03/05/2025
Update on Faith's Appointment from Yesterday - Long Post
The good news is that Faith is considered such a low risk that neuro doesn't need to see her again unless we opt for a yearly follow-up. So, that’s a positive!
Now, for the not-so-good news: Faith has been diagnosed with mild to moderate cerebral palsy. She’ll be returning to physical therapy, which, honestly, she should never have been taken out of in the first place. Even the neurologist agreed that Faith should have continued her PT.
In the coming weeks, Faith will see a pediatric physiatrist to explore options for bracing, crutches, or anything else that could support her in walking and using her right hand more effectively.
Lastly, these are my thoughts and my thoughts alone. Not Caitlyn's, family’s, doctors’, etc.—purely my perspective on where I stand regarding Faith and Hope. I understand the severity of Faith's diagnosis—from her brain bleeds to her new CP diagnosis. I’m not a doctor, but it doesn’t take one to see that she should never have been pulled from PT. Indian Path Pediatric Therapy, shame on you for not caring. I won’t name you, though I feel I should, so people know that for the past 3 months, you could have been helping but chose not to. I see Faith every day and watch her progress—she can feed herself, talk, climb stairs, and walk with just one hand for support. Once again, I’m not a doctor, but I trust what I see every day. My goals for Faith are based on that, not a 5-minute appointment with a doctor every 6 months who has no real interaction with her and sees a different doctor each time.
I truly believe she will walk on her own. Maybe not steadily at first, or even steadily at all, but I believe she will walk. She uses her right hand, not as well as most, but honestly, try writing your name with your non-dominant hand and let me know how that goes. It’s probably similar to what she experiences with her right hand.
So yes, I understand what the doctors say and respect their opinions. We’ll continue attending appointments because we know it will help Faith in the long run. But I also want to note that Faith is ahead of Hope developmentally. People assume Hope is ahead just because she walks and feeds herself. There’s nothing the doctors have done to help Faith get this far. She hasn’t had any surgeries, only one MRI, a ton of ultrasounds, and a few months of PT. Everything Faith has accomplished has been through her own determination and the grace from above.
I say all of this to remind you that doctors, therapists, and other healthcare professionals are generally good people. It takes a special person to be a doctor or hold a position at a children’s hospital. But at the end of the day, they don’t go home with the diagnosis that may burden you. Some may, and some may have kids with disabilities, but when I see doctors or therapists give up so easily, I feel frustrated and angry. This is why I let Caitlyn handle the appointments, because it’s hard for me to stay calm when they act like there’s no hope.
Day by day, I continue to pray for Faith’s walking and for Hope to start talking. The rest, I leave up to God, as He’s done a pretty good job thus far with both of them, if you ask me.
