I was told a long time ago that I was raising three special needs children–one with a lot of problems due to brain damage; a smart girl (dummied down for her friends); and a gifted child. And, for one year, I had three kids in three different schools (elementary, middle, and high schools).

I know you and Nate have been through a lot with Cayden, and I wish I have kept up with your blog. But, with me dealing with PTSD and other health issues, I have not been able to do a lot of things I’d like to do. But, I want the both of you to know there is always hope; and NEVER give up on that.

Eventually, I will get the box mailed to you (it also has your Christmas card in it). In it, in a frame, is the poem “Heaven’s Very Special Child” that I typed up after finding it on the Internet. I had a copy of it hanging in a frame for a long time in our home. I remembered reading it in a book written by Dale Evans. She was married to Roy Rogers and their daughter had Down’s. At the time I read the book, we had a foster child with Down’s living with us. Our mom first brought him into our home on weekends when I was about 10 or 11; then, he became a foster child and lived with us until 1981. Our mom became his foster mom again about 1986; then, became his guardian. He died when Andrew was in 8th grade of cancer. I had finally gotten his address from his stepmom a month before he passed. I had not seen him since my brother and I had to tell him that our mom died (Dec 1993). We were told that he would never crawl, walk, or talk, etc. He crawled. He learned to walk. He learned sign language and he learned to talk. Before I was in high school, he was starting to read (my brother and I were teaching him). He graduated from a local high school. When things got too hard on our mom, she had him placed in a group home. Years went by between 1993 and when I found out that he was at a different group home. The home he died in was not far from where Andrew went to middle school, so we would go by once in awhile to visit. One time, I took our granddaughter. Ross was thrilled about the ‘baby’. I made picture books for him of our mom and other people that he had known when he lived with us, and I believe he remembered because he smiled when he looked at the pictures. I felt bad about all the years that passed and tried to explain to his dad and stepmom why I could not visit him–I was raising three kids, one on O2 and an apnea monitor, and going to school. And, then it took years to get info from them about where he was living. His parents and us exchange cards each Christmas, and have since 1993.

I’d say more about Ross, but I think I’ve said enough for now. But, please remember to NEVER give up hope.

Cerebral Palsy is just a label. As I found out over the years a person can be given this label any time after a brain injury. Most people just think it happens at birth but it doesn’t.

My son had a cerebral hemorrhage at birth that closed it’s self off after a couple of days. When we took him home 2 months later we were told he was a perfectly healthy child. It was me telling his doctor month after month that he was “behind” other kids in development. I was always told that I should take into account that he was a preemie. Finally when he was a year old we got the diagnosis that I did not want to hear. I was mad. Not just at the diagnosis but that we had lost valuable months in getting him the help that he needed therapy wise. (You have to remember that things were done differently 30 years ago medically.)

We immediately got him into therapy. PT, OT and Speech. And of course those lovely lovely ARD meetings. People nowadays talk about their 1 hour ARD’s. I laugh. Mine back then lasted 8 hours a day for days until I got him what he needed. The laws were different back then. He is the reason why they had to put CB radios on buses and properly trained aides. (I helped other mothers back then get what their kids needed. Thus the CB radio in case a child had a seizure. Trained aides to handle the seizures.)

He did not go into a wheelchair until H.S. and that was because of the distances that he needed to go to quickly. He did use a walker for a few years in H.S. too but with that he needed a student aide to carry his books. He did use his arm crutches to walk up and accept his diploma from H.S. and there were a lot of people cheering him on a crying that day. Former teachers and therapists were there. When he was in primary school he rode a large tricycle to class. Elementary school he rode a three wheeler trike to classes. Junior High he was on a walker with an aide going between classes to carry his books. Junior High he played the drums in the band to help with keeping his hands limber. Today he still cannot turn his hand completely over palms up but he has enough flexibility in them to work on computers, play the guitar and bowl.

Every child/person with CP is different. All Cayden may ever need is therapy for a few years where another child may require therapy longer along with surgery. The biggest thing is to keep him as active as possible. Follow up with therapy at home. At his age you can still make it a game.

Get the book from Austin, (You may be able to download it now), and read up on your rights in regards to what Cayden is to be provided with in school. Then you will know when they tell you no on some things and it should be “yes” that you do not back down. Push it until you get what he needs.

I’ll continue to say prayers for Cayden because he is “everyone’s” child.

Oh, and one more thing. My son has a son that just turned 5 on 2/13 so he has to keep up with his son too.

I’ll shut up now because I could go on and on about this subject.