I am a rockstar.

I've got the rolley on my arm and im pourin
chandon …. cuz i got it goin on.

Yup. That’s how I feel right now. Like a boasting braggert rockstar and there ain’t nothing like it.

This morning was Adam’s iep meeting. He does not qualify for services. Let me repeat that. He does not qualify for services. Holy shit, batman.  We freaking did it.  In case you don’t know how it all works, when a kid is under the age of 5, and disabled, they are given the label “preschool disabled” and given services depending upon what everyone thinks the kid needs. Then upon turning 5, they get tested. The kid has to fit one of 13 categories. The kid gets labeled and services are provided based on what everyone thinks the kid needs. (fighting can occur over what everyone thinks the kid needs).

They went over their test results. He took several tests- tested by the psychologist, and a LDTC (Learning Disabilities Teacher Consultant) and a Speech Therapist gave him Language and Speech tests. He took cognitive assessments and tests on what he already has learned. He performed in every single subtest in either the average range or high average range. He was seen in his classroom and is social and discussed many things with the examiners. He has friends and focuses in class. He loves Karate and swimming.

The 13 categories are:

·         Auditorily impaired

·         Autistic

·          Cognitively impaired

·          Communication impaired

·         Emotionally disturbed

·          Multiply disabled

·          Deaf/blindness

·         Orthopedically impaired

·          Other health impaired

·         Social maladjustment

·         Specific learning disability

·          Traumatic brain injury

·         Visually impaired

Adam does not fit any of these 13 categories. Yes, he still has feeding issues and a device surgically implanted in his stomach (g-tube) but it does not effect his learning and education at this time. Yes, we have no idea what the future will bring but- he does not qualify for services.

He was born 14 weeks early, weighing 1 pound and 4 ounces. He spent over six months in a hospital. Received a tracheotomy, which he had for over 2 years, where he could not make any sound out of his mouth at all for his first 2 years of life. He had occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech therapy for his first 3 years of life every week. We had nurses in our home for 16 hours a day for 2 years straight. He spent an entire summer receiving 4 therapies a day. Once a month he goes to see therapists and experts. He follows up every 3 months with his eye doctor, gi, ent, pediatrician and pulmonologist. He has had 8 (I think?) surgeries. He has spent the last 2 years attending 2 different schools each day with one on one para, trained highly qualified teachers, push in and pull out speech services and an inclusive setting in the afternoon.

We have been trained in Pecs, beginning sign language and read a lot of crap. We went into debt. Crazy debt. I took 6 months off of work, Phil took 2 years to do a different job altogether with a huge paycut. Matt has been the greatest big brother known. We have had our family and friends help us beyond anyone’s imagination.

Today they told us that Adam will go into regular kindergarten in September.

Our attorney was shocked, pleased and couldn’t believe that this was the same kid she worked and fought for over 2 years ago. I cried. Both of Adam’s teachers cried and hugged me today. The nurse cried and hugged us. At Adam’s inclusion setting, the principal cried. She said that she remembered him from 3 years ago. He couldn’t even say any words, he used his pecs book and had tantrums refusing to stay in his seat. She hugged me and cried and said how amazing he is.

Now, I’m not sure what the future will bring, and I know we still got some stuff to work through, but today, today we were rockstars. I’m a bragging and a boasting and a toasting.

Here’s to a crazy freaking 5 years.