Health and Sanity Check-Ins

[sprocketta]

Things are crazy now. I think we are all trying to stay healthy and maintain sanity as well. I thought I would start this thread so folks can check in and discuss how they're doing. I want all my BIC friends to be okay. I will kick this off with a first post. Take care of yourself lovelies.

[itscarin]

@SportyGirly125 @My first pregnancy was so easy. I got pregnant after 3 months, and it was a totally normal and healthy pregnancy. I just figured because I had a 100% success rate my second one would be easy, too. 

it was scary, too. I should’ve been measuring 10 weeks but I was 6.5 and then the doctor let me know about sepsis. There’s so many feelings I was going through.  

I was terrified it was going to hurt.  I’m sorry you had to go to the ER!  That is scary.  It’s such a scary process when you don’t know what to expect. Like you said, people don’t or didn’t really talk about it.  

[SportyGirly125]

@itscarin I was so scared and shocked because they were all back to back. Then when I got pregnant with my son on the fourth try I was always counting the weeks hoping I would make it to the next. It was nerve wrecking.  The whole time I just prayed I would make it to the end of my pregnancy. 

[Skunk12puzzola]

@SportyGirly125 I agree with your last statement. I'm deeply sorry about your losses, that sounds horrible. I'm with you 🙏💗

[Skunk12puzzola]

@itscarin sorry to hear about your miscarriage, it must be so painful and heartbreaking 😥🙏

[itscarin]

@Skunk12puzzola @Thanks, it sucked.  I’m better now but it’s still a bummer. I’m grateful I’ve never needed an abortion but even more grateful I’ve had the choice.  

I really can’t comprehend what this is going to do to poor women in the heart of anti choice states. Imagine living in Louisiana and having to travel to Kansas or Virginia to get your abortion?  I’m really stressed out for economically disadvantaged women because this is who’s going to be affected.  

[Skunk12puzzola]

@itscarin I live in Europe, Italy. I think that everyone has its own point of view on this argument.

[jessie416]

Still sane but barely  lol !!

[Skunk12puzzola]

@jessie416 same here 🤣🤣🤣

[Shosh85]

Sorry in advance for such a long post.

I haven't been on here much, because life's just been hard. 

For those of you that don't know me, I have two autistic boys ages 6 and 8, that are both non-verbal. Being a mother of two autistic kids has been challenging to say the least, but after COVID, life began to get a million times more challenging. My kids' therapy clinic closed down, and we stopped going to a lot of the places we used to go since they refused to wear a mask due to sensory issues. All these new changes were just too much for my oldest son. Two months into COVID he developed a self-injurious behavior. It started with head-banging. It was very gradual at first, only every once in a while. Then one night I woke up to a repeated banging noise - it was my son slamming his head against the wall over and over again. He hit the back of his head so hard that he basically flattened the goose egg he had and the back of his head turned soft and cushiony - sort of like what a newborn baby's head feels like. It was horrifying. Thankfully the head CT results came back normal. From then on it has been a roller coaster ride - some good months, a lot of bad months and a lot of ER visits. He went from head-banging every once in awhile to CONSTANT head-banging, punching himself in the face and kneeing himself in the face/head. It has been exhausting and heart-wrenching. My sweet little boy went from always being happy, calm, cuddly, and easy going - to depressed, anxious and constantly hurting himself. It has been extremely difficult for me to watch him go through this. It has been extremely difficult to know that he is suffering, but can't tell me what he's feeling. We've tried several different medications, treatments and x-rays - but nothing has seemed to help or given us any answers. We've narrowed it down to it being a behavioral/psychological issue and we've just started him on a new medication that's completely different than what he's had in the past, so we're hoping it helps. It's just been so hard watching him go through this. It's been hard not being able to give my youngest son all the attention he needs because his brother is getting most of it. Please wish us luck that this new medication helps. I just want my happy little boy back.

I also wanted to give a shout out to @itsfi and @lmaster. I really appreciate you guys sending a message and checking up on me - you don't know how much that means to me..... and I'm so sorry for not responding- for some reason I stopped getting emails/notifications, so I just saw your messages today when I hopped on here to write this.

[heartsmyface]

@Shosh85   I have ASD and some insights on this behaviour (apparently I’ve reached my dm limit for today).    Have you got foam floor mats you can attach to the walls to make the banging a little safer?  This is, believe it or not, often a rhythmic self-soothing behaviour.  The key is to find and replace it with something else he finds equally as soothing until you can identify the stresser and minimize it somehow.  

Finding out what he needs soothing from is the challenge.  Sometimes it can be needing to feel where your body ends and can be solved with a weighted blanket, sometimes a hammock swing is enough to get a similar rhythm to the headbanging, sometimes it’s to get out of your own thoughts so loud music can help.   Sometimes sounds that you may not be able to detect are the issue and headphones for complete silence can help.  

It’s all trial and error if he’s unable to communicate his needs.  

[Shosh85]

@heartsmyface  Thanks so much for the advice/input. 😊 

He wears a helmet and knee pads (he kicks his knee to his face repeatedly) and just about every surface he's around has padding.
A lot of my family have ASD, but none of them experienced this kind of behavior and none of them were non-verbal. I feel like we've tried everything - definitely a lot of trial and error. 

We are starting him at a different therapy clinic soon, because the one he was currently at just discharged him because they "couldn't keep him safe." We're hoping this new place can help us. 🤞

[Kim888]

@Shosh85 keeping my fingers crossed that the new medication works - I’m sorry to hear things have been going so poorly and I hope you and your family are doing better soon!!! 

[Shosh85]

Thank you so much @Kim888 💕

[tsavorite]

@Shosh85 ,

I hope and pray that the new medication works for your son!  I'm so sorry that your son and your family have been going through this.  I hope that it helps to know how concerned that we are for you and your family.  You are in my thoughts and prayers, of course!  It's horrible that you, your son, and family are going through this.  Thank heaven that you have each other!  I hope that you do not feel alone.  We care very much about you.  You are a wonderful mother!   I am sure that you will be blessed for all that you do.

[Shosh85]

@tsavorite  You are so kind. Thank you so much for the sweet words ❤️

[Sunnysmom]

I’m so sorry for you all @Shosh85 and know your kiddos are so blessed to have you as their mom. Sending you prayers during this tough time and hoping the new meds will work. Don’t forget to take care of you too. 💞

[Shosh85]

Thanks so much @Sunnysmom, that really means a lot 💕

[faeriegirl]

I am so sorry @Shosh85, my thoughts and prayers are with you. I hope this new medication helps🤞

[Shosh85]

Thank you so much @faeriegirl. 💕

[blackkitty2014]

@Shosh85 @I’m so sorry. My heart is breaking for you and your boy. I’m praying for the new medication works for him. It must be hard for you and your family. Hanging in there. 🌹🌹🌹❤️❤️❤️❤️

[Shosh85]

Thank you so very much @blackkitty2014