Fundraiser Success- Countdown to see Anat Baniel

Our fundraiser campaign was a huge success. Thanks to everyone who helped us make this dream trip into a reality. Many opportunities have come as a result of this fundraiser. One highlight of this amazing and humbling experience is the chance to create awereness and acceptance of kids with special needs. We decided to let the kids design our campaign Tshirts.  We are having a contest that consists of explaining to your kids what is Cerebral Palsy and why is it important to accept and include kids with special needs,  ask lots of questions instead of staring at differences, and spread awereness. Kids are encouraged to draw what cerebral palsy awereness means to them and send their drawings to: helpsophiewalk@hotmail.com before Sunday,  April 27th, 2013. The best 2 drawings will bechosen and will be used on our Tshirts design and will win a prize. All the drawings will be distributed through various media to spread awereness and acceptance of kids with special needs.

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR BUSINESS SPONSORS:

Homeschooling giant DenSchool.com
From Palm Coast, FL

Leader in Summer Camp Fitness Program for Kids in South Florida
Fitness For Kids

And all the amazing families and people who helped in Our Journey to Help Sophie Walk.

I Love You To Eternity- A Tribute To A Sibling on Siblings Day

Today, April 10th, is Siblings Day- This is a little poem that I wrote for my son, on this special day. I Love You to Eternity, by Lauren Smith- I love you to eternity my first born, my first boy, my eternal love... Your heart is full of joy eventhough you have been through so much. You loved your sisters from the moment they were tiny as seeds, and step by step you saw them grow. You talked to them, encouraged them every day, to grow, grow, and grow because you wanted to teach them everything there is to know. Finally, the day arrived, and you saw your sisters for the very first time. You were very happy that they were finally here, and then something happened, one of them disappeared. Although you didn't quite understand why she was taken from you, deep inside you knew that she would forever be with you. I told you she had to go in a magical bus, headed to heaven, and she couldn't come back. Your love for the one that stayed grew stronger, and you couldn't wait for the day, when you two could play. You began to notice other babies were running, and you asked me why your sister was not yet walking. You said maybe some Stride Rite shoes would help her walk after wearing them for 11 days? I said: "Baby, its not the shoes, although those shoes might help other kids, your sister, my love, has special needs". Every doctor appointment, every therapy, and every step of the way you cheer your sister, you always say hurray! You have become an amazing 5 year old, the bravest boy that I will ever know. One day when you read little this poem I wrote for you, don't forget you are Sophie's hero and you are my hero too!

Resources-Trying everything "Out of the Box" for your child with Cerebral Palsy

Pediatric Neurologist-2nd best in the U.S. according to some online research. Specializes in Neuromuscular conditions and epilepsy. Richard Finkel 1717 S. ORANGE AVE., SUITE 100 NEMOURS CHILDRENS CLINIC, ORLANDO, ORLANDO, FL 32806-2946 Phone (407) 650-7715 Bowen Therapy: They have some amazing videos of the results obatined on many kids in Australia. http://bowenhealing.org/ Anat Baniel Method: Check their website: www.anatbanielmethod.com before you call them. Practitioner in Gainsville, FL http://www.reachingtolearn.com/ There are a lot of amazing videos on youtube about Anat Baniel Method. Shriners Children Hospital Traditional medical approach, They use the most up to date equipment and technology to help kids with cerebral palsy. Shriners Hospital http://www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org/en/CareAndTreatment/Orthopaedics/CerebralPalsy.aspx

My toddler, your toddler. Your normal, my normal. What's similar, and what's different. A glimpse of what to expect for parents of babies who are newly diagnosed.

What is it like to raise a child with cerebral palsy? Is there a difference between raising a child without physical limitations and raising a child with a disability? I did not give much tought into these questions until now. I love my child, it doesn't matter what her physical limitations are, I am there for her to help her with whatever she needs, just like I would if she was more independent like other toddler her age. When we are in our very own nook, that is our home, life is normal. I see no limitations, I do what I need to do for her. She is held most of the time by either my husband or I. Now... once we step outside of nook, our normal, our comfort zone, everything changes. Explanations are often needed, questions arise, we step out of normalcy and become two parents who walk around with a large question mark right above our heads. There is the visit to the grocery store... We go grocery shopping always with a stroller because I tried sitting Sophie in the basket and one too many times she tipped sideways and hit her head with the iron bars. No, I wasn't being an irresponsible parent letting my baby get hurt, yes I was dumb but I was also ignorant to the fact that she had cerebral palsy at that time and thought trying over and over again made sense because using the front basket was appropriate for her age. Needless to say, I no longer use a shopping cart. I now place all the groceries or as much as I can fit in the stroller hoping that I am not accused if shoplifting one of these days. I have already prepared a clever response, if I ever were accused of such a thing. I try to do most grocery shopping with my husband's help so we can have both the stroller and the shopping basket. There is the visit to playground... I wrote about my playground experience on a different post but will address on here why I dread visiting the playground without my husband's help.There are the toddlers running around and the mommies who brought them to let go of energy so that they have a nice nap later. Then there is my toddler who sits in my arms and is amazed by everything there is at the playground and tries to pull away from me over and over again because she wants to walk, run away, like those kids, but she doesnt have the slightest clue that her legs have other plans. Swings are great, our favorite equipment at the playground. Since Sophie can now hold her head pretty well, its an effortless activity and she really enjoys it. The slide is another story, it is Sophie's favorite equipment. We can either slide down together or I can hold her under her arms and slide her down, I after three efforts I am usually tired. There is dinner at a restaurant... Would I like a high chair? hmmm... "no thank you" she will sit in her stroller. Are you telling me that I cannot have the stroller next to our table because it stands in the way for people to walk? hmmm... I hate having to explain my daughter's medical history to the restaurant staff but here is where I have no choice but to say, "waiter: I need the stroller next to me because my daughter needs to be in it. I know that you offered that we use a high chair, however, she cannot sit in a high chair. She has cerebral palsy and therefore is unable to hold herself in a sitting position." I know that this is just the begginning of a long journey where many questions, looks, judments will arise. As Sophie gets older, everything will change because society will look at her and expect her to do certain things, and those things will only get more complex as she grows. I have faith that she will gain some independence at one point or another. Whether it'd be sitting independently, walking, etc... I cannot help but think tho, at what point will this happen, will it ever really happen. I feel the need to educate myself, I feel the need to think of clever and informative ways to inform those that ask and judge. Tell you what, you know how you worry that your toddler might fall off the bed while he/she is taking a nap? I can rest easy on that ;)