So in the midst of adjusting to the roller coaster of new medications...(see previous post) we also learned that my husband's hours at work were going to be dramatically cut (from 50 hrs/wk to 35)...this was quite a blow indeed, and our already tight budget got significantly tighter. Hurrican Katrina's effects were far reaching indeed. Bryan works as a temp for the Advance Auto Parts Corporate Call Center as Customer Svc Phone support and the storm destroyed and/or shut down several stores, as well as delayed shipping to several regions of the country. He's actually lucky he even has a job, the only kept 2 other temps besides him.
On the same day he found out about his hours being cut for the second time, our son was diagnosed as developmentally delayed. Chronologically, he is almost 16 months old...his adjusted age is almost 14 months...his language development is that of a 5 months old, and his overall motor skills are that of an 8 month old.
I had feared this kind of outcome for quite a while. It took a lot longer for him to be released from the NICU than his twin sister. He has always been smaller and also sick more often. He had to be hospitalized in May for dehydration. He has also had recurrent ear infections.
He has always been "high needs" and very sensitive, but I thought it meant I was failing him somehow...having never raised a son, I truly felt like I was the weak link in the chain.
The therapists that evaluated him assured me that is not the case, and that I am actually being a wonderful mom to him by getting him tested so early in his life and pursuing therapy for him so aggressively. He is going to have his hearing tested, have Early Intervention here at home 2x a month, Speech Therapy, learn Baby Signs, and probably some Occupational Therapy. I plan to take a very proactive role in his therapies and learn everything I can so I can work with him and integrate the techniques into our daily routines. I want to help him get the most out of his environment and be able to communicate better.

However, since this is my blog, my outlet, I can admit here that I am scared, freaked out, mad as hell, annoyed, and just plain not happy suzy sunshine right now!! It's a damn good thing I'm in therapy myself and on the right%2