New Chapter - Hospitalization

I finally had to do it.  I brought him to the hospital to be committed.  I never thought I would be able to do this but I did.  It was one of the worst days of my life.

I could tell when he woke it was going to be a bad day.  He was going to have a short day at school so I thought it would be bad when he got home but we never made it.  He refused to go to school.  He hid from me.  Missed the bus.  And then demanded I bring him to school.  He kicked me twice, kicked furniture, and hit me once.  I just had enough.  So I got dressed and told him to get in the van.  He was very proud of himself thinking that he had got what he wanted and was on his way to school.  When he saw it was a hospital he was not happy.

He went to the back of the van and laid down.  I told him they would come out and give him a shot to get him in....that did the trick.  Once inside he was crying and begging not to do this.  Then he got angry and stomped on the top of my foot.  He was going back and forth between terror and rage faster than the pendulum on a clock.  I was falling apart....Dad was falling apart.  It took the two of us to pull each other out of there and come home without him.

Having his lunch, right before we left him the first day.

However, it has been such a relief.  Days of not worrying or fighting.  Days of no meltdowns or hateful words.  Days of peace and full nights of sleep.  I am ashamed to say that it has been very nice.

They want his diagnosis changed.  We are going to the Munroe Meyer Institute for an extensive study.  They want to have the autism label removed completely.  They believe he has autistic traits but that these are just symptoms of something else.  That something else is believed to be bi-polar.  We knew this was one of his diagnosis....it's on all the reports on him.  So maybe we are coming to an end of trying to figure out what it is and we can focus on what to do.

A visit...playing legos with Bernadette

 This has opened the doors to lots of help and intervention.  There is, sadly, little for autism. 

He also had another test done on his vision.  The news is not good.  They are setting up more tests for him to see what the next step is but his eye is getting really bad.  Poor little guy just seems to have one thing after another to deal with.

Joseph will be home tomorrow, Sunday afternoon.  He knows now that he must never lay a hand on anyone or he WILL be taken back to the hospital and they told him each time he goes back he has to stay longer.  We will see if this brings about any peace....at least for some time.  They changed his medications, as well, so we have some things to look forward to and hope for.  Thanks for all the continued prayers!