Many P's

Patience! Progress! Persistence! Perseverance! Positive Perspective! Planning!

Seems as if this last month has been one more roller coaster ride with all that our life entails. Patience in learning to live with a new routine, new caregivers, new ideas about therapies, and new levels of relationships with those we know. Progress by Caitlin in all areas witnessed by those around her yet not by the granting individuals in the Medicaid office. Persistence in maintaining the life for Caitlin that I believe she deserves. Perseverance to deal with it all! Believing that a positive perspective is the expectation I have to live up to!
I think I have given up on the idea that life can and will flow smoothly even living with a day to day credo. Each day when I believe that I have orchestrated a plan that will work a new snag develops and it absolutely feels as if I am on a Yo-yo string or on a roller coaster ride. Not the way I thought I was capable of living but I am trying hard to roll with the punches and falls.
Caitlin has been dropped once and then fallen in the care of one of her PCA's. Both unfortunate accidents left Caitlin with goose eggs on her head and the last time with a bit of a black eye. Building back trust after these incidents is difficult and yet the situation of finding good caregivers continues to be a bit of a struggle. The agency we work with is good as are our two current caregivers but the reality of what can happen in just a split second is frightening. After the incident this past week I am fearful of how this week will go but hopeful we have worked through the fear and will move forward.
Caitlin startled me the other day when I asked her who was texting her so early in the morning and she rather distinctly said, "No one". Where it came from was a bit of a shock. We both laughed because she surprised herself too! Currently working on specific sound production has Caitlin practicing b, f, p, and v. We were practicing last weekend and attempting to say F... you for fun. Caitlin managed to get some voice behind it and we all cheered. Michael summed it up rather nicely when he said, "Would you ever have thought mom would be celebrating such vulgarity?" Never in a million years would we have imagined that... but life is changed and we will take whatever words we can get!
We have tested the ambucs bikes and are awaiting the correct adaptive parts so hopefully in a week or so Caitlin will finally have her bicycle. It was great to watch her ride the bikes and actually go down Susan Wallace's driveway. Caitlin's smile said it all! I am anxious to have a reason to get outside more and have Caitlin gain strength while having some fun!
Driving up to Tahoe with Uncle Ted and Mary Ann was a highlight last weekend. Seeing our beloved Lake Tahoe and actually putting Caitlin's foot in the sand was exciting. Attempting to pull the wheel chair any measurable distance across the sand was difficult. I so want to get Caitlin on a raft in the Lake. Other than having help to carry her down the length of the beach to the water I am not sure how we can do it. Where is that muscular, hunky knight (stripped of his shining armor) when you need him?

We carry on with our many P's!