Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Progress!

August 14, 2012

Current weight: 163.4
Total weight lost: 12.6 pounds

I haven't been following a strict diet at this point (I do watch what she eats, portion control, etc., but I haven't been writing everything down) and we haven't been doing a ton of exercising lately.  She still walks the dogs 3 times a day and helps out with her little sister, but outside of that she spends quite a bit of time on the computer.  I just have been so busy lately between getting them registered and ready for school, requesting medical records, making tons and tons of phone calls trying to get their insurance done and SSI started, plus trying to get her on the wait list for The Resource Exchange for housing funding (current wait is 7-10 years) I just haven't had a lot of time to stay on top of her exercising.  That's why when I weighed her this morning I was so shocked: She had lost 12 1/2 pounds!  We must be doing something right at this point.  I even weighed her twice just to be sure.  I am so happy about this progress.  She has lost almost all the weight she gained while living in Washington this past year.

Things have been a bit difficult lately just trying to get settled.  We don't like the schools in the dictrict we live in, so we had to apply to get the kids into the next district over.  But, they don't want to go to the same school.  We already got the younger girl registered, but we are waiting to hear if K got in.  I imagine it is more of a process because of her special needs.  I hope we find out soon, though, because school is scheduled to start this Thursday.  I don't imagine she will be starting on time.

I also have sent requests for all her medical records to Seattle Children's Hospital, The Everett Clinic, and the University of Washington Medical Center (where the PWS clinic is located).  I am still waiting for all the records to come back.  So far I have only received a copy of her IEP.  I needed this to include an IQ score for The Resource Exchange (as they will only accept you based on IQ score...) so now I have to wait until she gets into school and then request that the school perform a full IQ test.  It seems like every time I get something done or I get answers about something, I come across more and more that needs to be done.  So far this whole thing has been never-ending.  Once we get her medical situation sorted out, we will have to establish her with a new primary care and then have them fill out paperwork for her SSI.  Unfortunately, all the physicians she was established with in Washington haven't seen her in a year (...) and so they will not fill out the paperwork.  Once I get everything gathered and sorted out for all of this, it will be about time to begin guardianship paperwork.  Sigh.  Makes me tired just thinking about it.

Friday, August 3, 2012

Unsure

August 3, 2012

Not sure of current weight.

We got off track on K's weight because I really got discouraged.  In one day she gained 3 pounds and I just couldn't figure out where from.  I was driving myself crazy over this when I felt like I was putting in all this effort only to send her back to her mom in 5 weeks to have her gain it all back because her mom could care less about her diet.  As K once put it "My mom doesn't like it when I go on a diet".  Nice, huh?

Well, yesterday we got the call I had been wondering if we would get.  Her mom called us to tell us not to send her home, that she couldn't deal with taking care of her and we needed to just keep her.  So, here we are!  I am going to do some more research and really try to hone her diet.  My husband is going to take over the exercise side of things for the most part.  We are enrolling her in a new school out here where we live so it should be interesting to see how they adapt to her challenges.

I feel renewed because for once we won't have to worry about a lack of effort (or outright sabotage) from the other parent.  We can just do what's best and hope for lasting results.  I have also begun to work on getting her on state medical insurance and beginning the process for SSI.  I submitted several records requests today (things I had already done once before and left for her mother to do, which she did not do and now has the records and is refusing to send us anything...).  So, I am starting again.  I feel better that I can control this all because I think it really needs to be done in an organized and efficient manner.  This truly is what is best for K. 

In the coming days, weeks, and months I will not only be updating about diet and exercise, but about the paperwork process of getting all of her stuff handled (SSI, guardianship {she's almost 18}, medical, etc.) and just general life with PWS.  Thanks for sticking with me!