June 22nd, 2012

I have spurts and starts. I am such a terrible blogger. It is coming on a year since I last blogged! Terrible, terrible!

Many things on my mind. In particular today, how people deal with ADHD in their familes. I have one child who is dealing with it very successfully and does amazingly well with his grades and has learned very well overall how to control his behavior. I also have a younger child that we have been trying to diagnose that we are treating like ADHD, and yes, we give them medication. Sorry to all those who do not believe in medication, but that is what works for us.

I am working full time, more on that later, and spent several minutes speaking to the younger son on the phone today trying to get him to calm down just to talk to him calmly. He had not taken his medicine and he was worked into a state. Once he takes his medicine, he is much calmer and easier to talk to. Finally, I convinced him and told him I would call him back in about 30 minutes. Huge difference when I spoke to him at that time. He was able to speak and tell me what was wrong and we discussed how we were going to fix it. It is really difficult for him though to control his temper and anxieties. I wish there was more I could do.

As I touched on, I am working full time. I now work at Anderson Properties as their Accountant. It is a family owned Commercial Rental Agency located in Urbandale. They own four companies and many properties and are purchasing more properties in the near future.  I am sure I will be kept busy.

This past year has been difficult as well as we found out in April that my sister had cancer. I think now looking back that I felt left in the dark a bit because there was so much hope that she was going to make it. In October, she was told she had 6 weeks to live. I started as many conversations as I could with her over the months and in March, her speech pattern changed. I realized something was wrong and knew I had to go and see her. I had just started my job and was thankfully allowed to go spend time with her.

I spent a little short of a week in California in March, just staying with Shirley. I told her silly stories to make her laugh, crocheted her a hat, tucked her in, sat with her on her bed, sat with her while she read magazines.  I will never forget that time. Thank goodness I did as it was the last I got to see her. She passed away on Mother's day this year, May 13,2012.

To be continued...