Ode To A Mother’s Wisdom

“Nothing is new under the sun.” I was reminded of this age-old truth recently, after yet another well-meaning therapist proceeded to prophecy doom and gloom over my daughter. Although a therapist should never diagnose, as that is the sacred realm of the physician, it was suggested that our daughter would require surgery right away and that we should run, not walk, to our doctor.

After sitting in my car sobbing for about fifteen minutes, I had the good fortune of running in to a special needs mom that I know and trust. We discussed the situation and began to exchange notes and success stories. With this, my frayed nerves began to settle and within thirty minutes we had crafted a new treatment strategy aimed at targeting my daughter’s significant muscle tightness, following a recent growth spurt.

My husband and I systematically researched, prayed and then enacted the new strategy. Our new plan includes Neuro Physical Therapy (using the Neuro-IFRAH® approach, with a heavy emphasis on stretching, neuro re-education and re-bracing), Pediatric Chiropractic and Massage…all told an investment of three afternoons per week on this new endeavor. It has already begun to pay off in spades.

We visited our Orthopedist last week. Before saying a word, our doctor observed our daughter’s gait and took all necessary measurements, before I ever had the chance to share the details of our new plan. Interestingly enough, he never once uttered the word surgery and, instead, offered support for our new therapeutic plan saying that he has personally grown to trust our tireless research and willingness to think outside the box over the past seven years, in the quest to achieve greater gains in mobility for our daughter with CP.

So, for now, we have embarked upon a revised rehabilitative path…a good path, I believe. Several more pieces of the mosaic are in the process of being placed ever so carefully. Although there will continue to be new challenges in dealing with our daughter’s rehabilitation, we feel good about this leg of the journey and pray for the strength and wisdom to meet the next hurdle.

A final note to all mothers…trust your gut! Don’t blindly accept anyone’s pronouncement over your child’s future with CP. The answers you seek may lie within or, maybe, in the wise counsel of a friend who has successfully scaled the same mountain before you.