Little Lucia: So goes life..

Getting so strong!

I finished my third and final day of clinicals today, which was training in a nursing home. Four school days left to go and I'll be through with the CNA course- YAY! Thank you Summer Larsen for telling me about this program. I have enjoyed it but I miss being the stay at home mommy that I've been since Lu was born!
The nursing home was bitter and sweet. I've always enjoying working with seniors, they can be so cute, and wise, and interesting, and feisty, and loving, ...but so many were so affected by dementia and specifically Alzheimer's and it was quite sad at times. Life goes by so fast..I thought of my grandparents, my family, my friends, myself, even Lucia as an old lady. Little Lu.. a baby in diapers, dependent on others, innocent to the surroundings of the world, and many of those there were exactly the same way..in diapers, dependent on others, innocent to the surroundings of the world...so goes life. Some were just there for 'rehab' so not there to reside...just to get better and then go home... A glance down a hall and you would see residents in wheelchairs or walkers, CNA's (nursing assistants), RN's (nurses), possibly a doctor, cleaning staff and many THERAPISTS! The therapists worked these residents- teaching them different tasks-some to stroke victims, teaching them how to speak, walk, eat, comb their hair, put on their shoes..anything and everything they needed. Therapists are awesome. After my day at the nursing home, Lucia had her her therapies-Occupational on Wednesday, working on eating and some sitting, and Physical Therapy today, working on more sitting, rolling, tummy time and tracking...and I LOVE what they do for Lu. I look forward to her therapies every time. They may make her upset b/c the 'work' is not easy, but they are helping her and they are helping us help her. They are guiding her to do things on her own so she can get strong enough to sit unassisted, to swallow without aspirating, to move and be curious enough to want to move...she works SO hard and by the end I'm tired too! We have requested Speech to start soon too. The more the better.
The one therapy that is not hard for Lucia is her new swimming therapy. She is totally independent and free to move her limbs as she wants! Sometimes she moves quite a bit and sometimes not so much but LuBird loves her bath and I love taking it with her. It's a BirdBath - and it's SO FUN!

Thank YOU Therapists everywhere for helping people- big and small- from 1 day old to 100 years old. Thank you Coco and Reese for coming over last night to hang out and telling us about your therapies and experiences to help amazing Reese, who has Glutaric Acidemia Type 1 or GA1. Your email and advice and encouragement have been just what I needed, so many times. Thank you neighbors for letting us always borrow your thermometer, when we think Lu feels a bit too warm AND for your delicious Christmas cookies! Thank you Callie Chapman and Marissa O'Malley for purchasing Lucia Light tee's for PKS Kids and your kind messages-made my day! Thank you Deb Mooers for your donation to PKS Kids!
Congratulations to Ken and Britney for the arrival of their new son, Kendall Jack IV! And Henry Redmond, Lucia sends a kiss your way and to your parents too!