Ritalin...the musical

Note my desperate attempt in this picture to keep my son from attacking and killing Marvin the Martain for whom he had a personal vendetta against...this was 24 hours ago...pre Ritalin. Horrors! My life had become unlivable as I watched my poor kid try to maintain some sort of sanity while his brain was being fueled by high octaine signals. We had gotten to the point where I couldn't be alone with him because he would attack me, biting, scratchin, hitting. He would run full force from one activity to another, never staying more than 2 seconds and then throwing the said toy across the room. He wouldn't stay buckled up in the car and would scream like someone was murdering him....charming no?

My son has isodicentric 15. A duplication of chromosone 15. No, you can't remove the extra bits...and yes I did ask. This duplication can cause epilpesy, ADHD, and autism. We got blessed with all 3.

Today, finally, his neurolgy team listened to my desperate plea to help him, me and his siblings. Today we started Ritalin. I cannot tell you the marvelous change in him. He is calm, nobody has been hit all day, he is talking in nice conversations, he is playing on his own and with his brothers....wow....wow wow wow!

Don't judge! I've tried changing his diet, chiropractics, chanting, drumming, horse back riding therapy. I didn't just say "give me the drugs dammit" but now that i see how much happier he is with a calm brain...i kick myself for not doing this sooner. I cried a little today for the loss of the turbo charged kid I've known for the last few years but said hello to the little guy asking me to sit and play trains with him...and I did so without having to resort to ninja like moves to avoid a wicked hair pulling :)