Quick Update

I am not a happy camper.  We tried to get Oksana into a long term facility.  The first one was full and with the second one (the one we really wanted) we had to go through a big process to be accepted because they don't normally take kids with developmental disabilities.  They were willing to make an exception but we had to provide lots of evidence that she was really mentally ill.  We did that and found out that they would take her but couldn't take her now.  Long story but basically it could be a month.  We found this out Friday afternoon so of course at that point there was nothing we could do until Monday.  The doctor said to see how the weekend went and then we would talk again Monday.  Saturday she had a very rough day.  Sunday was good.  She was convinced she had ice powers and was likely psychotic but she wasn't beating anyone up.  While you would think that would be good news, I had a gut feeling that insurance was going to use that as an excuse to send her home and I know she is not at all ready to be home.  I was right.  The doctor called me this morning and because Sunday was good they wanted her discharged.  I was so mad!  Don't they know that mentally ill people are capable of having good days?!  It doesn't mean they are well!  The doctor basically told me this is the game we have to play with insurance so if we go home and she starts up again we will re-admit her.  Every time this happens we build up evidence that she needs more help.  This isn't fair to her or to us but it is the reality of our mental health system which is sickening.

I managed to convince them to give me one more day.  I needed to talk to school because I wasn't even sure they could take a child who was in need of long term psychiatric care just because the stupid insurance company sent her home.  I also needed to make phone calls to try to get 1 on 1 help in my home so that we can survive this. 

School is trying to pull together an IEP meeting as early as Wednesday.  I have no idea what we are going to do.  She may need to go to a behavior program that isn't ideal for her just because we are out of options.  Home bound was discussed too.  I will cry if we have to do home bound.  That means 24/7 with a schizophrenic 9 year old who I don't believe is well.  Home bound gives us ONE HOUR a day with a teacher and then I will need to arrange and pay to get help during the day.  I'm praying we don't have to do that.

Basically we need to survive until we can get her in long term care.  The doctor did increase her lithium today so hopefully that will give us a bit of time without her being too unstable.  This is just insane.