Z has been at the residential treatment program for deaf kids for a week now. It all happened very fast once the agency at home decided to pay. I am staying close by ( in the hotel right next door) to make sure she is ok. The agency thought I was crazy when I insisted that I would not drop Z off and leave after a couple days. I had more orientation when we took Ch to college. We had four days of parent orientation, granted some of that was wine tasting but the point was to make sure we were comfortable leaving our kids at the college. I want to see that all those "mom" things are being done with Z, like brushing her teeth, combing her hair, clean clothes and matching clothes is a "biggy" for me. That seems to be going just fine. We had a rough start with her cochlear implants but now seem to have worked out the tech part. I visit her a couple times a day and we watch part of her favorite videos and talk about what she's done that day. Their days are very structured and I'm learning the routine. Staff is very nice and I'm finding out very quickly that I need more sign language. It is very interesting being in a deaf environment, gives me just a glimpse of what it's like to be deaf in the hearing world.
We never tell Z ahead of time about up coming events, even fun ones, because she perseverates and it just ends in huge behavior problems. Of course, she was thrilled about going on a plane and kept asking if we were going to Disneyland, going to see Aunt Sue, going to see the dolphins (Sea World), going to Grandma's? O had said something the night before we left that helped me explain things to her. She said not to tell her it's like the hospital because that is so negative for her. Made sense to me, so I told Z that we were going to see a deaf school like Daphne on " Switched at Birth" and she kept asking if we were going to see Daphne. I had to add that lots of deaf kids sleep at their school. Thanks O, that helped alot.
It's been ok, I've kept busy meeting everyone at the program. I believe that the more the staff know me the better care Z will get. I've even exercised in the tiny hotel workout room and did laps in the pool. I look forward to our visits each day. Z seems good then lapses into being sad and asking if I can stay and sleep with her. We made a joke that her new bed is too little and mom would fall out. I try to be upbeat and ask everyone their "sign names" so Z learns everyones' names. I thank the staff for what they are doing, I really do appreciate it.
The day I don't even want to think about is Thursday when I have to leave her and head home. I remember the flight home from GW when I couldn't take off my sunglasses because my eyes were so red and swollen and it wasn't from the wine tasting. Leaving your kids, there aren't words to describe..........
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