I Rollercoaster for You

The World's 5 Fastest Rollercoasters

5. (tie) Superman, 100 mph, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Valencia, California
5. (tie) Tower of Terror, 100 mph, Dreamworld, Queensland, Australia
4. Dodonpa, 107 mph, Fuji-Q Highland, Yamanashi, Japan
3. Top Thrill Dragster, 120 mph, Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio
2. Kingda Ka, 128 mph, Six Flags Great Adventure, Jackson, New Jersey
1. Formula Rossa, 149 mph, Ferrari World, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE

The days go by so fast, a lot of this feels like a dream. Or a race. Or too many cups of coffee (even though I gave up the caffeine years ago).

I haven't written here since October 21st. If John Lennon is to be believed, and hey, he always was, life is what happens when you're busy making other plans.

Let's see. What's in the daytimer since you and I last met?

October 21 - Brinkley's birthday party, Madeleine's tea party and cheerleading pep rehearsal in the school theatre.

October 23 - Both kids to Dr. Weber for flu shots. Justuce opted for the nasal mist, Justin got brave and went for the needle. The doctor is concerned ADHD and ODD meds she prescribed on October 3 are still being withheld due to DFS and legal red tape.

October 24 - The kids met their great-grandfather and he gave them roller skates. Plenty of bruised tailbones and tushies ensued on days 1-4, but boy you should see them go now.

October 25 - Kids need navy blue skirt or shorts today. Pep rally in the school theatre. J2 occupational therapy.

October 26 - No school for Nevada Day. K-1 playdate in Paseos Park. Later in the day, Emmy's birthday party at Susan and Joel's. Wear a costume.

October 27 - 12 noon playdate with We Are Family. 4pm occupational therapy. 5pm Gala for Temple Sinai.

October 28 - Playdate with Lily and Lucas and Aunt Ingrid.

October 29 - Swim unit starts at school. J1 swimsuit in backpack. J2 swimsuit in backpack. 5 pm chili dinner with some of the We Are Family moms and dads and kids.

October 30 - Justin needs jeans. Pick up Justuce at Staci Green's. 4 pm physical therapy.

October 31 - Pick up Aunt Erin's keys at the apartment office. Kitchen lights fixed 12-2, Mr. Electric. Justuce swimsuit. Adam Yiddish class (missed again, most likely). Trick-or-treating with Shayna, Howard, Jahslyn and Susie. Pounds of candy collected. Frightening.

November 1 - Adam pickup CPAP machine. Sleep, finally! Family therapy with Miss Hannah for the first time. J2 occupational therapy. Justin home sick from school. Coughing.

November 2 - Adam, Dr. Handler. Ryan, Adoption Exchange fundraiser, volunteer photography. Car accident on the way home. Someone heading the other way pulled a U-turn right in front of me. No luck getting the kids into Dr. Kithas, the psychiatrist who can "re-prescribe" ADHD meds since the pediatrician's are being withheld. He is not taking new patients.

November 3 - Double b'nai mitzvahs, Altman and Bloom. Still moonlighting photography on the weekends. Still trying to make ends meet. J2 occupational therapy.

November 4 - Clocks back. Erin and Jaime leave Waupaca.

November 5 - Justuce, swim unit. Justin, Dr. Camp, orthopedist. Femoral anteversion diagnosed. He says no on corrective foot orthotics. His physical therapist strongly disagrees and wants us to go behind his back and make Justin wear straps. More battling medical headaches. No answer from DFS. Family and individual therapy with Miss Hannah.

November 6 - Justin sent home from school again. Still coughing. Emergency visit to the pediatrician. Double ear infection and allergic sinitus. Antibiotics, seasonal allergy medication and bronchospasm nebulizer prescribed. J2 physical therapy.

November 7 - Ryan to Dr. Wolfson, follow-up on persistent migraines since the children arrived. MRI brain scan next step to rule out anything other than severe stress. Aunt Erin and Aunt Jaime arrive. Hallelujah. Unload moving truck. 30 minute time limit. Move furniture inside. File insurance claim with Sentry. Call appraiser.

November 8 - Insurance appraisal. J1 to grandmas. J2 to occupational therapy. Call Stephanie at Viking Insurance. Work out accompanyist problem for wedding.

November 9 - Parent teacher conferences. She is a model student. He "has a heart of gold but can't sit still." Early dismissal from school.

November 10 - Occupational therapy. The kids have now been diagnosed, between them, with nine medical or psychological conditions since we got them on June 8th. This is not counting coughs and ear infections and "normal" stuff like that.

November 12 - Adam, colonoscopy to follow-up on significant weight loss and loss of appetite since children arrived, to rule out anything other than severe stress. Early school dismissal. Veterans day. Children wear red white blue to school. Robden from insurance company; car will be totaled. $2,300 if they take it, $2,000 if we keep it. Have to keep it, dents and all. Need it for therapy appointments. Family therapy with Miss Hannah.

November 13 - Physical therapy.

November 14 - J2 follow-up with Dr. Weber. Coughing better. She is still extremely concerned we are having issues with DFS and the courts not authorizing ADHD and ODD meds. She says the delay is doing the children a "disservice." Our repeated contacts to DFS to secure court approval all month for their medication draw nothing but "we're working on it, please be patient." 42 days of withheld medication now. How much "patience" is reasonable before this is just vast irresponsibility on someone's part?

November 15 - Adam, Dr. Becker. Me, up at midnight, writing Family Services again, wondering why after 42 days and repeated requests for resolution, we can't get this medication issue straigtened out. Then switching gears to my own ongoing headaches (literally), I pre-certify my MRI with Aetna, call Steinberg lab to get it scheduled for November 23, two days after the wedding. As annoying as five months of constant migraines have been, I still giggle at this, because now when people say "where are you guys honeymooning," I can tell them, "Steinberg Diagnostic," and it has a certain ring to it.

And that, folks, in a nutshell, is why I haven't been writing for three weeks. Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans.

And the kids are beautiful. Still complicated as ever. Still challenging as ever. Still frustratingly untreated as ever. They have taken to Aunt Erin and Aunt Jaime like moths to a flame, peppering them with hugs and kisses, smothering them with love, while we stand on the sidelines, so remarkably glad they get this. So remarkable sad it doesn't come to us.

After watching Justin wrap himself in Aunt Jaime's arms the first two days, I cried in the car a little - I didn't expect to, but it came out of nowhere - and I said to Adam, "I just have to keep reminding myself this is so good for him, because it hurts so much (in a beautiful way) to watch it from my usual place, arm's length, sidelines, still.

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful boy.

I wish you out of the woods and into a picture with me.
I wish you over the moon. Come out of the question and be.
I rollercoaster for you. Time out of mind must be heavenly.
It's all enchanted and wild. It's just like my heart said it was gonna be.
  - Nickel Creek, "Out of the Woods"

We carry on, dear friends. We carry on.