ADHD, welcome to Mai house

Back in the day, when I was studying child psychology at the University of Minnesota, I had the opportunity to attend seminars on the weekends. I attended several and one I remember well was about ADHD/ADD. Two full days were spent learning about the differences between the two as it was seen back then, the symptoms, the causes, the studies, the medications, and more.

I felt like I had a good understanding of ADHD. I was pretty comfortable with it after two days submerged in information followed by a well written paper that earned an "A". One statistic that has stuck in my mind is that only 3% of the population truly has ADHD. I wonder if that still stands true?
When we went through our adoption class, I checked off the "comfortable with a child diagnosed with ADHD" box. Clearly, if I understood it in the classroom, I could apply that knowledge to the real world, right? When will I ever learn that just isn't the case?
I knew Gabriel needed to go back to a child development center but I put it off the past year. It was nice to avoid the doctors and therapists for a while. Our world easily becomes a revolving door full of co-payments. While it seems like other parents are taking their children to lessons and athetic events, I'm trotting to another specialist. Ah - the world of special needs children isn't for wimps. As parents of special needs children, we need a tough emotional armor to accept that our children aren't going to have the typical childhood. It was nice to pretend the world of copayments to specialists didn't exist for twelve months, besides I had enough to advocate for in the educational setting last year.
I got a referral for Gabriel and waited the standard four months for the appointment. I filled out the twenty-two page questionaire, and took Lane and Gabriel to downtown Orlando. It was at this child development center that I was given a new label for Gabriel. He still has severe SPD and ASD. (as well as PICA and a bicuspid aortic valve) Now he gets to add ADHD to his letters. When is this kid going to catch a break?!
I held it together. I only shed a few tears as we discussed medication and behavior options for him. It has taken me three weeks to realize that I could blog about this. It isn't that I'm ashamed of his new diagnosis, it just took a few weeks to digest it. Since I believe in advocacy and understanding, I wanted to share our story with any friends who will listen.
It's strange how I can rationally discuss ADHD with a friend. I advocate medication when a friend struggles with whether their child needs it. I explain, "if your child was diabetic, you wouldn't question the medication, would you?" Now I had to say the same thing to myself in the mirror. I'm not as rational when I face the fears of side effects of medications and my own child. I am not as rational when I wonder if we are making the best choice for him. He can't make the decision to take medication or not so it is our choice and I am hopeful we made the right choice for him.
It has been three weeks of emotionallly grabbling with another label. Gabriel is still the same child - sensitive, sweet, caring, funny - and I am hopeful this new label will help us understand and help him more in the future.
ADHD, you are welcome in our home but you can damn well be sure that we will fight to minimize you and your effects on our son. Hopefully we will find a way to coexist peacefully.