The DOC Rocks - The School... not-so-much

“There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.” 
― John Holmes

This really is a great community. Anything from medical supplies to information... it's yours when you need it. I asked one person for a help; and not only did he help me... he recruited others to help me too. Thank you, Scott, for not only getting me the information I needed, but also giving the strength to pick myself back up and go another round.

I haven't been able to sleep much.The upcoming meeting at Justin's school had my mind in constant motion. Oh, did I mention that? Yeah, we had a meeting a few weeks ago. I've been through these meetings before, but this is a new school for Justin. We are no longer in the comfort of an elementary school. I've never volunteered here. I didn't spend years on the board. I have never built a relationship with anyone. I couldn't... I had to go back to work instead.

So this meeting(the one a few weeks ago)- it went "okay". I asked for an additional accommodation because Justin seems to be "missing" stuff. He has a shit load of stuff going on... on top of D, Justin was dx'd with absent seizures, meaning he "looses time". Granted there's medication for this, but let me tell you... I'm not sure which is worse, the medication or the seizures themselves. That's a couple of the challenges Justin faces... he has other medical dx's as well, all of which mess with the mind and impairs brain function. One alone may or may not be easily overcome, but all together... he needs a little help. Simple.as.that! I think we do pretty damn well considering.

But I digress...

Due to seizures, side effects of medication(ie: memory loss, inability to focus, loss of time etc...) I asked for communication, however the teacher wanted to go about it, of all assignments that needed to be completed at home- in order to ensure they are completed and turned in on time. This is an issue... he missing instructions.

I was there well over two hours... the teachers had to leave long before I did(apparently they have classes to teach?? I dunno!) so the excuse that day was that the teachers weren't there to "agree". I thought we were all on the same page before they left, but okay.

So I hear nothing... I give it a week and reach out the guidance counselor. I get a call back and argue my point, once again, before she reluctantly agrees. I was told I would have the updated 504 to look at by the end of that week.

Instead, I get an email with an apology. Another entire week goes by - so that following Monday I call. You see, we were suppose to have the 504 in place before conference night(which was tonight); when I called... conference night was only 3 days away.

Finally, Tuesday afternoon, Justin brings home the new plan. It reads "Justin will write the assignments in his agenda. At the end of class he will give it to the teacher to initial and if the assignments are not there... the teacher will communicate with parent". Great! Give Justin an opportunity and add in a back up plan, right?

I was okay with this and signed the new plan thinking everything was set. Only, it wasn't. Apparently, "some" of the teachers did not agree. "They don't feel it is their responsibility to communicate his assignments with me". WHY DIDN'T WE CONSULT THEM AT SOME POINT IN THE LAST THREE WEEKS??????????? Wasn't that the point of not doing it that day??? Mind you... I didn't get a call about that. I found out at the conference; the conference where we were going to "go over the new plan with the teacher". UN FUCKING BELIEVABLE!!! So essentially, that conference was a waist of my time because I now have to go to ANOTHER meeting, where the district ESE supervisor will be called in to "hash it out".

Believe me, I am not asking for a free ride here, I am not ignorant to the fact that things will get more challenging as Justin gets older. I worry every single day about my choices, but the alternative is to do nothing and let him fail, when he did not choose to have these disabilities. He did not choose to take this medication... I am the one who hands it to him every single day.

HE had no say in the matter.

I have no choice but to help him... it is my job. I will just have faith that it will all work out in the end and I will have to face the future... well, in the future.

My 48

48 Questions: A little more of Lora

 DSMA suggested the DOC get to know each other better by answering these 48 questions. DSMA might want to be careful what they wish for...

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?

Sort of... my great grandmothers name was Dora undisclosed middle name, but my mom didn't want to name me "Dora middle name", so she named me Lora middle name (enter the strange spelling of Lora(instead of Laura and not to be confused with Lori) that can never be found on a cute coffee mug or key chain).  

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?

Its actually been a couple weeks, I think. But I have a meeting at Justin's school in a week, so... it's coming.

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?

Not.so.much!! Not so good when you're a bit OCD. I write the same note over and over until I am happy with the way it "looks".

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?

Honey Ham

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?

Um, yes! Their the little people in the blog header.

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?

Damn skippy! I'm a good friend. Just look up my name in the Urban Dictionary, it will tell you.

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT?

What do you think my "undisclosed" middle name is? 

