21: More Progress & Tonight is the School Dance

Fast Food

 

   Today is Friday, December 14th. I have actually caught up with my blog and I am feeling happy writing about today instead of the past. My daughter is still doing really well. She has even been to a couple of fast food restaurants for French fries and a chocolate frosty. And to 5 Guys for some yummy burgers. She has gained back 3 of her 7 lost pounds and is looking better and more energetic.
   Her middle school had a little Winter Show this week. It was so nice to be there and see her comfortable in a crowded place without having to cover her face or hold her breath. She went off with her friends after the show and I talked with some of her teachers and thanked them again for all of their patience with her. She is almost all caught up on her school work. The school, and her teachers, have been amazing. Her English teacher sat with her yesterday during study period to help her with a big essay that is for both English and World History. It was due 2 weeks ago. Mrs. D helped her lay out a plan of typing up her draft and emailing it to her for corrections this weekend. After she corrects it, she will email it back so she can finish it and hand it in on Monday. She also sent me an email saying I could email her this weekend with any questions we may have about the essay. I have never heard of a teacher doing this for a student on a weekend. 

   I am so happy we are at this school. I cannot even imagine the problems we would have had if she was in our local public school. They would have flunked her for sure and she would probably need to repeat 6th grade with the amount of absences she has had. Instead, she finished last quarter with all A's and B's. And it looks like she will finish this quarter the same way if all goes well with midterms next week. I have promised her an iphone if she does well. Not that I care too much about her grades right now. But, I am amazed that she has done so well amidst all of this.
   Tonight is the Middle School Winter Dance. We have an appointment with Dr. G at 3 and I will then take her to her friend's house where they are all getting ready together for the dance. Last night we went last minute shopping for a dress. She realized that she did not like what she had previously decided to wear and she was a bit bummed out since she found out her friends were all going to wear some pretty fancy dresses. Normally, I would not run out to the mall at 8 pm because my child is having a fashion crisis. But, I decide she deserves to feel good about herself and I want to help her fit in with her friends. So off to Nordstrom's we go. Thankfully we find lots of beautiful dresses and shoes right away. Thankful, because I hate shopping and I am tired from teaching. We have some girly fun in the dressing room. Giggling and making sure she can dance in each dress she tries on.

   We head home and suddenly both have a tummy ache. Oh no! A woman at the ballet school was just telling me how she was throwing up for 2 days with the stomach flu. No! Don't let this happen! She thinks that it was some Dr. G plan to get her to throw up. She knows that they cure some emetophobics that way. I ease her fears and say we would never do that. I jokingly tell her that if we did come up with some evil scheme, we certainly wouldn't do it the night before the middle school dance. Luckily our tummy aches subside and we go to bed.

   Morning arrives and at 6:30am, her friends all start texting each other. They are talking about the dance tonight and reminding each other of what to bring to get ready all together.  I love it! She is in a good mood which makes my morning easier. She inherited the anxiety from my husband's side. But, I get all the credit for the morning grump.

   Let's hope the dance goes well tonight. I will hopefully add some photos tomorrow. She has already called me twice from school this morning. When I see the school's number appear on my phone, my heart still skips a beat. I still answer in fear. I became all to familiar with the calls begging me to pick her up or from the counselor letting me know that she was in her office. Oh, how I much prefer today's "Mommy, don't forget to pack my nail polish and my shorts for under my dress."

   Before I end this post, I want to thank all of you who have been emailing, texting and commenting about my blog. Being in Miami without all of my friends and family was tough through all of this. I have never liked talking on the phone and am a pretty quiet person by nature. I did not even let my best friends know what was going on. I have discovered that I much prefer to write than to talk. So, thanks again everyone, for your amazing support! I have even heard from people I don't know who have come across this blog. I hope I can help someone else see a good ending if they are struggling with emetophobia.