A Peek At Our Schedule

I’m always curious about what other people’s therapy schedules look like, which means you likely are too. Here’s what we currently do:

OT/PT  - We go twice a week for 1/2 hour of each (2 hours total a week).

Shriners – We had an initial visit with an orthopedic surgeon shortly after arriving home. After that we were referred to the CAPP (Child Amputee Prosthetic Program) clinic where we saw a PT, OT, prothetesist and pediatrician. Because we aren’t currently pursuing prosthetics we will be returning every 6 months. 

HTP – We don’t home therapy on a set schedule, it mainly just kind of happens. The best therapy seems to come through play. But she does have a balloon attached to a string that hangs on her door. She lays on her stomach, side and back and kicks it. She practices sideways walking either along her low platform bed or alongside the couch after we’ve removed the couch cushions. She also does pivots using  a combo of the bed or couch and ottoman. Her PT also suggested putting those balls with suction cups on the glass sliding doors and having her walk and transfer those or transferring magnets using the frig or washer/dryer.

Time Spent Learning – I’ve come to realize that the one thing my daughter needs most is time. She needs time to figure things out, time to get frustrated and time to find a new way. Life for her is a lot about trial and error. She is so fiercely independent and in order to foster that independence, we need to respect her need for time. It isn’t always easy or practical, but when we can, we give her however much time she needs.

Sometimes that means sitting in the post office parking lot for 15 minutes extra so she can buckle her car seat herself. Sometimes it means an added twenty minutes letting her scoot along the filthy grocery store floor grinning because she’s doing it herself. Sometimes it’s just pausing for a few extra seconds before offering to help to see if she can do it (besides, she’s going to refuse the offer of help anyways). Time is always a most precious commodity and gift.

Miscellaneous Time Suck Category -  If there is one thing I’ve spent an obscene amount of time on, it’s been dealing with insurance. The first six months or so home were a pretty intense gamut of doctor’s visits. This was as much due to just general adoption-related stuff (immunizations, etc…) as it was the limb difference.

But there has been a fair amount of dealing with the insurance regarding DME, etc… I’ve also thought I was pretty conscientious about looking over our medical bills pretty carefully. But given that they’ve now gone up in volume, I’ve taken to scrutinizing them even more closely and I’ve found a few errors. Now, I’m even more careful about looking them over. I’m also so glad we have money in Flexible Savings Accounts (FSA) through our employers for medical expenses.

The therapy appointments, and chauffeuring that comes with them, are not exactly glamorous. Yet I am reminded of Ghandi’s statement, “In a gentle way, you can shake the world.” Whose world are you shaking today?

---------

You can read my post on siblings and special needs here at the always wonderful blog, Ordinary Miracles and The Crazy Nine.