I'm still slogging away at the speech problem for my son. I'm waiting to hear from the CCAC to see if he'll be approved for therapy. It's unlikely. Here's what else I'm looking into....maybe if I list it all, it'll help me keep working on them all uniformly.
- Special Services at Home: This program will give us funding that I think I could use to have a part time EA come into our home and help implement my homeschooling program. To supplement the preschool curriculum I'm using, I'm ordering a home speech therapy program from a really great site called NATHHAN. It's a wonderful resource with tonnes of articles about home educating your special needs child. Of course, I'll have to assess if the program is suitable for Jairus when it arrives. I might have to seek out some help with that.
- Tomatis: A friend took her daughter to this highly expensive and intensive therapy in Toronto that helps with audio processing disorders and many other disfunctions that Jairus shows. I'm considering applying to PC Children's Charities to see if they'll fund it for us. Otherwise, it's about 4 grand which is unmanagable for us.
- The Gregory School: This private school for "Exceptional Learners" is not far from us in Ancaster. I spoke with the principal a couple weeks ago and scheduled a visit, however, that was postponed and I haven't heard back about a new appointment. He would only attend part-time, but this school is extremely expensive. Again I thought of PC Children's Charities, but I don't think it would work for a school.
- I'm still after the CCAC and the Homeschool Legal Defence Agency may be of help. The fact is, all homeschooled children are afforded the same therapies as a public schooled child and I'm not sure where the CCAC gets off drawing a line in the sand and saying that some children can have it and some can't.
- Private therapy: I have names for two highly recommended therapists. With the money we receive for Jairus from the Association for Children with Severe Disabilities, we could swing a couple sessions a month I think. However, I wanted to use that money for a few other things for Jairus too---his cranial sacral therapy, chiropractic/Turners therapy, a special swim class and a gymnastics class. It just won't stretch.
So that's the update for Jairus.
Our dog Gideon died. Somewhat suddenly, he became ill, lost his strength and 2.5 days later died at the emergency vet clinic in downtown Hamilton. We're not sure what happened, although there's a few theories: an immune system problem where it went into 'overdrive' and started destroying his red blood cells---this could have been triggered by an infection, a virus, a reaction to antibiotics or cancer. The vet also wondered if he could have gotten into rat poison because of some markings he found on Gideons tummy. That made me wonder about his food, as we were using a brand that was part of that big recall in the spring, just not the same form. I think we'll probably never know what happened. He was eight, which was somewhat old for a Newfoundland dog, and he lived a pretty good life I think.
I'm pregnant again. I've told alot of people, so that they'll pray. I'm ten weeks, almost ll now and things seem ok. I'll see my midwife next week, so I'm looking forward to that.
Homeschooling is going not too bad. We're still not getting a full 5 days in a week. Something always seems to come up---holidays, appointments. I'm not really concerned because it is just a preschool program, which alot of homeschoolers don't even bother with. But Honour is 4 now and quite keen on learning everything. I think I'll start looking into a kindergarten program to move her up. It'll take some rearranging of the routine we've gotten used to during our schooling segments, but I suppose it'll always been changing like that as the kids grow.
James starts his first weekend away with his Basic Military Qualifications, or BMQ for short. I've not been looking forward to this. He'll leave tonight--we probably won't see him after work and he'll be gone until around lunch on Sunday, I believe. I'm not sure, but I might just go to my moms for the day tomorrow. Don't really have the gas for that though. I've just been so tired and at times, depressed with this pregnancy. I have some good days where I get alot accomplished, but many days I do nothing. The next two days look like a bleak desert stretching ahead of me.
Still trying to toilet train Jairus. He IS improving, but slowly. He can often stay dry, but bowel movements are another story. And try cleaning poop out of training pants when you're 2.5 months pregnant. Ohh yeah, it's bad. I gave up on Verity. I just couldn't do them both at once, and she was doing worse then Jairus. Makes me feel like a heel when her cousin who's a) a boy and b) a week older then her has been trained for close to a year. Sigh.
There have been a few changes around the choir. I'm still doing Prelude, but I'm apparently not doing anything much with the Boys. It's not real clear what I'm supposed to be doing, actually. We began a middle step choir between mine and Zimfira's. It took about half my kids from last year and now I've got about 40.....this is apparently not enough. I had applied for that choir and didn't get the job, which was a bit of a pill to swallow. Now, however, I'm VERY glad not to be going into the Cathedral twice a week. I barely feel like going once a week. I was going in more for a bit there, as I was rehearsing a few girls who were supposed to sing in Opera Ontario's Magic Flute Production.....but right now that's been postponed indefinitely. Not a real good situation I hear. That was a bummer.
I just wonder what my future is there. I love the HCC, never want to leave. This fall felt like a bit of a speedbump though---kind of set me back on my heels for a bit. As you keep working with an orginization, you expect that if you're doing well, you'll keep 'moving up' as it were, getting more responsibilities, etc. And now with baby number four coming....well, sometimes I feel like the odd man out, the only one with young children that has to make extensive arrangements to come do extra choir work or meetings or whatever....and yet I can't make a big deal about that or they're going to wonder if I can handle being a mom and a conductor. I actually haven't told anyone in leadership about the new baby. Partly because, well, I may have a baby next spring and I may not. They were real understanding when I missed alot last Christmas because of the miscarriage, and I'm sure they would be again....but deep down I would wonder if they were wishing they had a young single girl, or an older lady with grown kids, or some guy with no family. Then they wouldn't have to be so understanding. I feel....in jeopardy. I shouldn't, I know. It would be discrimination.....but the thoughts still lurk. And I'm taking a chance writing all this. I think a few choir people read this...but I think only people who know me. I do have my blog listed on facebook....maybe I should take it off. I'm "friends" with a number of choir kids and they don't need to be reading this. Yeah, I'll go take it off.
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