Well, Leyla finally had her Early Intervention Program (EIP) evaluation done yesterday. At 5 months old I won't necessarily call it early. Obviously and thanksfully she didn't desperately needed it. We are SO lucky she is so healthy. My heart goes to all the families that have to overcome so many heart operations to start with.
Needless to say she did well and all the work I put into actually doing what the books recommend (Gross Motor and Fine Motor Skills for Children with Down Syndrome, Woodbine house)has paid off.
As a matter of fact the comments we got from the evaluators, were kind of unbelievable. It appears that at this stage, and things may change any minute, she only qualifies for the program because of her diagnosis of DS, not because she shows any delay. In fact se would be at the top of typically developing children charts!
I finally felt proud and my heart beat furiously in love once again. I realized it had stopped one gloomy day in May at a doctors office where my daughter was left behind as in the morgue. And at her side was left her mourning mother.
Well, my daughter, if not the one I dreamt of and thought I delivered, but the one with a little too much of either of her parents finally gets her emotional mother back. Not the one that just stoically do the job but the one that absolutely adores her and is prepared to stand by her at any cost, ready to have her heart torn open again and again, not because of the pain that her challenges will bring but because of the torrential Love that comes from the open heart of a Mother.
The lightness of heart that I have been so familiar with since my encountering with sufism is back. I have been chanting quite a bit lately. One of the things I have been praying for is meeting peers with Down Syndrome for Leyla. Today I have finally heard of a baby born with DS in July. I hope to be able to meet with the family soon.
So it is Happy days anew.
And many more to come.
i am wishing you all many, many happy days to come. love you all!
ReplyDeleteThat is wonderful news about Leyla and for you!
ReplyDeleteWe ALL know how that even though you no longer need to pump the blood for your child, your hearts still beat as one, and for such a situation that you have to be strong for her, you also need to be strong for yourself and the feeling makes you feel seperate instead of together, unable to join emotion with protection and dedication. I am glad you have found each others rythem again!!