by Emily (Angie's Mom)
"For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations." Psalm 100:6 (NKJV)
Angeline is doing well and growing like a weed. In all areas! She is now 28
months. She is attending school in the Family Center at Nova and likes it very
much. Ms. Pam and Ms. Belva are very nice and accommodating to Angie's
therapies. Angie loves her school friends and she has several boyfriends, one of
them even holds her hand. Too much!
Developmentally Angie is doing wonderfully. She's speaking in
4 to 5 word sentences. Angie speaks mostly in English but understands Spanish.
We're working on getting her to speak more Spanish. Angie is at 30 months
socially. No surprise in that area. She is delay in fine motor skills. The
reason for that is because she uses her hands to balance herself. So we have
just increased her occupational therapy to 3 times a week. Gross motor she is
doing well. Angie has started walking without her walker. Which is wonderful!
Praise the Lord!
Bladder issues: She is continued to be cathed every 4 hours.
The good news is that we have started cathing her sitting in the toilet. She
likes being cathed this way better, and even tries to help out. The nurse which
caths her in school thinks that by the age of 3, Angie will start cathing
herself. I think so also.
Angie continues to go to yoga therapy aside from all her
other therapies. I am going to start looking into hippo therapy. But it's
therapy sitting on a horse. This therapy will be good for her balance. We are
also going to start using a machine called TES (Threshold Electric Stimulation).
The machine is the size of a small walkman. The electrodes will be connected to
her legs and thighs to electrically stimulate her nerves that are not currently
being used. Thank goodness that the insurance paid for this machine because it
was pretty expensive.
I'm also working hard on a goal close to my heart. That goal
is to spread the word about Spina Bifida and educate people on this subject. I'm
doing this so that Angie will one day stand up and do it for herself and other's
like her who can't speak for themselves. Several newspaper have published
stories about Angie and my advocating. For instance, Insights Magazine Sept-Oct
issue (click here to see it) featured
Angeline's case in a story about advocacy and the South Florida Sun Sentinel (click
here to see it) published a story on how I went to Governor Bush to ask him
for help with a cathing issue for Angie.
These
two years have been a growing period for me. I've also grown a great deal
spiritually. I've learned that we are not in control of our lives but that God
is. I've also learned to trust God more. And the most important lesson
that I've learned so far is that to whom much is given much is expected.
Please keep praying for Angie and for her bladder to heal. I
know that one day I will be sharing the good news that "Angie won't have to
be cathed any longer, because God has healed her." All in His time........
Love and God Bless
Emily
