Re: Son won't wash (susie)

[Guest guest]

>Tamara,

Thank you for the kind words. It is hard being the center of the

obsessions. I was so deperate the other night I told my son I would

take him to a hotel so maybe he would feel safe and take his medicine

and a bath. The problem was he picked the nastiest hotel in our town

and his OCD reasoning was ---that he thought it was the last place I

would think of staying so I couldn't have called ahead and coxed the

hotel people into my plan to poison him. I told him NOW I was the

one that was scared and wasn't going to stay at the " Green Worm " -

this is the nickname for this gross hotel. We drove around for 30

minutes until he picked a hotel about 20 minutes from our house. And

you guessed it...he didn't take his medicine or the shower. The sad

thing was when he asked me to come into the bathroom area and he was

so proud that he was trying to take a bath, but he was in the sink!

(Oh I forgot to mention he is a skinny little thing) Well you would

have to be to take a bath in the sink. He said that was the best he

could do. The good news was he went to school the next day with

cleanest feet and bottom ever. I am trying to laugh here while I cry

inside. I know you can relate. How is your son doing with his

shower (soap) issue?

Hope he is better? Talk to you soon.

> ,

> You are an incredibly patient and caring mom. There are so many

moms in

> this group that impress me with their dedication and devotion.

Your story

> sticks with me - I've been thinking about it often - because I

can't imagine

> how hard it must be to have your son's obsessions centered around

you, the

> one person who would do anything in the world to protect him. OCD

is so

> cruel and unfair. I hope his medication starts helping soon.

>

> Tamara

>

>

> >safe. Some weeks I have had to buy a new toothbrush and new

> >toothpaste every other day and take in to the drugstore bathroom to

> >brush his teeth. His was diagnosed in November....waiting for the

> >meds to start helping. I know it seems crazy, but you do what you

> >have to. He also is afraid of most food in our house and his

> >medicine. I am glad that I am not the only one with this problem.

> >Maybe we can help each other.

>

[Guest guest]

>Tamara,

Thank you for the kind words. It is hard being the center of the

obsessions. I was so deperate the other night I told my son I would

take him to a hotel so maybe he would feel safe and take his medicine

and a bath. The problem was he picked the nastiest hotel in our town

and his OCD reasoning was ---that he thought it was the last place I

would think of staying so I couldn't have called ahead and coxed the

hotel people into my plan to poison him. I told him NOW I was the

one that was scared and wasn't going to stay at the " Green Worm " -

this is the nickname for this gross hotel. We drove around for 30

minutes until he picked a hotel about 20 minutes from our house. And

you guessed it...he didn't take his medicine or the shower. The sad

thing was when he asked me to come into the bathroom area and he was

so proud that he was trying to take a bath, but he was in the sink!

(Oh I forgot to mention he is a skinny little thing) Well you would

have to be to take a bath in the sink. He said that was the best he

could do. The good news was he went to school the next day with

cleanest feet and bottom ever. I am trying to laugh here while I cry

inside. I know you can relate. How is your son doing with his

shower (soap) issue?

Hope he is better? Talk to you soon.

> ,

> You are an incredibly patient and caring mom. There are so many

moms in

> this group that impress me with their dedication and devotion.

Your story

> sticks with me - I've been thinking about it often - because I

can't imagine

> how hard it must be to have your son's obsessions centered around

you, the

> one person who would do anything in the world to protect him. OCD

is so

> cruel and unfair. I hope his medication starts helping soon.

>

> Tamara

>

>

> >safe. Some weeks I have had to buy a new toothbrush and new

> >toothpaste every other day and take in to the drugstore bathroom to

> >brush his teeth. His was diagnosed in November....waiting for the

> >meds to start helping. I know it seems crazy, but you do what you

> >have to. He also is afraid of most food in our house and his

> >medicine. I am glad that I am not the only one with this problem.

> >Maybe we can help each other.

>

[Guest guest]

> >Tamara,

> Thank you for the kind words. It is hard being the center of the

> obsessions. I was so deperate the other night I told my son I would

> take him to a hotel so maybe he would feel safe and take his

medicine

> and a bath. The problem was he picked the nastiest hotel in our

town

> and his OCD reasoning was ---that he thought it was the last place

[Guest guest]

....and he was so proud that he was trying to take a bath,

but

> he was in the sink! .... He said that was the best he could do.

>

> Oh , you are a good mom to take him to a hotel! And at least

> he is TRYING, and that proudness he felt will help him to keep

trying

> and eventually make more progress!

>

> We had a sort of opposite situation than you with being able to

> touch/hug. When my son was back in middle school and dealing with

> his OCD, part of what would help him get through with a compulsion

> was to touch me. He might reach out and touch my shoulder or hold

my

> arm. I came up with calling myself his " touchstone " as it was like

> if he touched me it helped end his being " stuck " more quickly.

Well

> at first that was fine, he was getting through things more

quickly.

> But eventually I got so I just HATED being touched by him. I'd

feel

>

[Guest guest]

>Hi Tamara, Sorry it took me so long to reply, but I have been busy

as I am sure you can relate to. My son did take a shower the other

day out of the blue. I was outside and he came out wet and said " Look

Mom there must be a leak in the shower and it has soap in it too "

This time he really could be proud! He smelled like Strawberry

Shampoo, it was wonderful. It is wierd how sometimes he is able to

do something like that (it helps if I don't ask him to do something--

less of a threat I guess). To answer your questions..No I hadn't

ever thought of writing an article or printing out the e mails, but I

sure look forward to the day we can look back and laugh. I hope

things are going okay for you. hugs

> Hi Susie,

>

> I feel reassured after hearing from all the other moms with kids

who don't

> wash, so I'm not worrying about my son's hygiene habits so much.

Have you

> ever considered printing out all of your e-mails as a record of

your

> journey, and one day, when he is doing well on medication and

thriving,

> writing a book or magazine article about your experiences? Your

son's story

> is heartbreaking but all you do for him is inspiring. Hopefully

you'll be

> able one day to look back with humor at things like his bathing in

the hotel

> sink.

>

> Tamara

>

>

>

> >I was so deperate the other night I told my son I would

> >take him to a hotel so maybe he would feel safe and take his

medicine

> >and a bath.

>