Maelee is doing amazing!! She is doing better than we could have ever dreamed of and we are so thankful for her team of therapists, doctors, and supporters that have encouraged her along this journey. Maelee was seen by a developmental pediatrician back in January who said a lot of things we knew and suggested things that we have to wait and see on…..always wait and see.
Maelee was recommended to start feeding therapy and has since changed her OT time to a group atmosphere that involves feeding and she is doing wonderful! The interaction with the other children is a plus but so much more is the learning to eat without swallowing, stuffing, chocking, or scaring everyone around us.
Maelee continues to do PT, OT, and Hippotherapy once a week. At the moment she is not in speech….but she has words!! We switched her speech therapists per the pediatrician recommendations but felt the drive was not benefitting anyone (45 minutes each direction for 30 minute session). Once Lorelai was born we have been amazed at Maelee's speech and vocabulary. I don't know was sparked her little brain but something did, it could have been us being home with her so much, the birth of her sister, or she just figured it out. She still has lots to do to catch up but she is making progress daily.
Maelee was having some strange pains and muscle spasms in her legs throughout winter (along with waking up crying and not wanting to walk) and after a visit with the neurologist he scheduled a MRI of her spine to rule out anything that could be causing it other than her CP. The MRI was normal and it was just her CP, this is one of the rare times I was thankful it was just her CP. She was started on a medication to help and it has made a huge difference. She still has days where she wakes up not wanting to walk, where he legs are bugging her, or just when she hurts…..but those days are less now than before the medicine.
In the coming months we are going to go through the process of doing evaluations and enrolling therapy through the school if she qualifies. This is a great thing that is offered to children with special needs and will help financially when it comes to paying for therapy. I have been doing my research and talking to other mothers who's children have IEPs (Individualized Education Plans) so hopefully I am prepared……a bit nervous we won't ask for enough or won't get what Maelee needs.
So overall Maelee is doing amazing!! She is growing, thriving, and becoming such a sweet little girl and now a big sister! More on Lorelai in another post! :)