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?

Yes, yes I do.

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?

Okay, so here's the plan... I am going to push Nic off the ledge and then Jump.

SOOO, I guess that means I would. 

  

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?

Captain Crunch WITH Crunch Berries

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?

Na! That would require me to bend over... too much like work. 

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?

I think the past 4 1/2 years has proven how strong I am.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?

Heavenly Hash, but you can't find it any more.

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?

Their shoes.

15. RED OR PINK?

Pink

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?

My legs. HATE THEM!!

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?

My grandma. She passed away last April.

Lets move along before I have to re-visit #2

18. WHAT IS THE TECHNIQUE THAT YOU NEED TO WORK ON THE MOST?

Punctuation!;...:-?  

19. WHAT COLOR SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?

None... its like 5 am.

20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?

Margarita pizza and spinach dip

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?

Dead silence. Everyone is asleep. It's kinda nice.

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?

You know when you were little(or last week) when you take a handful of crayons and line them all up to color one big colorful mess. That's me. We can call it "all kinds of tie-dye.

23. FAVORITE SMELLS?

Gardenias.

24. HOW IMPORTANT ARE YOUR POLITICAL VIEWS TO YOU?

I have views, but I don't preach them and I sure as hell don't get into conversations about them.

25. MOUNTAIN HIDEAWAY OR BEACH HOUSE?

If the beach house is quiet... we'll go there. 

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?

Favorite what?

27. HAIR COLOR?

Black and Blond

28. EYE COLOR?

Blue

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?

I have them, but I tend to wear my glasses more.

30. FAVORITE FOOD?

Pasta

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?

I prefer a good love story with a happy ending, I am sappy like that, but I will turn the lights out and watch a scary movie too.

  

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?

Purple Rain... I totally sang.

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?

Pink

34. SUMMER OR WINTER?

Winter! I love fall/winter clothes. I do live in FL though... winter for me is like 60 degrees.

35. FAVORITE DESSERT?

Hot Apple Crisp

36. STRENGTH TRAINING OR CARDIO?

Cardio! If I do too much "strength training", I would look like a man.

37. COMPUTER OR TELEVISION?

Tough one!!! I am usually doing both simultaneously.

38. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?

Right now... nothing. I need to try and catch up on blogs.

39. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?

Red leather.

40. FAVORITE SOUND?

I don't think I have one of those... SHIT!!! I need to get a sound.

41. FAVORITE GENRE OF MUSIC?

This changes with my mood. Right now, I have the Flo Rida Radio kickin on the Pandora, but next week, who knows, we might be back to One Republic or Garth Brooks.

42. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?

 Mexico 

43. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?

I have a lot of "special" hidden talents

44. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?

At a hospital 

45. WHERE ARE YOU LIVING NOW?

In my house

46. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR HOUSE?

 Outside is brown
Inside is green, red, tan, blue(2 shades) or Orange depending on what room you're in. 

47. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR CAR?

White... I hate white cars.

48. DO YOU LIKE ANSWERING 48 QUESTIONS?

That was it??? Is there another 48???

And now it's your turn,  get your 48 questions on.

THE 3 AM POST...

I can't sleep. I have been up since the 2:30 alarm screamed at me to test Justin. My brain refuses to turn off long enough for me to fall back into my previous drool-ish slumber. Had I known what was in store, I would have skipped giving him the Juicy Juice and thrown in a little night time basal testing... I'm over due anyways.

Alright, back to "my brain" - its spinning! I received a call from the guidance counselor today about a "team meeting". She mentioned some emails and said we all needed to get some clarification. The ONLY emails that have been sent were about an assignment Justin was penalized for turning in late after a low blood sugar (you can read about it here).

It was over a month of emails trying to get that rectified. Unacceptable, I think. In the end she did give him full credit on the assignment, but not before searching... literally searching, for a loop hole that would allow her to mark him off for turning in an assignment one flippin ass day late. He was 48, DAMN IT!!!!

I don't get it. Why is it so hard to make people understand. Why does there ALWAYS have to be one person giving our kids a hard time. I'm not asking for the world and it surly doesn't take a rocket scientist to read a 504 and say to themselves... "self - this kid has accommodations for a reason" and they could also throw in a little "they have enough to deal with; without me being a pain and giving them a hard time".

That's wishing for a fairy-tail, right?