Part 16 ~ The Adventures of King Ben & Zeus the Big Dumb Dog

If you missed the start of this series, you can find it here. A lot of things will be the same or very similar.

Today started at 3:00AM, but not with the Bounce. I was awoken by Diesel Cat and Sophie Cat fighting…on top of me. I don’t know if I was supposed to be the referee or if they mistook me for a Fighting Gym (Sophie does think I’m furniture. Her own, personal furniture) but Angie was not pleased. I flung out my arms and kicked out with my feet, and cats scattered. After a few choice words of profanity and vague threats regarding tacos, I got settled and grabbed my phone. I was AWAKE and I knew the Bounce wouldn’t be too long in coming.

I was right. Just as I was feeling that lovely haze of almost asleep, the Bounce. I don’t know what time, if it’s still dark, it doesn’t matter. Ben had his tablet and Zeus was sniffing where the cats had been. Ben grabbed his earbuds, cuddled up and was quiet. Quiet for Ben anyway. There were snippets of songs, a few scripted lines and other “Happy Noises”, but those don’t bother me. I was able to doze a little bit until the “get your lazy ass out of bed, and get Ben’s meds” alarm jerked me back into reality. It took ten minutes for my brain to make the connections with my muscles that is necessary to accomplish movement, but it was accomplished.

Meds, bathroom, Sven’s lights, coffee pot, couch. Ben was back in front of the stove, doing the chalk thing and kite flying thing. Daughter texted she was on her way home. She got home and Diesel Cat came out to see her (he’s her cat. She rescued him.) and Zeus saw the cat and saw Daughter and was going in circles trying to decide who to run to first. He decided that barking was the best compromise. Chaos at ten past seven… welcome to Casa Cuckoo. Ben jumped up to join the party, but couldn’t get past the barking, tail wagging, spazatron dog, so he launched himself onto the couch. I just sat, huddled up to stay warm, and waited for it all to settle down.

Daughter somehow made it to the bathroom for a pit stop, came back out and asked me “What time?”, meaning the Bounce. I explained about the cats, then the Bounce and asked how her shift went. Zeus was running between us, barking again, because she hadn’t Greeted him yet. He was coming to me like ‘fix it, fix it. Make her pet me. I’m still a Good Dog, right? Make her pet me’, barking, pawing, wiggling… I grabbed his collar, looked him in the eye and said “STOP BARKING!” I then explained that he knew, full well, that to receive his morning greeting, he needed to sit quietly and wait. It took him three tries, but he got his greeting. Then he had to come back to me in spazatron mode like ‘I did it, I did it! I’m a Good Dog! She loves me. Do you love me?’, trying to cram his 100 pound Shepherd/Lab, well fed body onto my lap.

Daughter asked if I wanted to lay down. I told her No. (I didn’t want her to stay in bed until 3PM) She looked at me, then told Ben to come with her to Mommy’s room. He said “Okay” and went to her room . So I topped of my coffee and went to mine and dozed.

They were short dozes and didn’t last for long. By 10AM I was back on the couch with Zeus and Ben. I was actually surprised it lasted that long. Daughter kept getting up for various reasons, and she’d stop by my room to chat on the way back to her room. One chat lasted a little too long and Ben came looking for her. And since my bed was right there, why not get under the blankets? I think it was part of Daughter’s dastardly, evil plan.

Another mellow morning for Ben and I. He was in and out of the jail thingy a bunch of times (I got my finger caught and pinched once or twice putting the top back on), he had snacks, shot his Nerf gun, played with his chalk and watched his tablet. The weather was cooler today, like the pressure dropped, that could be part of his lack of spaz, or it could be the adderall.

I put Sven in for his soak. He’s still shedding, poor grumpy dragon. He had fallen asleep when I went to check on him. A warm bath used to make me sleepy too. I can’t take baths anymore. One, because our tub is too short and shallow to accommodate my 6 feet of body, and two because hot water is a major No-No with my Intrathecal Pain Pump. I’m sad to give up hot tubs/jacuzzis, but I’ll still take 24/7 easing of my pain.

After an hour, I got him out. I had to add more warm water a few times, and I dont like wasting water. We are VERY water concious here in California.

At 2:30PM Daughter staggered down from her room to take over Living Room Duty. I gladly gathered my stuff and headed to my room. Diesel Cat was snoozing in the middle of my bed. Oh, Hell No! Not after he woke me up at 3AM fighting on top of me! I picked him up (gently, I swear) and carried him to Daughter, explaining that she was his human, not me. Then Ben shot him with his Nerf gun… “Oops!”

That shot was the beginning of THE switch being flipped. Suddenly, he was knocking overs the boxes of crackers on the snack shelves, he was knocking other things over, he started yelling in his ‘Angry Voice’… oh man… please, no! Then he started kicking the front door. Laying on his back and pounding the door with his feet, which he knows if does long enough, the deadbolt will jiggle loose. WHY?! That’s one of the most frustrating parts of Ben’s autism… sometimes there is no reason. No reason that he can explain, if he even understands.

I said “Hey Ben, I’ve got something for you. I need you to quit kicking the door and sit on the couch before I give it to you. Can you do that?” Thank goodness it hadn’t gone too far. He could stop (sometimes he can’t. Sometimes he can’t hear us, or doesnt understand what we are saying) and he sat on the couch.

I went to my stash of toys and pulled out a bubble gun. I gave it to him, helped him open it and was glad I bought batteries since the packaging didn’t say whether they came with or not. He waited on the couch while I got the screwdriver, put the batteries in and got the gun ready. WHEW!!! Another cheap toy to the rescue! I’m going to need to get a few more. I think I only have a kite left.

Red Baron pizza for dinner tonight. Getting him to sit still long enough to actually eat it was a challenge. He was fixated on acting out the fight scene from some movie. He kept throwing himself into the bed or onto the floor. Yes, in my room. Remember, I have mirror. After he had achieved the perfect fallen position, he asked me to take a picture. I told him only if he eats after I take it. I took three, because Ben always demands more.  He did get up, but I had to keep telling him to eat. He only wound up eating one piece. Older ate one, and if Ben doesn’t eat the other two tomorrow (we cook 1/2 at a time), then Zeus will get them. Big Dumb Dogs are good for making sure no food goes to waste.

Bath and bedtime followed. He was slowing down as his meds kicked in. He was also less cooperative. No playing in the bubbles tonight, just a quick wash with repeated instructions. Bedtime was the same, repeated instructions. One of his therapists at school had mentioned at the last IEP meeting that she thought he had processing delays. I think it gets worse as he gets tired. Makes sense, my brain has trouble functioning when I’m tired.

Much less drama today. I’m glad, since I’m exhausted from my earlier than usual wake-up (stupid cats). I’m still doing okay. How are you all doing? I know a few of you are finding the lockdowns more difficult than others. Is there any way I can help? I care about you. You’re my Blogging Buddies and my friends. Sending you virtual hugs!!

Stop by Casa Cuckoo tomorrow, come in your jammies if you’d like, we’re very casual. We like to laugh and have adventures. There’s always something happening…