When this kind of trouble strikes......

Emmy had a pretty good day today, mommy not so much. Today Early Steps OT came, Mrs. Diane and you know I really like her a lot. She is so sweet and explains everything very well. Emmy did well with her today. Great head control, great streching, and great grasping.

Today Emerson's wheelchair stroller (uhh the word wheelchair makes me cringe) came in. I am really having a hard time with it. *sigh*. Anyway it came in and the guy came and did a final fit for her. She fits pretty good in it, they just have to adjust the feet thingys. I don't know why I am having such a hard time with it. I mean I know it can be temporary BUT it can be permanent and I guess that's what scares me. The stroller is suppose to keep Emmy aligned properlly and it really does and you can tell she is sooo comfortable in it compared to the jogging stroller we have been using, so on the bright side Emerson is liking her chair. It's hot pink zebra print and her name is written in hot pink on her seat. I have a phone picture of it but it's not that good, so i'll post one later. The guy had to take the wheel  stroller back because there was a few things he needed to fix but we will be offical owners of it on Tuesday at therapy. *sigh*.

Mommy's other bad day is the fact that 45 min bathing rountines bite. lol. I mean I love doing it because it helps out my baby but it's really putting a strain on my back. Let me take you through our rountine............
First we underdress her get the water temp. just right get her bath chair set up and in the tub put her in and bathe her like a regular little baby who can't sit up (this parts not too bad but my back hurts) Take her out dry her off and the fun begins.
I use lotion and oil and massage her legs and feet. Then we stretch out both her legs for a 30 count and stretch her feet for a 20 count. Then I put her powder on from waist down and put her diaper on then her socks then her pants. Then it's her tummy. I use oil and lotion and massage her chest and belly clean her g-tube site and put bactroban on it (kinda like neosporin) Then I take more oil and lotion and massage one of her shoulders down to her finger tips. Starting with stretching her arm out horizontally for a 30 count, then stretch out her thumb and fingers for a 30 count and massage her little tiny hand. Then we stretch her same arm up vertically for a 30 count. Then we bring the arm down veritcally for another 30 count. Then I take her arm across her chest and stretch it for a 20 count (because that's all she'll let me do and fighting against her tone is rough). Then it's the same thing on the other arm. Then I clean her trach stoma, put bactroban on it and replace the gauze. The I put some oil and lotion on her face because it's really dry. Then I oil and lotion her back. Then I brush her teeth which she fights me tooth and nail, it's kinda nice to see but again KILLING my back hunched over like that fighting. lol. Then I put her shirt on. Then I draw up her medicine and give that to her and start her feeds. Whew.... just typing it wore me out. Really though it's not everything I do to her that's rough it's my back, wish I knew a better way to sit to support my back. And mind you I do all that in the morning as well except for the bath. And then if she doesn't have afternoon therapy then I do it again around 3. So she gets a total of 3 stretches a day at least. Ah well, gotta do what you gotta do.

And my last eh of a day.... heres a saying a NDSN friend told me "When this kind of trouble strikes, friends become strangers and strangers become friends." So true and it kind of makes me sad. Getting pregnant for my son at 18, I lost a bunch of my friends and I was ok with that and now that Emerson's accident has happened the rest left too. I know were not as fun anymore, I know Emmy looks and acts different, I know she can't do what your other 'typical' kids can do but I am still the same person, with a little added stress that I am trying to work through and having a friend there would probably make the process easier. I guess I am just going to have to get over it and move on. I can say though I am so thankful and blessed to have my family support, both mine and Brittens family have been great and I can't thank everyone enough.

I wrote a previous post about friends and I am writing again about it I guess because most of the people from NDSN understand because it has happened to them too, so I know I am not alone and not crazy I just wish they all lived closer. Anyway that was my eh of a day. But there's always tomorrow and I am looking forward to it because it's Emerson's second hippotherapy session. Can't wait. God Bless!