SO Where Do We Go From Here?

YAY! I have some good news to share with you, and just so you know…  all and your prayers and well wishes PAYED OFF! We got news through our Occupational Therapist that our daughter’s MRI came back NORMAL!!!!!!!!! Thank THE LORD ABOVE!! We are very happy to know that the gray matter and the frontal lobe (that they seemed most concerned about) all looked really good!

We continue to wait on blood test results and will have an appointment with her neurologist in March. They are looking at chromosomal issues and running other tests so we are still eager to meet with him so that we can know more.

Her OT said that we could just be dealing with developmental delays and sensory/auditory processing disorder. Many things can happen at birth and during early development to contribute to those things, but I am still not sure what! When babies are sick at birth and have to have lots of meds it can cause problems for them down the road and we DEFINITELY dealt with both so perhaps that is why we are where we are today. At least we know that there is no permanent damage that could cause her to not be able to overcome some of the challenges. HALELLUJAH!

One of the things that she deals with is an inability to track with her eyes for very long (which may hurt her in the classroom when reading or looking at the board) so they have suggested that we get her eyes checked by an eye doctor. They also have something called “astronaut training” where the kids sit on a board that spins in a circle. The spinning effects the vestibular system which is closely related to vision-like if you get vertigo and are dizzy it seems like the room is spinning and you want to close your eyes. Then you use a CD that has sounds on it that sound like outer space. The sounds have a rhythm to them and you use a little flash light to the sound of the rhythm for the child to follow with their eyes, and it helps strengthen the eyes. Cool huh? It’s like little eye aerobics! So we are looking at what we need to do to get that sort of therapy going at home.

We are also continuing therapy and support at school. The therapy is SOO great and she is growing so much so we know that it’s helping. She is stronger and she is balancing much better than in the past. She is also able to solve puzzles quicker, tolerate smells and noise better (though still not real great), and she seems more emotionally normal. That sounds weird, huh? Well, the other day she lost a toy and had a melt down about it. She had NEVER done that before. It’s almost like the emotional part of her never really connected. She would laugh when someone got hurt instead of showing concern. That, too, seems to be better. So her emotions seem to be more in line with a typical kid lately. Yay!

In the ball pit at therapy…In a swing at therapy…

She is also spelling harder words and reading better so we know that the support at school is helping too! We just know that she’s still not where she needs to be… math is pretty hard and she still has some behaviors that are pretty different so we are still asking questions and we are still seeking solutions.

The thing is we can not stop! If we stopped now just because there was a good MRI but didn’t seek out more answers I believe we would be doing her a disservice.

I don’t know if you are a mom of a child with learning differences or behavior disorders or severe disabilities. Maybe your child doesn’t deal with any issue at all, but being a mom is just plain hard. All I know is that for their sakes.. no matter how hard it is.. no matter how few answers you may find.. you can not give up!! NO matter how disobedient or defiant they may be you can not stop praying, seeking the Lord and striving to help them make it. They have no other help but us and the Lord.

That day that she lost the toy and started to cry… I wanted to cry too! Not because she lost the toy, but because I finally saw some glimmer of growth in her emotions. I was almost happy that she was crying like that! It’s in those times that you realize that the little steps are worth ALL the effort.

Lord, THANK YOU! I just can’t praise You enough for Your hand of mercy in our lives. THANK YOU for sparing our girl the hardships of brain damage and brain disorders. I pray Father that You would continue to guide our steps. Help us to see what we need to see so that we might be able to help her. Lord, You created her. You know her every cell!! Please work in her body, but mainly, Lord, I beg You to work in her heart! Draw her to You and help her to see You as the Redeemer and Lover of her soul! I lift parents to You that are struggling.  Be their peace Lord. Help them to seek Your face for the sake of their children. Show them how to trust You with their parenting. Show me too, Lord. I love you!