Spane the Ladies Man

As I sit here typing this, Spane is next door with his friend, a little girl. He must like her a lot because:

• He gave her his scooter when hers was in the shop
• He gave her his bicycle to ride because hers is in the shop, so he's doing the scooter.
• Over heard him say "Come over to my house and see my cat." (See my etchings?)
• Impressed her saying "Watch how can drink all this milk in two seconds!" She was duly impressed.
• Didn't want to take a shower because he would not be able to make sure she was okay riding his bicycle.
• Puts up with playing girly stuffed animals with her.

Dad is Taking us to Dinner

Thursday, August 25, 2011, we were supposed to go to a small meeting for Organizing for America, but Douglas called and said that he and Pauly wanted to go to Josephina's. I'm sorry, but that is something I will just not pass up. I love the chicken, and I could eat that rice pilaf every day. Seriously.

When we got to the restaurant, I noticed that Douglas was a little quieter than usual. Pauly had his two cents to put in about how Spane's problem must be because he had fallen on his head. I calmly explained that:

1. Dandy Walker Syndrome is congenital (you're born with it)
2. Dandy Walker Syndrome is genetic (you get it from one of your parents)
3. Spane has not fallen on his head

After dinner, they took us home, and Spane was pretty good about going to bed on time, especially since he knew that Friday, August 26, 2011, we were going out with his Dad for Back to School shopping.

I should have known that Douglas being quiet like that was a portent of things to come.

And Now For Something Completely Different...

Here's the video of Rolo sleeping on the keyboard that Spane wanted her to see:

I Can't Take It Anymore

Dad Reassures Me

I went to sleep about 5:00 am this morning, thinking I could sleep in a little. How silly of me to think that! The phone rang at 7:45 and it was Douglas calling from Lake Tahoe. He wanted to know how everything was, and wanted to say that he was going to be getting Spane's back to school clothes. I told him about the Seroquel not working, and he said that his medication was like that, too. Sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't. He wasn't happy to hear that news, but I told him I felt reassured.

We Make Waffles

When I woke Spane up at 10:30, and asked him what he wanted to breakfast, he said waffles, and I said that was fine. Then he fell asleep on the couch, and I didn't think about it until he started to complain about why they were not done. I told him that I had been waiting for him to wake up so he could help me, since he really likes to help make waffles. Finally after a lot of whining, he joined me in the kitchen and we made the waffles.

I made a large batch, thinking I could freeze some for school day breakfasts. I was going to just wrap them in waxed paper when I realized I had a Ziplock pump vacuum sealer and bags, just enough for the four pieces of waffle we had left over.

I have a blog, The Good Plate, that is becoming popular where I talk about the recipes I have made. I use my web cam, so I have to take the food to my desk if I want to take pictures or make videos. I have a white plastic table cloth that I put on top of the desk, and my pictures actually turn out pretty good.

So, I had the waffles with wax paper, and the vacuum bag, and the pump on top of the tablecloth. Spane came up and grabbed the pump and started to play with it. I told him to give it back to me because I was going to make a video, and he could help, but he refused to give it back. He pumped it over and over again, always keeping it just out of my reach. Then started trying to put it on Rolo, and that's when I lost it and actually yelled at him.

I finally got the thing away from him, and told him he was grounded. No bicycle, no television - only coloring or reading. Then I set up my stuff and made my video - with him whining all the way through it.

The sound was a disaster, and it made Spane laugh really hard. I haven't done anything else to the video because there were too many other things I had to do today. But, it made us smile again. I told Spane he could use his scooter since he was grounded for the bicycle.

Spane Finds a Nest

I was working on the computer when Spane came up to me and said that he had found a bug in the kitchen. My knife block is right by the front door, and sure enough there was a nest of beetles that were living under my knife block. I sprayed bleach on them, and washed everything on the counter in steaming hot water. Then I put eucalyptus drops to discourage any other bugs from coming into my kitchen.

I Have to Fix the Printer

My printer stopped communicating with my computer a few months ago. This was not a big deal to me, because I never have to print, and if I do want to print something, I print it to PDF and save it. After a lot of frustration, pulling on cords, reinstalling and rebooting, two hours later, I finally got the thing to work!

