I came across this picture recently and had a flood of memories!
This beautiful girl here – my miracle kid…
The one they said might never walk or talk…
The one who had to be taught limb by limb to crawl – 1st, you move the right elbow/arm, then the left elbow/arm, followed by the right knee, and then the left knee…woohoo…
The one we celebrated the 1st time, she kicked off her foot in her walker and moved inches forward…to some, it may have seemed like nothing, but considering her lack of muscle tone, it was a huge step…
The one who finally walked at 26 months of age…
The one who had years of speech therapy…
The one who had years of physical therapy…
The one who had years of occupational therapy…
This one who was diagnosed with Prader-Willi Syndrome or P.W.S. – officially in 1985 (but suspected since birth)…
The one who craves food and never feels full due to her P.W.S…
Yesterday, as I began recording my memoirs for an audiobook, such memories flashed back of this 1st child – the one who changed the trajectory of my life…
This one, the one I am so glad I said YES to when the world might have convinced me to abort…
She has taught me so much about love through her life…
This picture – her Senior Prom at the Aqua Turf, Southington, CT, in 2002 at the age of 21 …who would have imagined?!?
Sometimes, in dealing with her baby brother’s nonverbal autism, I forget how far she has come…
Today, she pretty much faithfully monitors her own diet after years and years of limiting what she could have (as kids with P.W.S. only need half the calories of most of their peers) …
Today she works at a job doing piece work and kicks butt at it!
Parents – NEVER lose hope! No matter where your child is on the spectrum – there is always a reason to hope!
SHEILA BOUCHARD 