him on lithium, which helped noticeably in the short run. Unfortunately, after a few years, the lithium had begun to negatively impact his kidneys. “That kind of started a downward spiral,” Angie said. “They tried to remedicate him with something different to take the place of the lithium. He would sit and rock and scream and yell and kick things and throw things and tear things up …. It was like an elephant-in-the-room kind of thing where we would be on the outside of the perimeter of the room trying to keep him from tearing things up. There were times where we would both be wrapped around him to keep him from hurting himself.” Through all this treatments, the Lipscombs learned that medication often has an opposite effect on those with FAS. What is supposed to calm often has the opposite effect. The Lipscombs would also learn that 2011—when Jordan would turn 14— would be a pivotal year for them. His numerous hospitalizations that year had finally brought everything to a showdown moment, one where Angie declared that Jordan’s best chance for success lay outside of an institution. Their decision was one not shared by all medical professionals. When the couple brought Jordan home on Nov. 18, 2011, they knew he was not going back to a hospital or any other institution. “We knew it wasn’t going to be easy,” Angie said. “We knew we were going to have outbursts and everything. We just had lots of people praying for us, lots of people praying for him and a determination that it was going to get better.” The church they attended had known Jordan since he was young, “and they went through a lot of these things with us—the pastor and different people,” Angie said. “The prayer that happened through that church and through our faith in God and just feeling like God was in control, and it felt like He nudged us that we needed to get Jordan out of the hospital.”
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REFRESHED | May 2014
On the right path
Jordan was now 14 years old and on a new journey, this one away from institutions and toward more understanding and success. The Lipscombs contacted the Courage Center, an organization that helps those with disabilities. The Center assisted Jordan with occupational and speech therapy. When he had successfully worked through their programs, the Courage Center staff recommended LearningRx, an organization that works specifically with training the brain. “He wanted to quit,” Angie said about Jordan as the intensive program got underway. “He wasn’t used to people sticking with him. He was used to people giving up on him and moving on or letting him get out of doing things.” However, the LearningRx staff gave Jordan three rules: You can’t put your head down; you can’t quit; and you don’t say “I can’t.” “As time went on, he started realizing that he could learn,” Angie said. “His self-esteem started to go up. He started looking forward ….” Within three days of the new program, Jordan was able to recite all 44 U.S. presidents from memory. A few days later, he could still recite the list—forward and backward. By the end of his first semester as a freshman, he had received all As on his report card. At the end of his second se-
mester, he again received all As. “He’s talking about college, and he’s talking about things he wants to do in life,” Angie said. “Where before it was ‘I’m a bad kid; I don’t deserve anything.’”
Encouraging others
Through their journey with Jordan, the Lipscombs have learned to seek out help when in need. They encourage others in similar situations to do the same. “[I would] encourage them to talk to their pastor,” Bob said. “Open up to their pastor, to their church or to their neighbors or to their families. If nothing else, if they are in a need, ask for help.” Angie believes that kids “act out” for a variety of reasons, and it’s important to understand those reasons before trying to treat them. “A lot of times our kids act out [with] behaviors because of something they can’t understand or process,” she said. “We need to find the root of it.” Most importantly, however, the Lipscombs learned that God was with them during their difficult journey—and will continue to walk with them in the years ahead. “Prayer and that still, small voice that you hear is telling you not to give up and keep going,” Angie said. “That’s God’s way of telling you He is with you, and He is going to help walk you through whatever it is that you’re facing in life. We all have trials and tribulations. We’re in good company.” ■