Myles had an eye exam in San Ramon, and appointment that we had waited for 2 months for, an appointment that was supposed to result in vision therapy to help with his eyes tracking, a Dr we were referred to by his occupational therapist.....a Dr who didn't want to be bothered, didn't want to look at any check lists of symptoms, a Dr who "sees this sort of thing all the time", a Dr who said he doesn't believe in vision therapy anymore - that all he needs is 3 days of tutoring a week because his vision is fine, a Dr who spent less than 5 minutes with us. I'm starting to find out that there are a group of people out there, whether we are talking about last years teacher, or this eye dr, who as soon as they hear "ADHD" roll their eyes and glaze over and seem to think that implying the kid needs to work harder and concentrate more is an acceptable answer to every problem. It is not. It's not something I would have understood if I hadn't spent the last year dealing with it and seeing first hand what ADHD is, and what it isn't. I expect medical professionals and educators to have a better grasp of whats involved, and I'm seeing over and over that they dont', and many still have the idea that it's the latest "it thing" to diagnose a kid who 20 years ago we would have just said is a brat who needs spanked more. That more discipline, and telling them to "try harder" is the cure all. Unfortunately, those things don't re-wire how the brain works, they don't control the neurological factors that are involved, they don't slow down an ADHD brain from firing constantly from one thought to the next, they don't put the brakes on the brain or control impulses, they don't slow the need for constant movement, stop the flow of constant ideas, the constant need to create. In fact, i would argue that tutoring 3 times a week would be the worst thing for him....thinking that taking his brain and making him go sit for another hour a day after school, 3 days a week is the solution....um, no.
Well, that created one ticked off mama who needed to simmer down. I opted for taking the long way home. We could have been home in about 30 minutes.....but 3 hours later we were still driving. As always, as a family, our happy place is the out doors, and I figured a slow drive home, windows down, would take the edge off. Granted, I got more than I bargained for as what looked like a legit road on the map I pulled up on my phone was a one lane, narrow road through the hills. The kids loved it, and the eye dr was long forgotten by the time we got home. : ) It was 105 out, we saw 7 deer along the drive, all 7 were laying in shade, and not moving an inch.
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