Naassssty...

Okay, so usually I've got a pretty strong stomach. I've also got a deep respect for cultures other than my own. However, I've just been introduced to the culinary micro-trend of ikizukuri.

Oh? You haven't heard of it? Perhaps you should keep it that way.

Ikizukuri is from Japan, and apparently it is making a comeback in the delicacy world. It's the "art" of preparing and serving fish- while it's still alive. Yup. Fish are sliced up, and kept alive, while the chef chops the filet into bite-sized pieces, arranges it artfully around (or in front of) the fish, and the dish is served- while the live fish is left staring at its own flesh being eaten.

Here's a clip of fish ikizukuri.

Here's a clip of frog ikizukuri.

Uggggggh....don't say I didn't warn you.

Five frickin' days.

School starts in 5 days. FIVE DAYS!!!

I'm trying so hard not to lose it.

I've already put in a call to the school about conducting a hurried IEP to try and arrange transportation for Jaysen. And I have a call into his teacher, with the hopes that she'll meet with us before school starts (which would only leave tomorrow as an option) to ease transition. The district "Autism Specialist" said she didn't want to be pretentious and assume that the teacher would have time to meet with me. Hmm...interesting, since she's the one (the "specialist") whom at the end of the year meeting, said this was an imperative thing to happen.

If the meeting doesn't happen, I'm looking at it as a "well, you get what you get". I am trying to get this meeting to benefit both parties, Jaysen and his new teacher. If she doesn't have time to meet with us, oookay, but when he comes to you on that first day, and you don't know what to do when he's freaking out because you moved his videotape...well, he's yours to figure out now.

In reality though, I'm very available to the teachers, and they can call me anytime for suggestions to situations. Jaysen's Team is very good too. The RR teacher was his aide last year, so she's familiar with him, and will lend a hand. But according to the "Autism Specialist", he's not going to be relying on Ms. Resa this year- she will only be used in emergency situations. Ooookay! And what consists of an "emergency" this year? Perhaps when the lunch-lady plops a big mound of soggy vegetables next to his chicken nuggets? Yep- that'll be one fer sure.

Cheers to school starting!

It's about that time.

Yes, it's about that time of year, when most parents are at their height of anticipation. Anticipation of hearing those long-awaited words...the same words that send me into frantic spazz-mode, a frenzy-crazed anxiety-momma, and send my stress level skyrocketing through the roof...

Back to School.

AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
Who is Jaysen's teacher going to be? When can he meet her? Does she know about Jaysen? I mean does she know about Jaysen? Did she talk to the Kindergarten teacher? The Special Ed teacher got married and moved to Minnesota (the nerve of her), will the replacement teacher be as good? How will Jaysen do with full days? Who's going to remind him if he brought his lunch, or if he's going to buy? Will someone be there to meet us at the door in the mornings? When can I schedule an IEP meeting to discuss transportation? What is the plan of action for...anything!?!?!?!?

Good god, I'm a mess.
Valium should be on the school supply list.

Busted.

"Mommy, there's nuckies in my juice".

(inspecting glass) "I don't see any nuckies, it's okay."

"No, there's nuckies in my juice".

(crap- that's the med.) "Here honey, we'll put some more juice in there."

"No! (pours juice into sink) I want new juice."

Crap, crap, crap. "Okay, you can have new juice". (preparing syringe for new dose to go with new juice)

Ugh. He can taste the meds in his juice. Risperdal is the most disgusting tasting med there is out there. There is no way to disguise the nastiness of this vile stuff. I've been pretty lucky so far, the closest Jaysen's come to complaining, is shooting me an inquisitive look, which I return with a look of ignorance, and all has been fine. But now what?!? Forget about disguising it in another food, because if it won't go in a cheese-it, I'm pretty much screwed.

Risperdal also comes in an "M-tab" which is a pain in the butt. He won't take any form of medicine, so it has to be dissolved and put in his juice again. That's when I just switched to the liquid. You can't always have hot water available to dissolve the M-tab, and if it's dissolved in cold liquid, you can see the granules floating on the top, which is of course, unacceptable.

However, the M-tab is peppermint flavored. I should say, it's flavored with peppermint. Which just makes for a vile, nasty, disgusting, stomach-wrenching, pseudo-pepperminty medicine. A bouquet of gasoline and grain alcohol, with peppermint undertones. Any way you take it, the shit is a nasty assault to the taste buds.

I'll have to talk to the psychiatrist on Friday, and let her know that he's onto the scheme, and we may have to go back to the M-tabs, or we're going to have to find something else. Damn.

Meltdown drama.

Oooh...did not get a good report yesterday when I returned home from work.

My mother informed me that Jaysen became upset with her, and it was "like old times", a no-holds-barred meltdown. He was back to kicking, hitting, scratching, and biting. At almost 6 years old, he now has the ability to really inflict some pain.

I tried to get her to tell me exactly what happened- what set him off, what happened before, during, and after, what were the interactions, etc...but I realize that this is a lot of information that usually goes unnoticed when your own frustrations are high, like hers were.

This week, we have another med review with the psychiatrist. I am well aware that there will most likely be a med increase. And maybe there should be. Jaysen has gained somewhere around 12 pounds, so his weight-to-med ratio has changed. I'm just scared to death about this weight gain. The doc. said it would happen, and it is...but she also said she wants to start doing bloodwork to monitor for Diabetes. Good lord- I don't know what I'd do if Jaysen became diabetic as a result of something that was within my control. There is another option- to change his meds. I'm hesitant to do that because he's been doing really well on the Risperdal, and the other option is an SSRI, which in cases where there's underlying aggression, it has the tendency to make the person more aggressive. Definitely don't want that.

Dammit. Why is this so difficult? Why is it that when you finally find something that actually helps on both sides, it's so short acting? Damn, damn, damn. I for sure can't have my kid going around whoopin ass all over town- it's obviously not good for those that cross his path, but more importantly, it's his anxiety level that is dangerously high. Since starting the med, it's like he's so much more relaxed. More at peace. More...Jaysen. I just want my son to enjoy being a kid.
.

The price of reincarnation.

Get the full story here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20227400/site/newsweek/

This could possibly be the thing that makes my week this week. Apparently, the Chinese government is passing a law banning Tibetan monks from reincarnating without permission.

Yep. You read that correctly. Monks will now have to have permission to reincarnate.

The motive is said to be that this way, the government will have a say in whom the next Dali Lama will be. Who have the Tibetan monks ever bothered? Why is the Chinese government so threatened by them?

And what would the penalty be if you didn't get permission? Would you be able to charge the reincarnated person since the soul of the offender has reincarnated into the new one? How would evidence be gathered? Would the person be an automatic repeat offender?

That would never happen in the U.S. Nope, we wouldn't ban reincarnation...we'd just tax the shit out of it. I can see it now- tax write offs for reincarnation fees.

I swear- just when you think it can't get any stranger in this world...

Triscuit.

The cat's name is Triscuit.

Mmmm...Triscuits...