Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Babbling again

Things are....normal, or rather our version of normal.
Which would probably still be hugely weird on the average person's scale of things, but meh.
He's off in Central Victoria with his Dad for a homeschool excursion; he gets to show his Dad the historical and salient points of interest, explaining the growth of the town, who lived where, what each building originally was, the train station, archaeological finds, museum and... you get the picture.
Just to clarify something Kelley mentioned yesterday about calling the ambos - yep, we've done that, twice and got nowhere.
First time we were actually seen in the hospital (may have been the police escort we had) where the registrar bent over backwards trying to get somebody - anybody - to even eyeball Aspie teen but no go.
Second time, after he'd wrapped a cord around his throat to choke himself, the ambos walked in, surveyed the debris of the trashed house, remarked "Oh, he's just had a tantrum," took us and the still stressed out kid to the hospital where we were told we'd have to wait for several hours (in a standing room only waiting room that stretched out into the car park) and even then they couldn't guarantee anyone would come down to see him.
So, both times we went home, exhausted and with nothing resolved.
Apart from the profuse apologies I received from On High after the 2nd effort.
I do not advocate calling the police but this has been the only thing that has shocked or 'bumped' Aspie teen out of his behaviour.
It's like he's a scratched record, once he gets into the groove of behaviour he can't get out of it and, like a record arm, has to follow the spiralling path around and around until the end unless something 'bumps' the record arm out of it's trajectory.
We tried an impromptu game of hide and seek in the middle of being battered and it worked for a little bit - but then he was back in the groove the moment the game ended.
Because, of course, if something happens even just once it's cast in concrete that that is the way things have to happen - whether it's him having to get a soy decaf when shopping, that he has to watch The Big Bang Theory (including repeats we've already seen) at the same time, same days every week, he's even become tuned to 'forgetting' his meds and delaying taking them so much he gets to the point where he does fall in a heap, like yesterday.
Hubby even mentioned a fab idea - that we need a friend at the local police station we can call for them to speak to Aspie teen (if we could get him to the phone), rather than drag them out.
I got no answers.
But I got bruises!
I can play 'let's compare war wounds' if you've got a spare couple of hours....?
Yes, I'm being silly cos I could bang on for days about how fucked our health, mental health and disability systems are and others have said it much more succinctly than myself, in fact they've been saying it for several decades now and the bastards still aren't listening.

8 comments:

antikva said...

Sadly it's true, the cops are better to call rather than the ambos. I felt like everyone was all talk and no action when you needed help. I've only ever seen a CAT team in action once and they had an armed escort, as they were taking a prisoner to hospital. For everyday people like us, it's DIY :(

Re the friendly copper, I'd offer mine but he's in Qld. Would the phone idea work though? maybe it's seeing the uniform that shuts the circuit?

I hope you get some time off for good behaviour soon matey.

Amy (DQ) said...

Well, I am pleased to read that your normal has returned today. Long may it remain! It sounds really awful in so many ways and I genuinely hope to never know this kind of behaviour. I know you are not here for the tea and sympathy, but I raise my mug of gluten free chai hot chocolate soy milk drink (it tastes waaaaaaaaaaaay better than that sounds I assure you. Honest. Is is really selfish to say I miss MILO? Anyway...) to you in a kind of 'cheers' for a calm day and future.
I can however relate to the notion of the young person being in a kind of loop/stuck in the groove of the record when it comes to 'losing it'.
Once, while Perky was in full blown red mist rage and I was struggling to prevent him from thumping five kinds of shite out of Pinky, in a moment of genius (which I can say in hindsight), I got Perky to hit my giant pink exercise ball, which was in the room at the time. It was astounding to see him hesitate at my suggestion, them give it a giant wallop, and suddenly his whole body kind of flumped (I was holding him and felt him release)
I don't know if this kind of distraction is useful to you at all but it is the sort of thing worth mentioning, just in case.
I hope the Aspie-teen-free-time gives you some genuine respite and you can do all the things you love to do.

Mistress B said...

So glad you are getting a down day today. *hugs*

Did all that happen not long after we were chatting on the phone?

My parents gave up in the end with my bro. The only thing they could do was send everyone for a week somewhere else every now and then for a break. I hope that isn't the only option left for you due to the health systems lack of ability to help.

River said...

The record arm in a groove reminds me of my hubby. His mind gets in a loop and nothing I do will stop it. Just have to wait it out.
It's sad that you have to call the police, but great that they come out and help. If that's the way it has to be then that's what you do.
Arnica cream or tincture is good for bruises. When applied immediately it takes the pain away immediately, and continued application 3-4 times a day sees the bruises fade much more quickly.

River said...

P.S. I could happily watch the Big Bang Theory forever. Just yesterday I finished another run through of seasons 1-2-3. I love it! Now I'm desperate for season 4 to start. next month I believe, so you'll be able to see some new episodes with him soon.

Heather Babes said...

Howdy! This is my first time reading your blog (I think) and it's good to see you're getting some respite time!

Thankfully, somehow, we managed to "fix" that behavior in T. It's so sucks when a kid rages, uncontrollably, for what could even be hours and sometimes days. The effects are felt by all: the family and the kid. I know, I've been there.

I wish I could pass on to you all that worked with T, but I can't. I'm not quite sure why the rages totally stopped other than I told him I wasn't putting up with it anymore. And from that point forward, he worked at better controlling his "disappointment" with life not going his way (i.e. the channel changed their line up so now he has to wait until 4 p.m. to see a show instead of 3 p.m. which throws off his whole TV viewing schedule).

But, I wish you and Aspieteen all the best and hope it stops soon for all those concerned. :)

Happy Elf Mom (Christine) said...

I understand a bit better than I'll go into on a blog comment section... but my heart is with you today. Pray for us, too. :)

Ro said...

Yep, it's the sight of the uniform that shocks him out of the behaviour, Antikva. Don't know if the phone idea would work but there's something there.

Amy, when he was younger we'd find a warm bath helped calm him down but he's resistant to the idea now and with water restrictions...!

Yep, B, about 20 mins later everything just exploded when we asked him to stick to his schedule and he'd just taken his meds and bam, it was on for young and old.

I love the Big Bang theory, River, but he's watching the same episodes each day in a row at times on Foxtel. Yay on the new series!!!!

Thanks, Heather, and welcome :)

(((hugs))) Mrs C, thinking of you all xxxx