- P
Where to begin , it has been a long and frustrating road living with mental illness. Alena's struggles have been many over the past 4-5 years but we were always able to care for her at home . As she grew her illness and its behaviors became much harder to control and much more unstable. After countless testing, and professional evaluations her diagnosis is : RAD Disinhibited (reactive attachment disorder), GAD (generalized anxiety disorder), PDD (pervasive developmental disorder) - her emotional development is at a 5 - 7 yr old level (depending on the situation), SPD (sensory processing disorder), and mood disregulation. With each diagnosis comes an in ability to function well in daily life which has also led to chronic depression and self harming behaviors.
Her illness worsened these last 2 - 3 years and it has made it impossible to properly keep her safe and well while living at home. After several hospital admissions, outpatient treatments, crisis centers and a 10 month stay in a therapeutic treatment facility here in Minnesota we were so discouraged and lost as to how to help our little girl. Then we were referred to CALO in Nov 2014, which stands for Change Academy at Lake of the Ozark http://caloteens.com/ . This amazing, Therapeutic Residential Facility in Missouri has a lot of experience, knowledge and understanding of the very complex issues Alena struggles with. We have been so excited to see her slowly grow there and mature and she has begun to develop emotionally . It is a slow road (she may be there for 1 - 2 years) and with it comes many costs on our family both emotionally and financially, but we are confident that God walks with us and with Alena through the darkness.
Our greatest desire is that Alena would be able to grow and develop the necessary skills to function well and to be able to return home again to be with her family.
We are so very thankful to everyone for their prayers and help over the past several years. If you feel the desire to help with her continued care and therapy we have set up this GO Fund Me account , and thank you ! And if prayer is what you are able to do , we always need that .
Blessings,
John, Nicotie, Alena , Aanya and Isaiah
Her illness worsened these last 2 - 3 years and it has made it impossible to properly keep her safe and well while living at home. After several hospital admissions, outpatient treatments, crisis centers and a 10 month stay in a therapeutic treatment facility here in Minnesota we were so discouraged and lost as to how to help our little girl. Then we were referred to CALO in Nov 2014, which stands for Change Academy at Lake of the Ozark http://caloteens.com/ . This amazing, Therapeutic Residential Facility in Missouri has a lot of experience, knowledge and understanding of the very complex issues Alena struggles with. We have been so excited to see her slowly grow there and mature and she has begun to develop emotionally . It is a slow road (she may be there for 1 - 2 years) and with it comes many costs on our family both emotionally and financially, but we are confident that God walks with us and with Alena through the darkness.
Our greatest desire is that Alena would be able to grow and develop the necessary skills to function well and to be able to return home again to be with her family.
We are so very thankful to everyone for their prayers and help over the past several years. If you feel the desire to help with her continued care and therapy we have set up this GO Fund Me account , and thank you ! And if prayer is what you are able to do , we always need that .
Blessings,
John, Nicotie, Alena , Aanya and Isaiah