Aug

Trauma

It’s been a busy week for me with lots of changes underway. But first let me tell you what’s been happening. Because Teacher Janine had an operation on her shoulder Teacher Zoe has been standing in for her.

Monday evening I was really tired so I ended up going to bed really early.

While we were at school on Tuesday, a 5.3 magnitude earthquake hit in Ornkey, south-east of where we live. It was felt all the way to Durban, the Eastern Cape, Botswana (Dad had colleagues there at the time), Mozambique and Zimbabwe. By South African standards it is really a big one.

As it was the last week of term, we didn’t have tennis after school either. In the evening I had a nice long hot bath. Mom suggested I read a magazine in the bath, which I took quite literally – I put the magazine in the bath!

Wednesday we all wore our pyjamas to school in aid of collecting money for a little baby that needs medical treatment. It was really funny seeing everyone in their favourite PJs at school.

In the afternoon I had a session with Braam. It was a good session, but a great deal of stuff is being revealed about my trauma that none of us realized beforehand. I’ll chat more about that later. In the afternoon I managed to scratch myself behind my ear, and I ended up bleeding all over the place.

As I woke up Thursday I announced to everyone that I didn’t have nightmare’s that night!

Friday was a short day at school, as it was end of term. But for me it was even more than end of term. From my therapy sessions with Braam and Lauren, it’s come out that my trauma is far worse than originally anticipated.

We’ve heard and seen more and more research showing that pre-verbal trauma is deep-seated and far worse than trauma experienced after one starts learning to talk. Needless to say, majority of my trauma has been pre-verbal – the brain surgeries, being in hospital for the first part of my life, almost dying a number of times, losing Opa and Oma, and some cats (especially Milo) and dogs, and so on. I talk about Opa, Oma and Milo often and really miss them.

So after much debate and discussion between Mom, Dad and the therapists it was decided that I would be home schooled for the rest of the year. The reasoning is that I’m trying to cope with so much emotionally and psychologically, that put on top of that the demands of schooling and I was close to a nervous breakdown! This is why we think my school work has been regressing so badly, my constant tiredness, and my ups and downs.

At the end of the year we will do another review and take it from there as to the next steps.

Friday I was very sad at school, that I wouldn’t see my friends again. Mom promised me playdates with them. Also, I’ve heard Mom and Dad talking of the occasional play group in the afternoons, when I’m ready, to engage with children to play.

Saturday Dad and I spent most of the day together, as Mom had a few appointments. We had a good deal of fun, and being just the boys it involved toy buying and McDonalds!

A bizarre thing that happened during the morning was that we had some rain – big fat splotches that lasted for about 1o minutes.

In the evening we went to Granny’s place for dinner (well, the restaurant in Granny’s complex – Granny doesn’t really cook anymore). It drizzled again for a bit.

Sunday Mom took Granny to church. Dad and I went to Khensi’s birthday party at The River Cabin. Although it was quite far from where we live, it was a great venue. Driving into the venue we even spotted some gemsbok.

Before I go I need to wish my special Mommy good luck as she is having an operation on her knee on Friday. She hurt it really badly when she was doing hurdles as a 12 year old. As a result she needed the anterior cruciate ligament tied together and some pins put in her leg. Now, decades later (I’m not allowed to stay how many) the work done so many years ago is starting to fail from wear and tear and osteoarthritis, so it needs to be repaired.

Well, that’s it for this week.

Good luck Mommy!

Love,

Jarrod