Would it work better for him to have to earn computer and ds time by completing things, rather than lose privileges for not getting stuff done?

yeah, nothing really works.

that post I made before, 7:50 our time. It was more than 2 hours later before he was asleep AND still no bath, and I still read to him, AND there was screaming and hitting walls and making threats.

I have applied lambic, cheese, and chips and my mood is slightly better.

He got a good strong tongue lashing, including punctuated curses - after half an hour of him banging on my door and screaming he wished I would die and stuff about hitting my face. About half an hour after that he was crying it out and got hugs and backrubs.

I fear these episodes are so much like emotionally abusive relationships on both sides that unless we find some solutions in the next few months, that even though they happen more rarely, that the damage is getting too deep.

excuse the rambling run-on sentences.

Oh msbelle. I don't even know what to say.

I really hope you find some solutions that work for you guys, msbelle. You really are showing so much strength and love in a difficult (for both of you) situation.

Kat, do you use needleless syringes and reuse them? I am loathing the ones I am using for Kittenish's meds.

Oh msbelle. I hope for solutions for both of you. I wish that the maelstroms were not things either of you had to deal with.

cass, yes. We do. We feed with 60 CC syringes and we have been using the same two since July -- they are o-ring syringes with a silicone O-ring instead of a rubber stopper. They are MARVELOUS. Purchased from the Squirrel Store: [link]

We also re-use the 10 cc, 5 cc, 3 cc, and 1 cc syringes we have. We use those significantly less now that Grace doesn't get oral liquid meds. In fact, currently her only oral med is Singulair. All of her other meds are nebulized or inhalers. I use the 5 cc syringes more for Noah than Grace. And that's to give him honey which we call cough medicine.

What's wrong with your syringes, Cass?

I use the 3 cc to combine all three of her nightly meds. And for the longest time I used to run them through the dishwasher and they were fine. It took ages for them to get to the point where the o-rings wore out.

The new ones have a rubber stopper and are a pain to use even the first time. I don't think they are going to work out once washed at all.

I can work with the numbers wearing off of the outside but the plunger has to work and work easily. Cats, it seems, less than thrilled getting goop shoved into their mouths every night.

Oooh, Squirrel Store has a NO ring 3 cc! I am kinda worried about how happy I am about this. Some of those and the o-rings and I can be back in business.

Thanks!

We had two no ring syringes and I hated them. Didn't plunge smoothly. The ones with O-rings are so much better.

If you are a in a bind in the short term and this is for oral meds, spray the rubber plunger with cooking spray or dunk it in cooking oil. It'll work fine.

When the rubber plunger on a 60 cc goes, it's really unbearable.

Hence the squirrel store syringes. Lots of parents who do blended food via g-tube feeds use these syringes instead of the ones that insurance pays for because these last forever. Though they ARE NOT sterile, which is kinda freaky but not really because after the first use they never are again.

Hmm, o-rings it is.

I don't really care about the not sterile part. Honestly, I am going to be reusing them a lot and a quick trip through the dishwasher is going to be as good as it gets.

And, wow, less than the pharmacy sold me the subpar ones for. Significantly less.

Gotta be thankful that when you have a cat med issue there will be someone on b.org with a cute little girl who is g-tube fed to link you to the squirrel store.

Ordered.

I got a thank you email and giggled. The subject line was "Squirrel Store." I am such the adult.

Count me in on the freezing-her-ass-off-with-no-insulation club. And we so can't afford to finish off the insulating on this house. Oh well. (We *could* turn on all the heaters, but that's another story, and marital bliss requires that I hold my tongue.)

Happy first day, bon bon!

I am sending the kids to winter camp tomorrow, in part to give me a break and let me get some work done, in part to give them someone to play with besides each other, and lastly to get them back in the swing before school begins.

yeah, nothing really works.

I'm sorry. What a tough, tough thing to have to deal with.