Amazing Therapists

For some reason, saying goodbye to all of Kiddo's amazing therapists has been harder than I imagined.  Maybe because they've become such an integral part of our lives.  Maybe because they see how hard Kiddo works and they work just as hard with him.  Maybe because they offer a lifeline when you feel you are drowning in all that apraxia and hypotonia and dyspraxia and sensory processing entails.  Maybe because it took me a while to find each of them before they came into our lives.  A good therapist, one who really gets your child and actually knows how to work with them and push them to succeed, well they are hard to find, but once you do find them, you learn to not let them go, even if it means paying out of pocket to see them.  But letting them go is exactly what I've had to do in the last few months.

I'm kicking myself for not getting a pic of Kiddo with his school speech therapist, Ms. R, who we said goodbye to at the end of the school year. She worked with Kiddo since he was three.  She taught Kiddo how to play board games and use words and phrases he had never attempted before.  She is his only school therapist that has attended every single one of IEP meetings.  She learned I was a Christian and was so excited, sharing with me Bible verses to pray over Kiddo, and even praying over him a few times after his session with her.  She was the one who told me about the school that Kiddo is now in, and is thriving in.  She wrote a letter to that school, stating why she recommended he needed to be a student there, and they accepted him because of that letter.  She went above and beyond what she needed to do to help Kiddo succeed and will not be forgotten.

Next, we said goodbye to Ms. M, Kiddo's private speech therapist.  We've only been working with her since January, but this sweet lady reinforced everything we learned at Nancy Kaufman's clinic: she rocks the Kaufman Protocol and Kaufman cards and all that other stuff.  And she also reinforced what we learned at CHAMP by using PROMPT cues with him.  She always raved about how sweet and cooperative he was, how hard of a worker he was, how much progress he was making, which always encouraged this mama's heart.

I was stunned when I learned last month that Ms. B, Kiddo's amazing private OT was leaving for Nashville.  What?!?  We were willing to drive an hour back to this clinic to keep working with her when we moved, and then she up and leaves for Nashville?  Ah, but I wish her nothing but the best, as that is what she has given Kiddo.  I learned so many things from her in the 17 months we've seen her, and Kiddo just as much.  Kiddo is climbing now because of Ms. B.  He is more confident in himself and his skills now.  More regulated, as she likes to call it.  She affectionately called him "My Little Turkey."  Why, I'll never know.  She was quirky and sweet and passionate about what she did, and it was evident to all.  She was the one who told me we needed to evaluate Little Brother, because of some of his behavior issues she saw, and because of that eval we learned he has some sensory issues too and began OT for him early.  We paid out of pocket for Kiddo to see Ms. B, but it was truly worth every penny.








And last but certainly not least, and the hardest of all to say "see ya later" to, our amazing speech therapist through Early Intervention, Ms. Blessing.  It's not her real name, but it should be, as that is what she has been in our lives.  She's the one who was bold enough to confirm my suspicion Kiddo had apraxia, though therapists are supposed to wait until age three to diagnose.  The one who expanded Kiddo's vocabulary from two sounds (uh and ow) to two-three word phrases.  The one who worked with and loved on both my children, who watched them grow (she met Little Brother when he was 2 months old, Kiddo at age 2 1/2), and built up their language.  She gave me insight and ideas and education and hope when I felt lost and overwhelmed.  She let me record sessions of Kiddo working with her for the application to CHAMP Camp and to Nancy Kaufman.  She continued working with us even after Kiddo aged out of Early Intervention, before we knew Little Brother would need her as a a therapist as well.  She was truly invested in helping them and helping me to succeed.  She was our Nancy Kaufman in our little corner of the world.  She will always hold a very special place in my heart.

I'm thankful to each and every one of these ladies for all their hard work and effort and love to produce such sweet apples of gold in my children.