Serious Therapy

I haven’t posted in a looooong while and figured that this big thing that’s about to happen in July might be post worthy and something to share with you all.

My dear dear Desmond is now 5. He’s been going to preschool for about two years now and he is having a blast. He has come a long way with learning how to walk, talk, run and jump. He is an extreme Lego lover, super sweet older brother (sometimes not), thoughtful, encouraging, gracious and oh so cuddly still.

Now on to why I am writing this. If you are not updated, Desmond has mild Cerebral Palsy (he’s weak on his left side) due to his brain bleed that happened when he was a baby. Jump to now, Desmond will be going through the Constraint Induced Therapy Program at Seattle Children’s Hospital this July. What will happen is they will cast his right hand (“good” hand) so he can only use his left hand for 3 weeks, 24/7 plus two hours of therapy from M-F. Wow!

The OT (Occupational Therapist) said that the younger they go through this, the better for his brain to create new neurological pathways and rewire itself so he can increase the use of his left hand. If he does it when he’s older, his brain will think, “Oh we’re not use the left hand aye? Let’s forget he has one then.”

I am already trying to predict meltdowns, frustrations and lots of pleading to get the cast off. Am I just preparing myself for the worst so that maybe Des will surprise me and will just take it all in stride? My sister in-law has asked me if I have discussed the therapy with Desmond, I realized I haven’t. Which is so wrong because I need to prepare him and get him excited that he gets to use his left hand more.

So today, I busted out my phone and showed him videos of kids who were going through the therapy. He didn’t say anything really but was curious and kept on watching the video. I hope he is not as daunted as I am. I hope the therapy would greatly increase the use of his left hand but with the least amount of emotional trauma. This is my momma heart crying out for him.

Pray for Des, people. Pray that there won’t be as much frustration as I am expecting. Pray that everyone would have an overflow of patience and a home filled with laughter in that 3 weeks. It’s going to be a crazy ride.