new hope

So Sam has been at the CATC (Children and Adolscent Treaattment Centre) for 5 days and was able to come home last night, for the weekend but he has to go back on Sunday evening. He has met with all the doctors and psychiatrists and counsellors. His days are busy, spent with one or more of the professionals, doing school in the afternoon, working on booklets to help deal with things and general socializing. He says he is getting a lot out of it, and i guess this weekend is a trial run.
If we have any issues or problems we can call the CATC and take him in -- I doubt that will be necessary. He seems much more relaxed and more of the Sam we had before his accident almost 4 years ago. But then while he is at the centre the stress of home and school and family is not there with him.
Dennis and I spoke with the other kids this week too while Sam was not here and we explained to them that we will all be going for counselling and that they need to be open and honest about their feelings toward us, Sam, each other, this situation. We had a good talk with them on Thursday night and I hope we were able to convey the importance of this... time will tell I guess.

Something we did talk about (that we never had before) was who felt that since Sam's accident they were missing out on things -- when it was all explained and pointed out about we were talking about they realized that no one had been missing out on things really. No more than anyone else in any household that runs on a budget... the kids all still got football, cadets, gymnastics, movie money, lunch money, meals out, new clothes, new music, ipods, etc. There has been a lot of 'poor me' going on with us all... and we just reminded the kids of all of these 'blessings' and how we need to focus on what we have and not what we dont. We also pointed out that Sam has to do this also -- he needs to focus on what he CAN do and not what we can't. We tried to get them to see a bit of the last year thru Sam's eyes and how the loss of his getting his license, not being able to go to friends houses, play hours of video games, being tired all the time, feeling drugged out, having trouble walking and talking and having to spend almost everyday with Dennis or I  -- is most definitely not a walk in the park. Basically, Sam gets 'special treatment' but it is not a treatment that any of them would want because it means that they lose out on everything else. It was amazing to see them start to realize what Sam's days are like and how if they had to spend as much time with us as Sam does ... that it would suck.
Even Isaac had a change of attitude once we spelled out how Sam spends his days at home and how his days are now at the CATC.

We got a phone call from the CATC on Thursday telling us that Sam's val proic med levels were high (they should be between 50-100) and he was up at 123.5 -- so they reduced one VP a night and the next day they tested and he was still 115. Dr. M (from the CATC) couldnt get a hold of Dr.A (epileptologist) as he was away for a few days and so we arent too sure what the plans are for things yet. Hoping Dr.A will say to reduce more VP -- crossing fingers that then Sam will be less tired and feeling sluggish, irritable, etc. (maybe we can get him off them altogether!!! .... wishful thinking .... )

For now our family is playing a waiting game on doctors and the centre and we are taking everything one day at a time...