Caleb Update

So here is what came out of Caleb's meeting with the child psychiatrist. He has very serious anxiety issues (which we very much knew). We will be watching him since he's showing signs of having bipolar disorder. He will work on learning skills to deal with his emotions effectively. Caleb is far more intellectually mature than he is emotionally mature, and it's causing a big disconnect in him (we've heard this from a few people, actually). And get ready with your torches and pitchforks here... For the next 4-6 months he is taking an antipsychotic to reduce the frequency and the severity of his outbursts.

I'll address the medication issue first. We had always said before that we would medicate our kids as a last resort. Let me be clear, we were at that point. As I stated 2 posts ago, things have been really bad for the last 9 months, and I had hit my limit. Furthermore, with summer holidays about to start and there being no school to break up the week, I knew it was necessary. It is not a permanent solution, it is temporary until he has learned the skills that he needs to learn.

As for the part about him showing signs of bipolar, I kind of already knew this. It was glaringly obvious how much of myself I was seeing in him when he struggled. It's different coming at this with a child. We'll catch it WAY earlier than it was caught with me. We've already found an effective way to manage it, which he will be doing as soon as he is done taking the antipsychotics. He will never have to worry about morning sickness interfering with his ability to take his supplement, and he won't have to worry about monthly hormonal changes messing everything up either. We've been through this before, so we have a far better idea of how to help him through it than we did with me. And finally, he has a mother that has been through it first hand. I've got understanding about this in spades.

So...We have quite the road ahead of us, but it finally feels like we're making progress and that we have an idea of where we need to be going. I am SO thankful for everyone who has helped us during the past 9 months, especially our amazing and patient bishop. But every thought, prayer and kind word from everyone during this time has been far more appreciated than you know.