Progress, Progress!

I can talk about my oldest until the cows come home, he has been through so much and it's not always easy raising a child with special needs. But when you read stuff like this, it lets me know that even in the rough times, it's all worth it!

Email from PSD Counselor: Just wanted to let you know that we recognize the tremendous efforts you made during the summer with Jeshua.... As I'm sure Deb has shared, he continues to do well here and we expect him to make ongoing progress.....

This morning in our whole cluster meeting it hit me just how far he has come. This photo says it all. When he arrived TWO years ago, even last year, he would not go into this meeting, let alone participate. Hope this photo makes you feel as warm and happy as it did me.

It's all about the progress

This was from my Facebook page on my Son's birthday in 2013:

Reposted this earlier but I had to post it again as I think about Jeshua. My boy, my boy...SMH smile emoticon 
What a journey it has been these last 12 years. Highs and lows (medical, emotional, physical, financial). But through it all God had a plan, most of the negative comments spoken in to Jeshua's life were from the PROFESSIONALS I went to for HELP. He won't be able, He can't, He will never......DEVIL YOU LIAR. LOL. God stopped you in your track and shoved you foot in you big FAT MOUTH!!! My boy has beat the odds, every milestone (no matter how long it took) he passed it. Every obstacle (School District) he overcame it, every gainsayer (teachers, specialists) he made liars out of YOU. If I had listened to alot of these people they would have had my boy in a box shoved in a corner.
I've been doing this every year since I've been on FB and I'm going to keep doing it until one of us shuts down. MY BOY IS AWESOME!!!! His milestones are perfect and right on time. My 1 pounder is now a 60 pounder, my non speaker is signing, spelling, reading words. My non walker can out walk me with his walker any day. This boy has been, intubated, extubated, trached, decannulated, g-tubed and very very soon feed tube free! And that's just a 1/4 of what he's has been through.
Now he has reached a new chapter in his life, his tween/teen years (JUNE 14TH). I'm no longer afraid of what's to come but look forward to what God has in store.
HAPPYBIRTHDAYBUB!!! BAR, POPS, AND I LOVE YOU!!!

He beat the odds

I have a 13 year old son who has Cerebral Palsy and developmental delays.  He spent half his life in and out of the hospital. Either it was for an appointment, procedure, or emergency. I swear everyone at Children's hospital knew our name.  When he was diagnosed with the CP, I had him in physical therapy both in school and out side of school.  Later I, was taking him for botox treatments, every 3 to 4 months. As he grew I noticed that his little straight legs began to bend. By the time he was 8 or 9 his gait was in a bent position. The Orthopedic Doctor explained the his bones were growing but his tendons were so tight, that they were not growing with the rest of his body. He also told us that once he rest his late teens he would, most likely, be wheelchair bond! So I spoke with the Ortho about orthopedic surgery. After two years and many visits to the GI doctor (just to make sure his weight was good) his surgery was scheduled for June 5, 2014. We were naturally scared and made sure we asked all the right questions. The Doctor informed us of the pros and cons of such a surgery. "It could go either way." is basically what he told us. "You could have a kid that recovers well and responds well to the PT or a kid that recovers well and does not respond well to the PT." In other words successful surgery and have a mobile kid or successful surgery and have a non-mobile kid that went from very stiff to very floppy! Well Praise God the surgery and PT sessions were both a success!

 He used to walk like this, with and without his walker. Shoes stayed scoffed and so do his pants. He would knee walk when he was in the house.

This was taken this year, he still uses his walker (and crutches now too) but to see him standing on his own is EPIC. He has been through so much in his 13 years, every new adventure in his life a a major milestone to me. I love to see him progress.

The Winter Storm of 1996

A moment of nostalgia:
I'm driving up Easton Road, I get to the corner of Easton Road and Cheltenham Avenue as I'm watching the snow fall and waiting for the light to change the winter storm of 95/96 comes to mind. That was a pretty bad storm if anyone remembers. Anyways, I remember I had to work this particular day after the snow had fallen. I kept calling the store asking if they still wanted me to come in. The manager had been waiting for the DM to give the ok to close the store. So finally I made my way out there. Snow literally up to my knees. There was nowhere to walk! Snow had covered our busy Cheltenham Ave, even the cars couldn't get through. I finally get to work, just for the manager to say that the DM called and gave the ok to close the store. Well needless to say I had to walk back. I call my dad to see if he come get me, he told me he would try. In the mean time the store was closing and we had to leave so me and the 2 other workers began our journey. We tried waiting for a bus but it got stuck at the corner. All I remember is trying to trek through this deep knee high snow. my co-workers were taller and faster and they were leaving me!!! I couldn't keep up, my legs were getting tired and I was going down. Next thing I know I see a familiar car coming my way out hops my dad with my neighbor Mr. G! They were my saviors that day. I can't remember what kind of car Mr. G had back then but it made its way through that snow and saved me from becoming frosty's sister.