It was a really draining day, and I couldn't think of what to do for dinner. There was nothing in the freezer that looked appetizing or quick, but, there was a can of Chicken a la King in the cupboard that I prepared with fettuccine and Parmesan. It was really good!

Spane Starts Getting Strange

I should have realized the signs when Spane insisted and waiting to talk with the neighbor. He really likes Orlando, and they have conversations together. He's a nice man. When Spane came in, I told him he needed to clean up his toys in the living room. He immediately started complaining that it was too difficult, I always made him do everything, etc., etc.

He had a DVD and tape laying on the floor. I picked them both up and said if he didn't care about them, then I might as well throw them out. He tried to get them out of my hand, but I eventually got to the trash can. I had no intention of actually throwing them out, and I told him that since he did not know how to take care of his things, then he needed to lose them for a week. I put the stuff on the highest shelf in the kitchen.

That's when Spane really got mad and threw all his shoes at me. These were the shoes that John Farion bought, so he threw six shoes at me. Finally, I got away from him, and got to the phone. I started dialing 911, but he begged me not to do it.

The Headaches and Voices Are Really Bad, Mom

I told Spane that I couldn't take it anymore. It was just too much. I said that we had to do something, that he had to fight the voices. He said that if he didn't do what the voices said, his headaches just got much worse. It was really bad tonight, even though I gave him a 300mg Ibuprofen along with his 50 mg Seraquel after dinner.

I really don't know what to do at this point. I am afraid one of us is going to seriously hurt the other. Maybe I should go away at night, or maybe have someone here at night. I don't know, I just don't know.

Shit! - Seroquel is Not Working

Mom Feels Better

So, today, I felt better, and I actually got some stuff done on the computer. Spane sat and watched TV all day because he said that it was too hot to go outside. His doctor warned me that Seroquel might make Spane a little lethargic, but it was hot today.

Getting Ready for School

Spane wrote in his notebook that he was going to go to bed tonight at 9:30 because he knows school is starting soon. He showed it to me just before I said it was time to make dinner.

We Have Dinner

I made a nice dinner, Ham Steak with Blackberry Mustard Glaze, Mashed “Yams”, Southern Sweet Peas and Peaches Raleigh. Spane loved it, and especially liked the Peaches Raleigh. I gave him his Seroquel, two, and his pain medication at about 8:30, thinking that he would be nice and relaxed by the time he wanted to go to bed at 9:30.

It Isn't Working

We watched TV, and then I reminded Spane about going to bed at 9:30. I said he could stay up til 10:00, and he was okay with that.

About 11:00, when it was really time to go to bed, I said he needed to go to bed, and that's when he told me that the Seroquel was not working. He said that he was still hearing voices, and that the headaches were just as bad as before.

I know he's trying. He felt bad about spilling something on the floor today, so he washed both the kitchen and bathroom floors, by himself, without any help. He did a good job, but, he still didn't get tired.

It's 02:32 on Tuesday morning, August 23, 2011, and Spane is still awake, and does not seem to be getting sleepy. I have to call his doctor later this morning. This is not working!

Shit! I was so happy when I thought that the voices were gone! My poor baby! Shit! Shit! Shit!!!!!!!!!!

Mom is Sick

Mom Ate Something Bad

Friday afternoon, I ate some of a krab sandwich left over from Monday, and it tasted off, so I did not eat all of it. Good thing, because by 6:00am, I had the runs. I went back to bed, and got up at 9:30, and could not sit at the computer I felt so bad. So, I laid down on the sofa.

Spane is a Good Doctor

Spane was so sweet to me all day Sunday. Of course, that may have been because I let him sit on the computer and play his computer games most of the day.

We did not go to Mass because I was too sick, but I did talk to my therapist and got her caught up on what was going on with Douglas and Spane.

Spane Goes to Sleep

This was the first day that Spane was having both the Seroquels at night, and none during the day. Spane stayed on the computer til about 1:00am and then he went to sleep. I stayed on the couch, and drifted in and out.