At Stephanie's request, I'm updating this journal today.

The last few weeks have been a mixed bag. There have been ups and downs, but there haven't been many meltdowns during that time.

I'll start with something good, though. A couple weeks ago, Stephie and I went to the homecoming parade for Keller H.S. They had it on a Monday evening (I thought this was strange), and I didn't want to go, at first. Stephie being persistent, as she is wont to be, finally talked me into it. It was a cool evening, and the parade started at around 6:30. The thing that surprised me was the candy. Friends, it was better than Halloween! Every group that passed by threw handfuls of candy. They mostly threw them at the smaller kids, but we managed to grab a few stray pieces. Obviously, they kids expected this, because many of them came equipped with grocery bags, which were eventually more than half full of delicious candy treats. We got a couple pocketfuls of stuff like Tootsie Rolls (what, exactly, is a Tootsie Roll, anyway??), SweeTarts, etc. Anyway, the band marched by, followed by floats of the four classes (Seniors, Juniors, Sophomores, and Freshmen), and the various organizations in the school. There were also groups of children from elementary, intermediate, and middle schools. What amazed me was that, somehow, they got them to throw candy to the bystanders. If I were an elementary school kid, there's no way I would part with my candy! Hah. Toward the end of the parade, one very nice girl walked over and handed Stephanie a plush flower. The whole thing barely lasted thirty minutes, and we had a great time.

That was the good. The bad and the ugly both happened this morning.

I received a call around 9-ish this morning from the Stars teacher. It seems that Steph was refusing to do anything. She wouldn't go to class, she wouldn't work in the room, wouldn't do anything. He advised me that it would be best for me to come get her.

I arrived at the school, and was greeted by one of the other Stars teachers, and informed that Stephie wouldn't come out. So I went in. I got to the room, and she was sitting on the floor in the corner with her blanket on her head. For thirty minutes, a vice principle, the main teacher and me tried to coerce her to leave. I was told several times during that period that she hated me, and didn't want to go home with me, etc. I've heard all of these declarations before, but it doesn't lessen the hurt that happens when your child looks at you with pure evil and says, "I hate you!"

Finally, the vice-principal had to call the campus police officer in. Now, he and Steph are buddies, so when he came in, he was very gentle and had an expression of pain on his face at even having to address her in this way. That, alone, almost brought me to tears. While he was talking to her, I walked to the front of the room to talk to the teacher a minute. I pointed out the condition of Stephanie's eyes to him. I said, "Do you see her eyes?" He nodded. They were bright red and glazed over. When her eyes look like that, she has entered that "point of no return," so to speak. I told him that we have seen episodes like this at home that literally lasted hours. Finally, as the officer explained to Steph that, if she didn't voluntarily leave with me, he would have to use some kind of force, she relented and walked out with me.

I have no idea what brought this on, as she was fine when I dropped her off. She said that her stomach started hurting, but we still couldn't identify the cause of this meltdown. I pretty much broke down in the car. This was one of the most emotional episodes for me, yet. Fortunately, she got better quickley, and was tearfully sorry, etc.

These things happen and she can't control herself. I realize that there are people who would insist that she's just spoiled, etc. Those people don't understand the condition from which she suffers. She hates that she's autistic when she gets out of one of these episodes. Looks like we will be visiting her therapist again soon, and I guess we will discuss meds again with the psychiatrist.

Right now, she seems ok. Tomorrow will be a new and different day. At least, with Stephanie, every day is a new adventure.

TTFN, y'all.

Missed anything?
The Beatles--Abbey Road/Alice Cooper--Killer - July 04, 2012
The Beatles Eponymous Album - June 26, 2012
Autism's False Prophets - February 12, 2011
Santana--Guitar God? - November 11, 2010
Tribute To the Red Sox - September 29, 2010