Back to normal

September 2, 2011

Folks, as many have experiences OCD like to slow down during the summer. Now

that my 13 yr old son is back to school...OCD is still missing in action! He is

still on his meds, not messing with a good thing. His handwritting/erasing

problems - gone. Sleep problems - gone! Touching things - gone! I just wanted

to share this with you...During the dark days, I never thought it was possible

to see normal again.

September 3, 2011

That's great!! And those you listed reminded me of 's OCD when it began

in middle school, so happy your son has gotten past them and is having a good

start to this year!

>

> Folks, as many have experiences OCD like to slow down during the summer. Now

that my 13 yr old son is back to school...OCD is still missing in action! He is

still on his meds, not messing with a good thing. His handwritting/erasing

problems - gone. Sleep problems - gone! Touching things - gone! I just wanted

to share this with you...During the dark days, I never thought it was possible

to see normal again.

>

September 12, 2011

I share in your joy.

I believe I have only written my one original " new here " post. I wrote it

after one of the worst days I have ever had with my daughter and her OCD.

[she ha contamination OCD.]. This summer I ended up going on Disability

for three months. There was insanity going on at work, I am an elementary

school secretary and the PTA and some staff members decided to get rid of

our principal and harassed me as well. I guess trying to get to me to get to

him. One of those blessing in disguises though, as we all needed some

down time and as soon as I was out of that nightmare from work I was able to

be free of my own stress. Then school ended and my 16 year old finally was

scheduled for her knee surgery. We made no plans (have no money to do

anything anyway) and I just worked on decluttering our small house as I know

that compounds my daughter's anxiety. She was in " contamination " mode all

summer since she could not do all of her compulsions because of her cast and

since she was not going to school it was okay to be " contaminated " . I

finally found a good psychiatrist that our insurance authorized and she was

started on Zoloft. The doctor upped it bit by bit and my daughter had very

few symptoms. I did have to continually remind her to take it. I already

knew it could take up to six weeks for the Zoloft to take effect but since

she was in contamination mode anyway I couldn't tell if it was working or

not.

Right before school started (I wasn't back at work yet) she told me she was

worried since I had yet to pull out the old rug in her room (I had

promised I would get all of her sister's stuff out and pull the rug up -- it

was

pretty bad -- she was worried she would start all of the long showers,

spraying, etc. that she does when school started..

So I went into overdrive and while she was out with a friend one day my

10-year-old and I unbolted the bunk beds, took the top one down into the

dining room (where I'm trying to make a bedroom for my younger daughter) and

pulled the rug out and drug it out to the yard so I can have it hauled away.

She was pleased to see her room all sparse and mopped the floor and

arranged things how she wanted. But the rest of the house -- although clean --

was far from done and even looked more cramped with my younger daughter's

furniture and bed in the way.

I was just waiting for the shoe to drop as school approached but then the

day before she said, " Mommy, do you think it would be alright if I went to

school contaminated? " I was almost speechless, I didn't want to explode

with joy ... I knew I needed to stay neutral. I just said, " Well sweetie,

the rest of us are, that's how most of the rest of the world lives. " I held

my breath as she took a normal length shower that night, allowed ME to wash

her clothes (this was one of her first symptoms of OCD before I knew what

was happening, not allowing her sister or me to touch her laundry bin or her

clean clothes). The next morning she got up on time and was ready for

school and I drove them both, dropping her sister off first and then dropping

her off at high school.

She texted me when it was time to pick her up and came in the car and said,

" Oh Mommy, it is SO much easier to be contaminated! Everything is so much

easier! "

I haven't had to remind her to take the meds anymore and it IS SO

WONDERFUL!!!! My baby is back complete with sense of humor, she's able to do

her

school work, NORMAL NORMAL NORMAL. What a wonderful word.

I still have to find a behavioral specialist and I know she will never be

" cured " but just to have this reprieve from the OCD -- well you guys

know, it was like " Invasion of the Body Snatchers. " She looked like my

daughter but she was not the child I knew so well, she was this angry, selfish,

unreasonable con artist.

The next day she said, " Oh Mommy, I am SO SORRY for what I put you

through. "

I explained that she had nothing to be sorry about and that I was sorry I

didn't know what was going on with her and that she couldn't help it and I

wish she hadn't had to suffer so much for it, that I knew whatever I went

through was much worse for her.

She cried. I didn't then but when both girls were asleep I just sobbed

with relief.

OCD is still there of course. Today I forgot to put her clothes

immediately in the dryer after I washed them and they were out in the laundry

basket

next to the dryer for about two hours after they were washed. She asked

if it would be " too OCD " for her to ask if II would run them through the

washer again. " I just did it and said, " Maybe you can push through this after

we find a therapist to help you but since I'm not one I'll just do it so

you won't have to think about it anymore. "

So OCD is still there of course but for now, what we have right now, I'll

take it and appreciate every second of it.

People with the " real " normal kids have no idea what a gift normal is.

Congratulations! I definitely share in your joy.

Carol

In a message dated 9/2/2011 10:36:09 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,

lrbaka@... writes:

Folks, as many have experiences OCD like to slow down during the summer.

Now that my 13 yr old son is back to school...OCD is still missing in

action! He is still on his meds, not messing with a good thing. His

handwritting/erasing problems - gone. Sleep problems - gone! Touching things -

gone! I

just wanted to share this with you...During the dark days, I never thought

it was possible to see normal again.

September 12, 2011