Summer Roller Coaster Ride

Well I got the call that I dreaded. AJ couldn't be part of the EMU speech clinic because the waiting list was too long. This meant private speech therapy and the real likelihood that I wouldn't get the insurance company to pay for it. I had to change AJ's primary care physician as his pediatrician and I have gone around and around too many times and I am tired of fighting to get what he needs. Dr. Roth while very good at general childhood illnesses is old school regarding language and about to retire and is not interested in learning about apraxia.

So I changed his doctor and got the orders for speech therapy. I had scheduled an appointment at the hospital I work for for an intak and evaluation. I had printed about 100 pages off of Apraxia-kids.org and Wrightslaw.com to help me plan my battle with Aetna. I had started a log book with info on the intial coversations I had with Aetna and reworked my budget about 50 times to try to find the funding for all of this. I had girded myself for "The Big Battle"... and I got another call.

EMU had a cancellation and could fit AJ in if we could be there on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 930-1020am. I was crying so hard from relief and thanking God for this miracle that I almost couldn't verbalize our willingness to make the apointed times. I can't tell you how many instances in my life I have been blessed by people and events miraculously configuring to work things out. There are angels on this planet who appear at just the right times and I thank God for them daily.

AJ loves his one on one therapy with Jeanette. They are working on consonant blends. Yes, I said it, consonant blends. There is a theory that if you work on the hard things first the rest falls into place. My son can say spoon, spaghetti, snowman, sticker, skunk, snake, stop sign, slippers, and scarf clearly. It's unbelievable. Jeanette is a student at EMU and is observed in her sessions by her teachers and myself. This is such an amazing experience to see his interactions and be able to help follow through at home on what he is working on at the clinic. The teacher is amazed at how hard AJ is willing to work and how quickly he is catching on.

At this rate I am beginning to think that he may be ready for main stream kindergarten in the fall of 09. I am very excited because he can stay in both the special education ECP program in Canton and still continue the twice weekly individual apeech therapy at EMU during the school year.

EMU charges only $100.00/term. I can afford this even without insurance.

I am so thankful to all the people who have been helping AJ along his journey and so proud of the hard work he does daily to progress and improve. He has come so far and I truly have huge hopes and confidence that things will be okay now where once, at the beginning I had fear and doubts.

Some of the new things my sweet boy does can be a bit frustrating. He is doing the typical "WHY?" thing. Me: "Eat your Nuggets" AJ: "Why?" Me: "Because they are your lunch " AJ:"Why?" Me: "Because you asked for them" AJ:"Why?" Me: "UGHHHH!" I have to remind myself that 8 months ago I would have been thrilled for this interaction. He wants to extend conversations and he understands that by asking why he can do just that. He wants to talk! It just gets exhausting after about the 40th "Why?" of the day. Please note that I am NOT complaining just shocked at how much has changed so quickly.

Another new thing he does is label everything he see's. I have to respond so that he knows that I heard him and this is exhausting too but he is increasing vocabulary and so proud of his ability to identify objects and be understood. While I support this we are working on learning not to interrupt. I feel it is important for AJ to have good manners even though he has speech challenges. I don't want to excuse rudeness or behavior issues just because he is challenged in other ways. He is totally able to understand concepts like waiting a turn to talk. I'm a bit terrified of speech becoming an excuse for everything and will not allow this to happen.

So it's been a crazy bumpy ride this summer but what a rush! AJ is doing well but did have a slight set-back with Strep throat and Poison Ivy at the same time but is doing so well now. I pray that other familes and children dealing with Apraxia also have the blessings and successes we are finding in our lives.