Brother Update, and Thanks

First of all, I really don't have adequate words to thank you all for sharing your experiences, insight, and advice with me in response to my concerns about my brother.  This goes for both the comments and the private e-mails. I hadn't dared to hope for so much feedback, it is incredibly appreciated.

Second, Brother had an appointment with his doctor today, to talk about the medication issue.  Apparently this guy is a pediatrician that specializes in adolescent medicine.  My mother said he sat and talked to Brother for about two hours.  In the end, Brother decided to wait one month, then reassess the situation and see if he still wants to try meds.  In the meantime, he is going to add an additional phone session to his weekly therapy appointments, and he is enrolling in Tae Kwon Do classes for a physical outlet that doesn't involve much competition.  The doctor thinks that one of his problems is that his confidence is so low, he just doesn't try to do anything, because he assumes he'll be no good at it.  We're trying to encourage him to branch out and get involved with things, without pushing him.  He is exceptionally patient with kids, and he's going to try to volunteer as a Vacation Bible School assistant at their church.

Have I mentioned that I am incredibly proud of this kid?  When I was his age, I was still in profound denial about a mental disorder that had come close to killing me, not once but many times over.

It's funny, because when we were younger we were terrible to each other.  But once he got to be about 13, things just smoothed out and we are truly friends now.  We actually have some deep conversations, about everything from abortion and capitalism to Lost and Stephen King novels.  So, to close, I share with you a text conversation from yesterday:

Cammy: I heard your TV is on its last legs.

Brother: Yup, health hazard, flickering gives you seizures you know.

Cammy: Neighbor moved out the other day, managed to sweet talk him out of his TV, bc he had to fit everything in his house into his Jetta.

Brother: And? I can haz?

Cammy: Haz you can. I have two already.

Brother: Wait, define Sweet Talk.

Cammy: LOL, nothing that put me at risk for cooties.

Brother: Ok good.

Cammy: Would you still take the TV if it had?

[4ish minute time lag between texts]

Brother: Did some soul searching, and you know, I think I would.

Cammy: Thanks, next time you benefit from my electronics trafficking skills I'll have to add a handling charge.

Brother: Doesn't cooties risk become illegal when you actually start collecting fees?

Ok, depending on your level of propriety you may or may not think that was funny, apologies in advance, but I get a kick out of him, and he's not bad for a 16 year old boy.

Thanks again, I am always struck by how lucky I am to have stumbled into a community of such supportive, insightful people.