved, him, us, and the staff, who I will add were always very understanding.

Concerned readers look for me, armed against wild animals lurking online.

   
    There aren't a lot of options where we live. There's a school and residential facility about an hour away, but his brother already attends the school there and the two of them cannot share a ride, nor would it be a good idea to have one coming home every day while the other has to stay there. That would be beyond bad, it would be cruel and could cause unimaginable psychic damage to both boys. There's another school/residential program two hours away that would be better, except for the distance and the fact that the only way to get him into such a place would be for the courts to get involved. This would not be an idea solution for a number of reasons.

   A lot of prayer and effort was expended with the result of a therapy company based clear on the other side of the state agreeing to work with our son. This has been a wonderful change. His meltdowns have decreased considerably and he is making slow but steady progress in a number of areas. He goes to school for a reduced day and has not had any incidents on par with the one back in May. His DPA was closed a month early, due to his progress and confidence the social worker assigned to the case has in the team working with him.

    Not all is well, but it is considerably better. It has only been this November that I have been able to think about writing at all. I did not win NaNoWriMo this year, but I did manage to write 15,000 words on North Pole: Confidential. I'm back into the story and enjoying it, and hope to finish the first draft early next year. In addition I will make an attempt to post on the blog at least twice a month--I'll try for once a week but can't guarantee anything, even if I put it in my Bullet Journal (by the way, I love my Bullet Journal!).

     I hope all has been well with you and yours, and look forward to rejoining life both on and off the internet.

Happy December to you!

Kate