More than Words

  This last week I joined a support group for parents with children with special needs, which was highly recommended to me by Infant Development.

 One of the moms from the group had a story about being at the Children's Hospital with their 6 year old daughter, and noticing, in the waiting room, another mother and father with an infant, presumably with the same condition, newly diagnosed. She talked about realizing how far they'd come since they were in that position not that long ago.  The unknowns, the lost look, the devastation, it was all palpable. I know what she meant, I remember that day myself, burned into my memory, but more then that I could relate to her feeling; that she wanted to reach out and hug this mom, to let her know that she will get through it, and that it will be so much better then she thinks at this moment in time; to let her know that their challenges will be great, but the rewards far greater.  She mentioned that while she wanted to say all these things, she realized that what they were going through was all part of the process, and that the best thing she could do, was smile, and nod, and  that for those parents, knowing that someone else understands, seeing that their daughter was thriving...this was worth more then a thousand words.

  Back in August we were the parents with the recent diagnosis, facing all those unknowns;  and we met a little 5 year old girl and her family a few blocks away; she also has albinism. I didn't think her parents understood at the time just how much it meant to us to see their little girl thriving, and functioning normally, but most important; happily. Now I know, that they were the parents who had once been in our position, who remembered that day, and knew that what we needed most, could not be expressed in words.

 I know it was not even 7 months ago, but here I am thinking about how I wish I could go back and tell myself all about how great it is going to be, how much better it is then  what any of the Doctors told us to expect. I'm feeling this way already. Already we're miles from where we started...I cannot imagine how much further we'll be in 5-6 years...

 

Making Strides

  First of all, I can't believe its almost been a month since I last posted! How quickly time flies; when you're having fun I guess. 

  I've finally been able to introduce Sophia to all kinds of foods this last month; it honestly went from her eating apples and cereal (and pretty much nothing else) to her wanting to try anything I give her. Not sure what caused the change, but I will say that it is one of the things I'm discovering about my little girl; she will do everything on HER time, hmm I wonder where she got that from...? Anyway maybe it's good because it really makes me appreciate when she finally decides to do something, and when she does it...she does it well, and I suppose I can't complain about that. I just have to remember to keep trying, even when it seems hopeless.

  This last month has been encouraging in a number of ways; besides the strides in eating, she started swimming lessons; which much to my surprise, (I've been told on a number of occasions that visually impaired children usually hate water) she LOVES it! Also she's getting much better with other children too, I notice her interacting with other babies now; reaching for them, reaching for their toys even. She's clapping now, and babbling up a storm, asking for Daddy, even mimicking farm animals; well trying to anyway. All of these things I've been told are not things that she, as a visually impaired child should be accomplishing at 10 months...

  So how foolish I have been for listening to Doctors when they have told me what to expect from my daughter. The fact is, that I can, and should expect all the same things that any parent can.  Having an impairment doesn't define who you are, what you can do, or who you can be; the only problem with having an impairment is that all her life she will be told she can't do certain things.