The Best is Yet to Be

It was a loooooong weekend that we all needed. Now back to reality. There are some really exciting things beginning to happen in Davidtopia and this momma is over the moon!!!!

Cerebral Palsy is a strange ailment as not all CP is created equal. Some CP kids are beyond severe with the illness affecting both their mental and physical capacity to the point that there is little body/physical movement and no understandable mental acknowledgment. Often there is no audible vocalization and the vocalization that is there is just sounds. Sometimes loud and sometimes soft, but only sounds. It is my belief that there is more going on inside their heads than we know and this is their way of communicating. Unfortunately....their communication is lost on us.....unless you know the child very well.

On the other end of the spectrum, there are those kids whose only affliction with the disease is physical and with good therapy, by the time they become adults, there is little sign they ever had CP. In between these two spectrums there are varying degrees of the illness and the majority of CP kids fall in here.

David is considered low to mid functioning with CP because both his brain and his body are affected by the illness. Davids mental range if tested ranges anywhere from a 3 year old to about a 7 year old. This range will hopefully continue to extend and the gap will gradually close over time as he continues to grow and learn. We call him very smart, because he never stops learning. Will he ever be able to sit down and solve for x? Likely he won't, but he will continue to learn so that he can get as much independence in this life as possible. We put no ceilings on David because he continually breaks through them.

Something that has a direct affect on Davids mental capacity is his physical capacity. It has been proven time and again that when the physical improves, so does the mental. It just goes to show how intricately our bodies are designed and how our mind and body work together.

It has always been my hope that David would walk and it has been an obvious desire of his. He knows what to do, he just has to make his feet and legs cooperate. This is the first time in over two years that Davids feet and legs are once again on the same page with his desire. He is 8 months out from his last surgery and all the bones have been strengthened and his recovery is at a place where intense physical therapy is necessary. We have talked about intense PT for two years and only now is he ready for it and at a place where it will actually benefit him.

I heard about a place in a little town down the road that had a PT who specialized in kids with CP. I rerouted my original taking him to the hospital for PT plans and started checking into this new place. I heard amazing things about it and her and decided to see if this was a better fit for David. I am pleased to say....it was. After telling the PT about David's previous PT experiences and the trauma resulting from one PT in particular and her seeing David not quite at his best that day (he hates PT), then she came up with a plan.

PT is amazing, but will only work if the patient is happy and invested. David is not quite ready to be that invested in stretches and people touching him. This didn't deter her in the slightest. After seeing video of how far David has come just kicking around in our pool, she decided that we need to start with pool therapy. According to her, this will continued to strengthen his legs and build muscle and most importantly......it is a therapy that he enjoys. Also, once those legs are strengthened, then the stretches and the less fun PT will be much easier for him to do and much less stressful for all involved. I was sooooo in love with this idea. As it stands I will be taking him to a Y in Wichita unless they can find a way to contract with a recreation center a little closer to home. At any rate though, the drive will be worth it if this does what it is suppose to and from what I have already seen.....it will.

The next exciting piece of news was that this new PT wants David back in Hippotherapy. HT is a form of physical, occupational and speech therapy in which therapists use the characteristic movements of a horse to provide carefully graded motor and sensory input. David took HT several years ago and the change in him both mentally and physically was amazing. Unfortunately the place he was going, decided to get rid of all of their therapists and just have volunteers working with the kids. This didn't work and David could no longer go. Apparently, they have a place again and his new therapist is pushing for him to go. I know David will love it and I am so excited to be moving forward so that Davids independence continues to grow.

So onward.....into new territory. Life is changing and soon David will be getting closer to his goals. This new school year is starting out in such a positive way and with surgery in our rear view mirror, I am so hoping for only amazing things in his future. Stay tuned.....the best is yet to be.