I wrote a bunch, hit a random button on my computer and everything was deleted. Why doesn’t every word processor have automatic “save draft” like google mail? Dumb, dumb, dumb.
1. I was talking about how my back feels better than it has in 20 years. I started having problems as a teen. When we’d march a mile for band, I’d end up in tears, it hurt so bad. Went through two doctors and a chiropractor…finally, the latest doctor gave me an arthritis drug and two muscle relaxants. The muscle relaxants did nothing, the arthritis drug eased the pain, so I’m guessing I have arthritis in my back. Whatever. I feel loads better, and have even on occasion been able to go without the arthritis drug, when it’s warm outside. It took a long time to heal. A LONG time. I figured a couple weeks. It was more like 3 1/2 months. Obviously, I can’t be happy about anything else in my life unless I’m not constantly writhing in pain, so that’s number one.
2. My son went to prom! Not his high school prom. Someone at the school talked about the high school prom and how shitty it is for these kids, they get ignored just like they get ignored every day in high school. The person said it’s absolutely heartbreaking to watch, and encouraged me to have Josh go to the church’s prom. The program that was supposed to get NT and typical kids together, the Best Buddies program, has been kind of a joke so far. The teacher running it apparently doesn’t show up for half the meetings, which is upsetting for kids like Josh, so he no longer wants to go to the meetings. (Doesn’t she understand autism at all?) I understood that his buddies were supposed to hang out with him on occasion after school and be his ACTUAL FRIENDS. It’s been 7 months and I’ve seen hide nor hair of the 2 girls that are supposed to be buddies with him. Josh no longer cares about the program, so that tells me everything I need to know. The schools really need to take a page from this church’s book. Screw trying to get NT and typical kids together. The typical kids only want it for a boost on their college app anyway. Sorry, but being the cynic I am….anyway, “A Night To Remember” is the best thing that has come down the pike, socially speaking, for Josh, and it had nothing to do with school.
I had heard about this prom a couple years ago, and this was the first year Josh could attend. It was wonderful. I wasn’t the only parent nearly in tears over the wonderful time my child was having. Hell I was nearly crying over the other kids, too. They were having the time of their lives, and that dance floor was hopping. It was shoulder-to-shoulder and it was like a huge wave…andJosh danced…he DANCED….and kids came up to him and wanted to introduce themselves. For a kid who really wants to do nothing but sit in his room and play video games, and who will occasionally come out to go with us if we are taking a drive somewhere, this is big stuff. He was singing and smiling all day yesterday, remembering the good time he had. He can’t wait to go back next year and neither can I! I wrote a thank-you letter to the church and asked how I can help out or donate to the cause. We need to keep this thing going.
3-We are finally in decent financial shape. The bankruptcy was hell, mostly on Ken, and it’s taken a while to get back on our feet. We both believe in paying our bills. We’re both honest people. I had long ago gotten extremely angry with the insane amounts of healthcare bills we had to pay, so I felt no guilt, only frustration that it’s so wrong to be ripped off continuously, but Ken felt it was a personal failure, I think. 18 years of him struggling to get us on top, only to constantly drown in healthcare bills again. When the pregnancy and birth of your child costs more than your annual household income, and you are still paying it off 8 years later, there was something wrong with our healthcare system. I’ll keep from further political opinions on the subject and just say it’s about time my family have a rest from the financial struggle. It’s nice to be able to buy a dress and shoes for my daughter for her formal, and my kids no longer go to school with holes in their clothes and in shoes where the soles are flapping. I was able to get my son to a good psychiatrist, instead of the drive-thru shrinks on our insurance plan who would just dope him up so he couldn’t function, and with whom I’d just argue and fight and push my own illness to cycle. ‘Nuff said on that subject.
4. It’s spring!!! I can’t wait to garden. I am planning to plant some trees or really big bushes to hide our neighbors’ back yard. Being on a corner lot does have it’s disadvantages. But the advantages are that we have a TON of yard to do whatever I want with it. When I finish the retaining wall, I already have ideas about what to plant behind it. Ken is building me more garden boxes. The big garden just got to be too much to handle, with little to show for it. The ground is clay, and to truck in sand and dirt would cost too much. Boxes are so much easier! I can sit on the ground and work, rather than bend over the garden with a hoe (hahahahah) and break my back again. Now if the weather will just warm up and get sunny…
chiquie39 