Therapy et al...

We’re getting used to having twins – Lola just about understands the difference between carpets and grass, which is great! She is incredibly gentle and friendly and sweet. Cam smiles when she licks his hands, and even when she sits on him… We are trying to discourage Lola from doing the latter.

A couple of weeks ago my mom-in-law and I visited the Baby Therapy Centre in Lynnwood and chatted to an OT there. She was hugely helpful and encouraging. She gave us a lot of perspective on Cameron’s situation, explaining that of the seven senses (sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell, movement in space and ‘propriaception’ – joint sense) Cam has a hindrance in just one of those areas. We’ve been doing some therapy with him, based on the ideas she gave us, to stimulate his other 6 senses and so prepare him for the vision he will, Lord willing, develop once they have removed the cataracts. We’re already noticing how much his auditory and tactile senses are developing.

The OT also gave us tips, like how to move him around in space so that he gets used to the sensation without fear, since his eyes are not telling him where he is. And like not shaking a rattle in his face without any warning. He’ll get a fright, he won’t enjoy it and he won’t learn anything. We need to prepare him with our voices, or with touch, for anything that a sighted child would be prepared for through vision. We also always start talking at the door of a room he’s in so that he hears us coming and doesn’t get a fright when we suddenly say, ‘Hello my boy!’ right in his face. We are learning piles and heaps.

Last night Murray met with an optometrist from New Zealand who is specializing in fitting contact lenses on babies with Cam’s condition. He was really encouraged. My mom and I went to visit a blind family that the Baby Therapy Centre recommended we meet. This was also a really valuable experience and they very graciously gave us perspective, and hope.

We still await the results of the blood and urine tests, and the EUA on 25 June seems like eons away… Fourteen more sleeps.

Thanks again for prayers, thoughts, kind words…

Much love, d