Day Thirty-Two: Get Ready... Get Set....

Monday evening when I got home from my weekend away, I was met by a very cheery, compliant, calm and yet energetic Katie who had dozens of things to show me... and a song to listen to that she has been writing on her keyboard. The change I saw in her from the time I left to the time I got back was DRASTIC!!! Truly, she has become the child I have always wanted... that child I have jealously watched other mom's experience... and thought I would never get to know. I remember being so afraid that we were mentally losing Katie... moment by moment... rage after rage... and she was getting father and father away from us. But God hasn't just answered our prayers.... HE HAS FAR EXCEEDED THEM BEYOND OUR WILDEST IMAGINATIONS!!! In fact, I am tearing up here at the computer just thinking about the last two days. I will never be able to explain the difference... I just hope one day you will be able to spend some time with Katie to experience it for yourself. It's God, at His very best.

Mark, Bea and I met with the clinician teams today (social worker, psychologist, parental trainer) and all agreed that Katie will be officially GRADUATING from the program next Tuesday. I had high hopes of inviting everyone to her graduation, but the room will be limited in space and will only be able to be attended by invitation. I apologize if my jumping-the-gun was a disappointment to you... it certainly wasn't intentional. I am SO PROUD of my girl... I wanted everyone to celebrate the payoff of all her hard work. Unfortunately that won't be an option for us.

During our talks this morning, the clinicians were very clear with us that they have been very pleased and thankful for all OUR hard work too (and it HAS been HARD work on our parts). They said that Katie was a very lucky girl to have such an extremely committed and passionate family who want to invest themselves and everything they have into her wholeness. I had to chuckle... we feel the same way about all these clinicians. They have FAR EXCEEDED our expectations, and have become like family to us. Their commitment to Katie and our family has been astounding and breathtaking to all FOUR of us.

I left the last meeting... with my heart soaring... and with a verrrrry long 'laundry list' of things I need to do and accomplish before Katie's transitions back to her home school. Her brain MRI is scheduled for tomorrow. (Please pray... she needs to go under anesthesia for it... and she will need to get an IV... and I won't be there.... I will be home preparing for an upcoming test). Mark and I have a scheduled meeting with her Fair Oaks Ranch School team (principal, nurse, teacher, school psychologist, behaviorist, resource worker) to write the IEP for her school return (Individualized Education Plan = Special Education in a normal classroom setting). It is a highly legal document. I have meetings with the Regional Center's case worker. Also, Katie gets to pick up her orthotics this afternoon at 4:00 PM which will fit into her new shoes (we need to buy) so her ankles and feet will get the restructure and correction they need. Mark and I have many home protocols we need to pre-define regarding Katie's computer use, TV use, homework, consequences, praise, rewards, and parental responses to various challenges. We have therapists we need to contact and set up for the future meetings. We have a puppy to buy... we need.....

Did I mention a puppy??? Ha ha ha ha... we promised Katie that when she graduates from the ABC clinic we would get a family dog since she will be better prepared and more responsible and emotionally safer to take care of one. She has proven herself very well... and so it looks like.. this Friday... after my endoscopy/colonoscopy (luck me), that we will make the trek to the Animal Shelter and see if there is a dog with the "Conner" name on it. (Figuratively speaking, of course). Our dog run is ready and our house (and hearts) are prepared.

Our plan is that Katie will graduate on Tuesday... her Sleep Deprived EEG will be Wednesday... I will take her to visit her school/teacher/friends on Thursday (so I can get her re registered)... and the she will go for her first FULL day back at school on Friday. Doing it that way will give her a break after her first full day and ease her back into the school setting one day at a time. The following week will be spring break, which we are thinking of taking a family trip somewhere in our tent trailer.

Then... that next Monday... its full swing into transition. I have no idea what to expect... but God does... and we will all be holding His hand tightly as we maneuver through those exciting yet uncertain days ahead....

Oh.. look at the time!!! I've got to run upstairs and get my day end report. I don't have many more of those to go now!!! Yippee!!!!

Chow 4 Now.
Susan