We've made a little progress in the right direction. With CBT, any little win is actually a HUGE win. Baby steps turn into winning the race. The way OCD came roaring in so hard and fast, it's hard to be patient while it slowly works it's way back out.
Sami was able to sit some today and was able to delay washing her hands for quite a while. She was able to go to the library and participate in Story Time (but she sat in a chair because she couldn't sit on the floor), but I was happy that we made it out of the house at all. She sat at the dinner table while we ate, which was also nice.
OCD has been Sami's homeschooling this week, or at least reading and learning about it. We've read a few other fun books and listened to stories on CD, but that's it this week. That's all we've had the energy to do.
Last night was terrible. She accidentally stepped in a little bit of kitty litter that got knocked out of the litter box sometime during the evening. She just couldn't get it out of her head that it was okay to go to bed with her dirty feet. I gave her a little benedryl at her request to help her sleep, tucked her in when she got nice a sleepy, and had her usual Harry Potter CD to listen to so that her mind would relax. She appeared happy and near sleep.
She came into my bedroom crying a little while later, after I had dozed off. She just couldn't get over having her dirty feet in her bed. She didn't want to sleep with me because my bed was crowded (Meg was already there) but she just couldn't sleep in her bed because her sheets were now dirty. She layed with Meg and me while while I soothed her and calmed her. I thought she was falling asleep, so I dozed again. Apparently she got up and tried to get in her bed third time, but woke me up crying again because she just couldn't do it. She finally decided to stay in bed with us and finally fell asleep somewhere near midnight.
Poor Meg has been left to her own devices a lot this week. Sami didn't want Meg listening to all that OCD was causing and felt imbarassed to have Megan hear about it, but after some mild convincing she now realizes that Meg is one of her biggest cheerleaders and is very supportive. I want to get us all studying this as a family so that Meg doesn't get left out and Sami doesn't feel isolated.
I've been keeping Dave up to date on our progress while he is in Iraq. I don't like burdening him with all that has been going on, but it wouldn't be fair to keep what's going on with our daughter a secret either. Besides, I don't have anyone here who really understands what we are going through. My family is sypathetic, but they just don't get it.
Since Sami survived the library yesterday, I'm feeling hopeful that she'll do okay at the homeschool Valentine's party.
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