Back to the Basics
Happy (almost) May!
What a year it has been so far! There have been some big changes in our family, which have kept me away from the blog for a while. With these changes, it has also had me thinking about the direction that I want to take this blog: re-evaluating why I started this in the first place.
My intention in sharing Elliott's journey was to bring you along on what our life looks like with a child who has Cerebral Palsy. To share the good, bad, hard, and successes that we face. It was also meant to be a resource for others who might be facing a similar diagnosis or an entirely different one. A place, nonetheless, where people who find themselves on an unexpected medical journey can find solace in knowing they are not alone. So, the direction of this blog will be refocused a bit more on the specific Cerebral Palsy (CP) discoveries, therapies, and appointments we work through regularly. I realize this may not appeal to everyone, but my primary goal remains to make this space a resource that helps others. In the midst of this more specific direction, you will still get family updates and some of my own self-discovery, but it will not be the main focus.
With that said, I do have a pretty big personal update worthy of sharing :) After multiple losses last year, we got the surprise of a lifetime in January when I found out that I was pregnant! As I said, this has drastically changed the course of our year, and we have adjusted some plans and goals we had set for 2024. I spent the first trimester very sick with a lot of nausea and sleeping as much as possible. Luckily, in April, I took a turn for the better and am feeling a bit more human again. We are expecting a baby boy, due in September!! The kids are absolutely thrilled, and I know they will be the best big brother and big sister to this tiny new addition. We are all so excited and SO grateful.
As for what Elliott has been up to...In January, he began a Physical Therapy intensive program. This required that he complete one-hour PT sessions twice a week for 16 sessions.
His doctor recommended this version of therapy because of his high level of activity in daily life and extracurricular activities. The intensive focus is primarily on strength training and muscle control.
During the first appointment, the therapist measured his baseline strength. She did this through exercises such as lateral step-ups, kneeling to stand on both legs individually, sitting-to-stand with both legs together, and a sprint test.
Over the next two months, he performed the same variety of strengthening exercises each week. He was continually motivated to break his own records, add more weight, or perform exercises at greater speed. This PT program was great for a kid like Elliott who is determined to win, even if it is against himself.
After these two months, the final session was devoted to re-evaluating the same preliminary tests administered to him initially. I have posted the results below.
There are a lot of numbers here, but the bottom line is that he is MUCH stronger than he was when he started this program. He exceeded the expectations set for him and blew some of these exercises out of the water.
His therapists have been very impressed with his growth, and Nathan and I have also seen a huge improvement in leg strength and agility in his sports and everyday life. Given what we know now, we will continue the intensive programs, as he was highly successful. Now that we have finished, he will get about a three-month break over the summer, and then we will most likely do another session over the fall.
After his last appointment, Nathan took an hour off work and met us at Elliott's favorite spot, Starbucks. He was celebrated with a cake pop and a glass of milk. Two of his favorite things. We praised him and told him how proud we were of his efforts every week. He showed up even when he was tired and didn't want to. One thing our family really focuses on is celebrating victories, no matter how big or small, and we absolutely wanted to share in his joy at completing such a grueling few months.
The lessons he is learning at the age of six about hard work paying off are not something we are blind to. It is important for us to bring this to his attention and teach him why it's important to work hard, but also why he should be very proud of himself, during and after completing any given task.
I went to bed that night knowing my kid had had a big victory that day, had been celebrated for it, and felt proud of himself. Ultimately, that is what matters most to me. I hope these life lessons, instilled at such an early age, will keep him showing up for himself and that he will continue to try hard.
As we gear up for summer, we find ourselves entrenched in finishing out the Pre-K school year and all of his sports strong. We are excited to hopefully have warmer weather on the horizon and look forward to spending more time outside, enjoying our backyard, and finding the simplicity in slower days and more downtime as we nest and prepare to expand our family this fall.
