Thursday’s Activities Include: another day, another meeting

Today we had the PT Eval meeting. I went into it knowing perfectly well that the plan was to deny the PT services (I had requested a PT eval). And my son had come home months earlier saying that they intended to deny services — way, way, way before they even did the eval.

But at yesterday’s meeting, I pointed out that my main objection to the eval was that the reference population used as the basis for “he’s performing just fine and thus does not need services” was the CASE population. Not the general population. And that is, straight up, an error. So we went around on that for a while, and then I said, you know? Let’s just entertain this possible solution. How about we just do a few consults?

That was another nope, can’t do that, no goal, etc. So then I said, fine, I’m requesting another PT eval for next year’s IEP meeting, which is the big 3 year meeting, rather than the annual review. Crickets. “I’ve never had anyone request one of those a year ahead of time.”

We discussed what was going on, we discussed exercises, we discussed orthotics, we discussed how T. went from being a toe walker to a walk-on-and-flatten-his-arches-while-stomping walker in under a year. I said, hey, I just want someone paying attention to this and incrementally adjusting the exercises the aides are doing so we don’t have another unpleasant surprise. We discussed growth programs, and whether puberty had started or not (ha ha ha ha ha. No. I’ve seen the pubic hair. I’m not an idiot.), and what his probable end height would be.

Currently, there is no goal, but I’m getting my consults and it is going to be wedged into a comment somewhere in the IEP. I think the underlying rationale here is that they don’t hate us, and honestly, 2-3 consults over the next few months are cheaper than a full re-eval in a year.

So, you know, if that kind of perspective is useful to you, there it is.

Book Reviews: _Diamond Fire_, Ilona Andrews and _Shades of Wicked_, Jeaniene Frost

I guess the first thing I would say is, don’t start here for either of these!

_Diamond Fire_ is nominally the Rogan and Nevada get married book. But they are barely onstage _at all_. Instead, we are more or less introduced to how Catalina’s power works as she tries to figure out who stole the Ramirez tiara in time for Nevada to wear it in the wedding. Family politics! Adorable children! Super awful teenagers! So much fun. I love how Catalina’s magic is developed and it isn’t at all what I expected, but totally makes sense. I am very much looking forward to subsequent series entries focused on her.

_Shades of Wicked_ is spun off from the Cat and Bones ‘verse (and other ancillary series). Cat and Bones (and Spade and Leila and Vlad and Mencheres and ...) show up and participate in shenanigans, but the focus is on Veritas and Ian. Hearing Ian’s version of what we’ve already seen go by with Cat is a _really_ interesting perspective. And finding out just how much of a lie Veritas is living is pretty amaze balls, too. I _love_ who Veritas’ dad turns out to be, and it will be interesting to see how that develops across the ensuing books.

Again, don’t _start_ with either of these! How confusing would that be.

ETA: If you are keeping track, you probably think these are #41 and #42, but you’re wrong. I completely blew it and reread a bunch of stuff so I’ve mostly abandoned the project of Keep It Under 50. I’m a failure. Oh well.