Let The Testing Begin

                 Later in the summer the testing began. I didn't know what to expect. Were they going to observe her behaviors. Were they going to take her off meds. I had a lot of questions going through my head. I first met with the doctor alone. He wanted my perspective on her first. I explained everything from the past to the present. Then he told me he would never take her off meds. In his words " That would be a amazing thing to see her off meds from a doctors perspective." Then he explained that would not benefit her and it would be torture for her to do that. My main issue was how can he really test her without seeing her at her worst. I soon was going to get the answers to that.
               The first day she met with him he told me pick her up in two hours. I was actually leaving her alone this was the first. I always have to interpret her word for every doctor before. She was articulate, however she had her own type of language. We called it Tasha language. I picked her up in two hours and she didn't say much because her memory is quite bad. Two months late and three visits later. He said he was done with the tests and it was time for us to meet.
               I really didn't know what to expect from him. He explained to me all of the test she did. He clearly agreed she had a severe learning disability. Though he was not convince she was schizophrenic. My first reaction was here we go again. I tried my best to keep a open mind. I kept telling myself he is the expert he will help me. As a parent that has seen her at her worst. Part of me was not willing to accept his decision. Just like all of the other doctors and social workers before have said. "I have never seen anyone like her before." So by the end of the appointment I explained to him. She is terrified of mirror, spots, and knives. I also explained how terrified the social worked that interviewed her years ago was. He clearly believed she was a danger to others and herself. I begged him to dig deeper. He came to the decision that he was ready to do two more tests on her. These were the ones that would give us all of the answers. So she went in for two more rounds of intense testing. She is not able to read. So he had to ask her every question. Which took a very long time. I have the up most respect for him. For not just closing her case, and really fighting for her also.