I am happy to say that we all got some meat-and-potatoes homeschool work done yesterday. Sami couldn't sit at the kitchen table while doing her math and other written work, but she did do her work.
Megan fussed about doing her math at first, but she sat down, zipped right through, and (here's the funny part) ASKED FOR MORE. Megan said that she LIKED IT. I am writing in caps because it was that shocking to me. She has never once before mentioned liking math. I am hoping that it is because of my superior parenting skills (*cue crickets chirping*). Seriously, I have been constantly telling her how good she is at it and that she's a natural and how fun math was for me as a kid because it's like solving puzzles...maybe some of that sunk in. I'm just delighted, whatever the reason.
I read out loud about OCD in front of Sami and Meg. Up to this point, Sami wanted to keep it to herself because she was embarrassed, but now she is accepting that Meg is part of the team and it's okay to talk about it in front of her. Never mind that Megan was reading, "Pencil of Doom" by Andy Griffiths at the same time. I didn't stop Megan because I was happy that Sami was including her in the same room.
We had several OCD hiccups today. Sami was able to win some OCD battles today, such as touching the Nintendo DS, sitting on my lap, and calming herself through several episodes of OCD nagging her. She seems to be getting stronger at telling OCD to back off while she delays, changes, or stops the rituals. It's a good start to the CBT, and I'm hoping that the momentum sticks. Even though we've only targeted the smaller of the OCD triggers, she's been working on her least favorite bigger triggers by delaying the rituals. As long as she is happy with her progress and it isn't impossible to keep trying, I think we can bypass any medications.
Showing posts with label CBT. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CBT. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011
OCD III
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.
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.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
OCD 2
We did end up going to the doctor to get Sami tested for the strep virus. I don't know any results yet, but am anxiously awaiting.
This week her OCD syptoms have spiralled out of control. It's been difficult for all of us. We are doing the CBT excercises but it's too early to see any results yet. We did give her OCD a name (Homer), have completed her OCD "map" and put a "temperature" on everything. The map lists all over her obsessions and compulsions, and the temperature puts them in most difficult to resist to easier to resist order. We start with the easiest to battle and work our way up the list little by little.
The hard part is that I HAVE to let Sami be in control or it won't work. I can't resist the urges for her, and it breaks my heart to see her suffer. She wants to be better so badly and she hates what OCD has done to her. We did this once, and we will do it again.
I am very close to going ahead and trying an SSRI on her to give her a boost just to get this train rolling in the right direction.
It's so difficult trying to manage with OCD's demands even when we are at home, but going out has become a nightmare. Activities that we love are making me sick with worry because Homer hates to be out with germs and hates to touch the car. We have story time at the library tomorrow and a Valentine's Day party Friday. I pray that we can actually make it and I pray that once there that everything will go smoothly.
It's night, so I'm signing off. Night time has become extremely difficult as well because Homer won't let her sleep and tells her horrible things. Listening to stories on CD really helps, and I hope it works again tonight. I'm exhausted.
This week her OCD syptoms have spiralled out of control. It's been difficult for all of us. We are doing the CBT excercises but it's too early to see any results yet. We did give her OCD a name (Homer), have completed her OCD "map" and put a "temperature" on everything. The map lists all over her obsessions and compulsions, and the temperature puts them in most difficult to resist to easier to resist order. We start with the easiest to battle and work our way up the list little by little.
The hard part is that I HAVE to let Sami be in control or it won't work. I can't resist the urges for her, and it breaks my heart to see her suffer. She wants to be better so badly and she hates what OCD has done to her. We did this once, and we will do it again.
I am very close to going ahead and trying an SSRI on her to give her a boost just to get this train rolling in the right direction.
It's so difficult trying to manage with OCD's demands even when we are at home, but going out has become a nightmare. Activities that we love are making me sick with worry because Homer hates to be out with germs and hates to touch the car. We have story time at the library tomorrow and a Valentine's Day party Friday. I pray that we can actually make it and I pray that once there that everything will go smoothly.
It's night, so I'm signing off. Night time has become extremely difficult as well because Homer won't let her sleep and tells her horrible things. Listening to stories on CD really helps, and I hope it works again tonight. I'm exhausted.
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