Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Ten minutes

That's all I'm giving myself to write about today.

Today was a big day, and normally I would spend an hour and a half on a post like this. I want it to have accompanying videos and images and be worded just perfectly. But I don't have time. And I know if I wait until tomorrow it will never get done. So whatever I can come up with in ten minutes will just have to do!

My Franny has been receiving therapy since September 2006. We're going on four years! It's called EIBI (Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention) or ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis). It has changed our lives and hers for the better. When we were first told that she would need 25 hours of therapy a week at 2 1/2 years old, I could hardly believe it. The day she turned three years old she started going to school from 8 AM to 3 PM and had 1:1 therapy all day. ALL DAY. We noticed a huge difference right away. We have had amazing therapists, para's, consultants, doctors, and administrators helping us along the way. People that now feel like part of our family.

I could go on and on about this, but I have a deadline.

I got a call today from one of Franny's consultants. You see, Franny has had a whole team of people who evaluate her needs and her progress on a monthly basis. She said that Franny is ready to "graduate" from the EIBI program. Which basically means she has caught up to her peers. She'll still receive a few services like speech therapy and she'll work with a writing specialist, but nothing compared to what she had before. No team, no monthly meetings, no EIBI minutes.

I can't believe it. It's been such an emotional day. I remember taking this video footage the first day of therapy. She screamed and screamed because she didn't want to play "my turn" with Melinda. (Melinda would pass the ball to Franny and then say "my turn" and Franny was to give it back.) It's a video of a very sad Franny. I remember that as I was recording her melt down, I was hoping that someday I would come back to watch this video and say, "Wow, look at how far she's come!" Today's news is exactly what I hoped and prayed for when we first learned about Franny's diagnosis. I prayed so hard for this. And now that we're here... it feels great. It also feels scary. We won't have the same support we're used to having. And I will miss seeing these people regularly. It's so exciting! There should be a big party with all the people who helped her get to this point! Melinda, Mary, Tiffany, Chrissy, Karen, Stephanie, Jen, Mary Ellen, Liz... and OH SO many more. Bobby and I are both so grateful for the help she has received and so proud of our Franny, the hardest-working kid we know.

It was a good day. Wow, look at how far she's come!

19 comments:

SewSara said...

what awesome awesome news for franny and all of you! i am so happy she's doing so well!! :)

Rebecca S said...

Congratulations! Hurray for Franny!

rebecca said...

CONGRATULATIONS to Franny and you wonderful parents!! I am crying tears of pure happiness for you:)

Jane said...

I am so happy to hear that! What wonderful news!

Jill said...

I am so proud of Franny, and I am so proud of you. Your such an amazing mother who always advocates and does the best for Franny. I am in awe of you. You and Franny deserve to have all the progress which has come, both of you. I know that as a parent you have grown in ways I am sure most parents have not.

HeidiB said...

Words cannot express how happy I am for all of you. I just broke out into sobs of joy as I read your post. What an amazing journey you've all been on and thank you so much for sharing it with us. You and Bobby are amazing parents to Franny. She's so lucky to have you and she's so strong to have done what she's done in just a few years. Congratulations to everyone and thank God for all the miracles you've had.

Jenny said...

That is huge. Congrats Franny!

The last Unicorn said...

Oh my gosh Katherine... that is amazing!!!! I am so happy for Franny. I know she has worked very hard at this and I can only imagine the joy you feel over what she has achieved. I love you guys!

Natalie said...

WOW!!! I am so proud of Franny and of all of you!

Betsy said...

That is the best news! I am so proud of Franny!!!!

Unknown said...

I would just like to put a great big exclamation point after all the posts before me!! I'm so choked up right now. So happy for you and Bobby and so proud of little Franny. You all inspire me.

Love you! Jill

Julia Holmes said...

Wow, I am in tears. Kath that is so great!!! Yay Franny! I am so happy for you guys! That is such good news!

Christi Brewer said...

Oh my gosh!! Yay Franny!!!! I remember the uncertainty of the future when we got our diagnosis for Garrett, and now he's in the same boat as Franny, thanks to that EIBI program (and many good teachers since). I will always love Kirksville for that reason alone.

Tears are streaming, my heart is full, I'm so happy for you and your family!

Melody said...

Congratulations! What great news!

Cole Kimball Warner said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Cole Kimball Warner said...

I'm so proud of you Katherine. Your family has truly been blessed. Franny is amazing. Give her a big hug from me.

tiffany said...

I am so proud of Franny. When i was reading that it made me tear up. I am so glad that i was able to be a part of helping her.

Elsie said...

Yeah! Congratulations Franny and all of you! What a grand moment!

Erin said...

Katherine, that is such wonderful news. I am so happy for you guys! That is just wonderful, what an answer to prayer! Congratulations!
I usually look at blogs while I'm nursing, so I don't often leave comments, but I had to come back to yours and tell you how happy I am for you!! Love ya!

Related Posts with Thumbnails