Hello,
My name is Kerry Hood, and my husband is Garrett Hood. Garrett will be writing a blog from a father’s perspective.
Our son, Garrett J. Hood (G), was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of four. His neurologist at the time began treating him with stimulant medications such as Ritalin and others. The medications seemed to help initially, but over time, they stopped being effective in managing his symptoms. His behavior became increasingly hyperactive and disruptive.
After several trials with stimulants, his neurologist recommended trying a low dose of Prozac. Within just a few days of starting the medication, G fell into a state of psychosis that required psychiatric hospitalization. He was eventually diagnosed with Bipolar I Disorder at the age of six.
As parents, the fear and sense of helplessness were overwhelming. We were emotionally drained and cognitively foggy. Our lives were forever changed. Over time, G was found to be intellectually disabled (ID). It seemed every year a new diagnosis was added. Today his official list includes ADHD, Bipolar I, Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), Autistic tendencies, and PTSD.
Today, G is 34 years old, and he continues to face daily struggles and challenges.
I’ll be writing a weekly blog to share our journey through the many Horizons to Hope. I’ll walk you through our story — from the time of G’s diagnosis through his young adulthood. Since childhood, G’s days have been filled with the highs and lows of the morning and evening sun.
I want to share where we found help, support, and encouragement, as well as the times when the system failed us and left us feeling hopeless. There was no rulebook for our journey with G — we truly didn’t know what we didn’t know. Most of the resources, services, and support we discovered came from word of mouth rather than professional guidance.
There was no clear path forward or way to look to the future and find comfort in what resources or programs might be available for G. Our goal for Horizons to Hope is to create a central place — an access hub — where parents and caregivers can find the resources, services, and support they need from the moment of their child’s diagnosis through the transition into adulthood.
