Little Things Can Reach Deep

Today my husband found this drawing made by Colin while helping my middle-son clean his room (the room he used to share with Colin). It was dated July 20th, just a few weeks before Colin's reactions to triggers started to rapidly worsen.

The pencil-on-lined-paper drawing is a little hard to make out. The sketch is of a couple taking a walk with a small child between them. It looks like they are swinging him as they go; like we used to do with Colin when he was much younger. A boy sits with a smile on his face and observes from a distance. Hearts are seen bubbling up from the family. The message is simple yet profound:

"Little things can reach deep"

I wish I was able to discuss the inspiration for this work of art with him. Perhaps one day.....

Routine Exposure

Yesterday I sent  my two older boys to my sister's house. My eldest has had his driver's license for about a year and I entrusted my mini van to him as it has a GPS system. The mission was to hang out and play video games on the X-Box with their cousin. Colin was told he was allowed to play the otherwise forbidden* machine if he joined his siblings. Colin chose to stay in his room.

* the X-Box has been taken away until Colin participates in therapy.

Each of his brothers attempted to go to his room to say "hello" only to be shunned and have the door closed on them. The rest of the time was spent in the basement playing games. After a few hours they left. Colin stayed in his room until called down for dinner. He was calm and there were no rages. I view this as a small victory. The plan is to continue having the boys go out to visit every week or so. I'd like to start creating a "new normal" so that Colin gets used to his brothers coming to the house.

My son is still being visited weekly by the therapist (PhD student) with no visible progress. Colin remains uncooperative but will at least sit in the room with her for his required time. We are resisting the temptation to stop therapy as it does not seem to be helping. We will give it some more time and have told our psychologist that we need to make sure we do not make my son any worse. My sister will report any signals that Colin is regressing. So far there have been no full-on rages at his new home and we need to get through the school year.

Meantime we are starting to plan ahead for anything. The future is uncertain and we don't want to be blind-sided.

Stay tuned.......

We are a work-in-progress!