However Mr Pikachu came to us today and we don't know his age. We got told one age by his date of birth (not necessarily accurate...-!; and the social workers, a year older by him, but the grade at school suggests yet another year older. So we won't know more til Monday.
Pikachu comes to us with a raft of challenges. He has a severe speech impediment (it's really sad... I have had to ask him to repeat himself on the same sentence more than five times just to decipher something... Other times he is quite clear), he has some very challenging behaviours of which I will not speculate (fresh start) and a range of health problems that has lots of people unsure about his exact needs. He also has a range of food allergies that we will need to watch.
Because of this range of issues I am going to try and use this blog as a diary over the next few weeks. Partly as a double whammy. One, an accurate record of what is going on for his health, academic and social work specialists. Secondly, as I have been overwhelmed by the help from those in my circle of friends for their generosity, and felt they may want to follow along now that they have a special connection.
I am going to need to write from a slightly different tone, so diary entry type posts I will do in italics. This will help me easily find them and copy and paste them when I need them too. I may not hit publish everyday, but I will try and keep notes everyday. Even if it is just food that is eaten. That way it may help us help the professionals work out exactly what his food allergies are.
9 October 2015
Pikachu was quite excited to meet us at around ten this morning. He was very quick to start on a range of complaints such as not being able to wear a seatbelt as it hurts his hand, not being able sit in a car seat as it hurts his back. I didn't engage in those conversations I just said, It's the law, it's not something we have a choice on. There will be plenty of opportunities for choice later. I shut the door and headed back to the drivers side. The door opened. He didn't attempt to get out. I just flicked the kiddy lock and closed the door again before we were in our way.
He chatted quite happily in the car and we quickly identified his love of all things Pokemon. Not something we could really relate to! But acted interested all the same. He also started making things a lot bigger than they likely were... His age started at such a level he should be in high school, not to mention his smoking habit that he was working hard to get on top of. I said a couple of times 'really? I find that hard to believe' but was careful at this stage not to accuse him of lying.
He talked briefly about school but couldn't remember his teachers name. He is excited to go back to school on Monday.
When we were home we let him just find his way around the house and explore. We didn't give him anything to do. But let him get comfortable. He watched some Pokemon, played some guitar (I use the word played loosely), some colouring in and a couple of board games with Miss 13.
At lunchtime he had a ham toastie, an orange and two biscuits. This seemed to satisfy him. He was quickly 'hungry' again but declined all offers of fruit. He was told it was only fruit for now as dinner only a couple of hours away. He was happy with this. He drank half a litre of water with lunch. For dinner he had nachos, his without cheese. He wanted to taste some sour cream and had about a teaspoon. He didn't comment on whether he liked it or not. He had about another half litre of water.
His skin looks extremely dry, and his lower legs have been scratched to bleeding within the last day or so.
He bathes himself happily and when he was done the pyjamas weren't quite dry. He asked for some help tying his towel around him while he waited for the dryer to finish. About ten minutes.
He was given some new toys and books and he played very happily until bedtime wearing a new red jersey wrapped around him. At bedtime I asked him to pick up his school things and pop them in his bag. This was the first sign of defiance. He said 'nah, you can't make me' I changed my request slightly 'could you pop your lunchbox and book in your bag. Thank you' and then turned around and straightened up the books on the shelf. While I was doing that he said 'what are you going to do if I don't' I said calmly 'I don't know, but it will mean tomorrow isn't as fun as it could be'. He said 'I won't be here tomorrow I go home tomorrow'. No I said, you are here for a wee while it definitely won't be tomorrow' he got up, put his things in his bag then got under the covers and started crying. I told him 'it's okay to feel sad, there have been lots of changes today. But you will see your brother and sister in Monday at school.' I picked up the book he had chosen and started reading. He was under the covers but began to peek out to see the pictures. By the end of the book he was looking at the book properly, but still crying. I said good night and asked him if he would like the light on or off. He said off. He was asleep within 5 minutes.
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