The One Year Plan

So I've been thinking.  The past 3 or 4 years have been a really shitty time for me and for my family.  Here are the areas that have made it so:

1. Issues with meds etc. for oldest son with Asperger's, ADD, Depression, Mood Disorder
2. Mother-in-Law with Dementia who lives in the basement 
3. Finances
4. Consistent weight gain with no end in sight for me
5. ITP, body aches from Isotetrinoin, Peri-menopause (also me)
6. Depression, Unemployment (husband)

We can't go this way.  As the saying goes, "Something has got to give!"  So I've decided we need a one year plan.  We can only tolerate one more year of this and it will take a year to truly be able to make significant changes in certain areas of our lives in order to make it more live able, doable, enjoyable.

1. Serenity prayer for our older son plus everything in the world we can do for him
2. Nursing home for Mother-in-Law. . .it is time
3. Apply for SSI for both children with disabilities to help with the mounting cost of meds, therapy, co-pays, life coaches etc.
4. Continued work on weight and introduce walking in hopes of some kind of improvement (plus Serenity prayer)
5. Deal with ITP, I will be off Isotetrin by December, try herbal remedies for night sweats etc.
6. Stick with plans for 1-5 to help alleviate pressure (depression) and keep looking for work--ANY work 

In a year's time I expect for some things to have improved for us.  Cole will be a year older and hopefully additional services for him will help with development (e.g.: online schooling, job, social skills training, new neurologist to replace current psychiatrist).  A nursing home will also take a great deal of pressure off of our family.  The kids will not feel as ill at ease with their grandmother roaming around looking confused and coming upstairs half dressed and my husband will no longer have the responsibilities of counting out meds, dealing with Access-A-Ride, driving his mom to dialysis whenever she gets the days mixed up, feeding her etc.

Hopefully with some of the pressure gone it will be easier for my husband to look for work full time and who knows, maybe the economy gets better?  Once I am off the Isotetrin, my body will feel better, my lips will stop peeling and I can feel like a human being again.  As always I will keep trying with my weight--its been a struggle my whole life and always will be.

And maybe this time next year I will be able to updated the blog from today with a list of things that have gotten better for us.  (INSERT another Serenity prayer here) :)