Where have the posts been?  They are all stacked up on notes I take throughout the day to write about.  Sorry for the drop off, frankly it’s been one of those years!  I wish I had more substance in this post around Dayna, but I wanted to update everyone on where things are.  Lots of changes, lots of challenges…..and unfortunately that’s why I have not been able to post much.  Earlier in the year it was due to poor choices on my part around work and just not having time.  Now, it’s a different reason….big news on the horizon but news I can’t disclose just yet.   I will use the blog to announce it when everything is settled in.   We are in a very exciting yet extremely difficult and stressful time right now.  Just what we need, difficulties and stress, the perfect addition to autism and heart conditions!  Seriously though when all is said and done, we will have made the best decision ever as a family and for Dayna and I just can’t wait!   The road in between is going to be hard but we are going to get through it.  That’s all I can say about that for now, but stay tuned!

How is Dayna doing?  Dayna is well…..she’s Dayna!  Summers are hard for her, the consistency in schedule is just not there.  Add to that some of the issues we are dealing with as a family at the moment and it can get downright crazy around here.  We are also going on two years of Dayna getting up early in the morning and proclaiming “No School!”.  I can’t deny it, it gets under my skin!  It’s a difficult way to start your day, some are worse than others.  That being said she said, once she is off to school she generally has a good day.  It was a great year at North Carroll High for her in 9th grade, with a great staff.  Of course, in Carroll County’s infinite wisdom, they messed that all up.  After fighting us tooth and nail saying they could build a program that would fulfill Dayna’s needs, they went and built that great program and then announced two weeks later they would close the school at the end of the year.  Absorb that for a minute…..the school spent last summer retrofitting space at North Carroll High with classrooms, therapy rooms, security enhancements, a kitchen, conference space…everything they could do to replicate a specialized non-public program.  They rushed to get it done and had a successful open house at the end of August to show it off.  Two weeks later they announced that school they placed the program in would be closed at the end of the year.  They started construction in June, finished in August and then made the decision to close it.  So after all that, Dayna attended for one year and then would have to transition to another school.  You know, because children with Autism just love constant change and transition!  In the 2013-2014 school year they replaced her teacher at New Windsor Middle during the year in the spring and failed to tell the parents.  Then in the 2014-2015 year, that new teacher left as well, so another new teacher started.  Then in 2015-2016 they transitioned her to North Carroll High School with another new teacher (a great one by the way!), but then decided to close the school.  So that leaves 2016-2017 at yet another new school.  This is all very important because it relates back to the beginning of this post and the changes at hand!  Again, stay tuned!

Overall though, Dayna is doing well.  I can’t lie, as she gets older it gets harder.  She is more demanding, in the way a toddler is demanding.  She may want something she can’t have, and does not comprehend at times why she can’t have it.  And when she gets upset you will know it, because unlike a toddler Dayna is over 5 feet tall.  Sleep is still very much an issue, for all of us!  If we can get 5-6 hours of uninterrupted sleep its a good night. Not too much has changed but all in all, we are pros at this as a family.  Frustration ends up in laughter often, for all of us including Dayna.  The changes we have planned are going to help us move forward and provide more for Dayna.

Did I mention we had some changes planned?……stay tuned!