I thought I would have to teach my daughter about the world; turns out I have to teach the world about her. They see a girl who doesn't speak,
I see a miracle who doesn't need words.

Friday, April 30, 2010

Social Development Testing and Nutrition

It's been three years since Alex has had any Social Development testing, which is basically a test to measure her up to 'typical' peers. How does she communicate, can she dress herself, can she say Mama or Dada, can she pick anything up with just her pointer finger and her thumb, can she sit by herself for at least 10 minutes, can she feed herself, can she, can she, can she, fill in the blank. The test needed to be completed before we have her upcoming IEP. The psychologist who did the test was just as nice as she could be, but I get seriously depressed at these meetings. It's not that I had any great epiphany that suddenly I have a handicapped child, but I see Alex as Alex. I revel in the things that she can do, and I marvel at how far she has come, but to see on paper the things that she can't do that even a toddler can do, suddenly makes me so sad for those things and it's like a mourning process starts all over again. Sigh...I leave that meeting seriously sad and have to go straight from there to the feeding clinic for her weekly feeding therapy, and I'm starting to get a little excited because we are also supposed to meet with the nutritionist to see how she's gaining, and to talk a little more about transitioning her from her tube feedings to possibly pediasure in her squeeze bottle. We get there and as we're walking back to the feeding room, the receptionist says...."oh, I'm really sorry I forgot to call you, but the nutritionist is out today...oops." I can tell that she can see the look on my face and knows that I'm not happy. I mean how inconsiderate, I had a meeting at her school, rushed to get her there on time for the appointment, had to make arrangements for my mom (not that she minded) to pick Zach up from school and keep him for 2 hours, and all you have to say is oops? Seriously, that just doesn't really cut it. So, I have nothing new to report on the nutrition side of things. Needless to say, yesterday was not one of my better days.

Really quick, Zach had a wedding to attend today. His Kindergarten class is celebrating the wedding of Mr. Q and Ms. U because Mr. Q never walks alone and needs a partner, how cute is that?!? They were all invited to dress up for the special occasion, and we all know how Zach just LOVES to get dressed up!!
And this one just cracks me up because he lost his second tooth this week and I think he looks so stinkin cute without teeth! :)

1 comment:

Christy said...

Donna - I am so sorry. I hate that you have to feel that way. But I know in a few days, you'll start to only see Alex as Alex again. And hopefully that sadness will start to fade until you get back to where you were before that dreadful day.

Cute pics of Zach looking all dapper!

Hang in there. HUGS!
~Christy