Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Grandparents

Had our bi-weekly therapy call. Katie went over what happened - she was cheating on an algebra test. She did take accountability for it, and handled it well. She has realized that this choice also chose her out of the next Focus, and in talking with her therapist he said that he didn't feel that they would help her this time, like they did with discovery. She truly needs to earn Focus to make it help her more. The good thing is she has done all her pre-focus homework.
Then her grandma and grandpa had a chance to say hi. They were in town for her older brother's graduation. She cried a bit, but I think overall it was a good thing. It always helps to remind them of what is at home, as an incentive for wanting to work the program and come home.

M-

Thursday, May 25, 2006

2 Steps back - again

Well this past week was a bad one for Katie, she dropped back to level 1 again. A bit factor on this was cheating on an algebra test - I should be getting a letter from her about that one soon. We aren't sure if this has killed her chance to go to Focus in June or not - that will be up to Garth and Kathy to decide (basically does she have to start over on points again or not). She doesn't have much more time, it is in about three weeks, and she has to get to level 3 to attend.
And this just as we got a box together of stuff she can have at level 2. *sigh*

M-

Monday, May 15, 2006

Parents of a Troubled Teen - our Journey back to a Healthy Family

I just got off our bi-weekly therapy call, and Katie is sounding really good. She is hoping to go up for Level 3 next week, and is scared of both succeeding and of failing, which I can understand. She has to be level 3 to go to Focus, and she really wants that.
It is nice to hear her working and sincerely trying to improve.

M-

Sunday, May 14, 2006

Updated - finally

I have finally taken the time and got at least something up to bring the blog up to date with when it started. That is good, it has been hanging over my head for way too long.

Wrote Katie today. I still find it so hard to write her. And then, of course, I'll be talking to her on Monday during her therapy call as well.

M-

Thursday, May 11, 2006

Level 2 - again

Well Katie has taken Level 2 again. She tried to get voted up, but didn't have the support for it. However she can take level 2 without support if she chooses.
It was interesting, as apparently one of the higher level girls then said that they should support her, as she had met all the requirements, and that is how it is designed. Otherwise it can be a bit too much of personalities and back-biting, etc about it - and people can get held back by their previous impressions, not how they are in the moment. This is big for Katie, as she has had problems with all the girls there - just like real life.
They uploaded a new picture of her group - and the most notable thing about her is she is in the very back row - not sticking out at all - a good thing.
She wants to crochet her brother a blanket for his graduation, and while we are going to send her some yarn, we aren't sending a couple of cases like she asked for. She can make him a scarf for college - that would be good. Once more she is a bit over-reactive to it.

M-

Tuesday, May 09, 2006

After Keys

Well it was a good weekend. This being only the 2nd Keys we have attended, it is hard to judge it completely, but it was pretty 'dry'. A LOT of information, but that means it was mostly lecture - very little 'processes' to work through, which is where the breakthroughs come in.
The next on in Chicago is, unfortunately, the same weekend that my two youngest sons head off to boy scout and band camp, so we won't be able to make it. Since I am the treasurer for the Band Boosters now, I have to be there to write last minute checks and take in last minute payments before the kids go off. We may look to do it somewhere else though - it is being held the week before in the Bay Area, and maybe in Atlanta as well (though I won't know that for another couple of weeks).
They posted new group pictures yesterday as well. Amazingly - Katie is in the BACK ROW!!!! For someone seeking to be the center of attention constantly, that is a very good thing.

M-

Friday, May 05, 2006

Keys: Addiction Awareness

Well we are in Chicago for our 2nd Keys seminar tomorrow. One of the best parts of these is getting together with the people that we have met at the seminars - so far I've talked to several of my Focus Family, and we will be meeting for a drink later once they get to the hotel.
I'm not sure about this seminar - Katies isn't in the program because of drugs or alcohol, and addiction doesn't seem to be an issue for us. I don't want to go through a beating on how 'everyone is an addict' etc.
On the plus side, this one is being done by the founder of the program, who is supposed to be really good. So maybe it will be interesting.

M-

Tuesday, May 02, 2006

PC1

I meant to update this more often, this week, but technical difficulties prevented it, including not having the wireless internet work at the motel this weekend.
We saw Katie for the first time in seven months this weekend. She looked great - she has lost 30 lbs and it shows.
We were a bit apprehensive about this. First because of the expense - we weren't able to make any reservations until Monday, and we flew out on Thursday. This was due to two factors: the first was not finding out that she had graduated Discovery until two weeks before PC1, and the second was simply money. I had already decided to take out another 401K loan, and because of Easter it took over 8 days to get here - arrghh!!!!! And, of course, it ran quite a bit more expensive than we had anticipated (well, maybe that was the extra day in Las Vegas, or at least part of it).
So we flew out on Thursday to Las Vegas. Her school is about two and a half hours from there in Utah, and the drive is just stunning. Especially the Virgin River Gorge in Arizona - absolutely spectacular. I guess since she is only level 1 we did not get invited to therapy on Thursday like some parents there did, so we drove around a bit, and got some great scenic pictures, including some from the local overlook (which just happens to be the local makeout point as well :-) ). We then met some other parents we had talked to on the BBS for dinner, and got to meet her therapist for the first time - he is great.
On Friday we went to the school, had a couple of presentations from staff, then after we came back from lunch were greated with a scream as she saw us. Hugs, kisses, tears all around. I won't go into the seminar details, but there was some work done, we had dinner with her there, and then left.
On Saturday we were back for more, working through the morning with her, then having lunch, a tour, and finally, at 3 pm it was time for farewells - and yes lots more tears.
Meeting our family rep and therapist really helped, as did the tour of the facility, and talking to some of the other students. Seeing everything first hand really helped to bring things back in focus - Katie is doing great. She was so much like the little girl I used to know. There was no anger or exploding at all. She was still very clingy - and that is something we know to work on - part of the whole 'attention seeking' thing.
We did spend Sunday in Vegas, and just got back at 8 tonight. Then on Friday we drive back to Chicago for the next Keys. Barely time to breath - and my oldest graduates high school on 3 weeks!

M-