Kevin's Healing Journey: "The Way Is Hard, But Clear"

Thursday, April 26, 2012

"The Way Is Hard, But Clear"

This morning I read the reflection for April 26 in “The Book of Awakening” by Mark Nepo. He says…”that salmon make their way upstream by bumping repeatedly into blocked pathways until they find where the current is strongest. Somehow they know that the unimpeded rush of water means that there is no obstacle there, and so they enter this opening fervently, for though it is the hardest going, the way is clear. “

“The way is hard, but clear.” I immediately saw how this reflects our healing journey with Kevin. After reading Glenn Doman’s book, in 2006, “What To Do About Your Brain-Injured Child”, it was so unbelievably clear that this was the path for Kevin’s healing journey. We are so grateful to have had the expert guidance from IAHP and FHC. But, OH BOY, that road has not been easy. Which is not to say that there aren’t plenty of happy moments daily. I recently came across some pictures of Kevin and even some video footage of him in the early stages of doing the program (over five years ago) and OH BOY, what a difference in Kevin. Just like Glenn Doman said…”we have to look both ways, not just how far we have to go…but also how far we have come.”

Today is our 15^th Wedding Anniversary. So I was reflecting on this passage further and how it relates to my marriage with Jon. It was always clear to me that he was the one I wanted to spend my life with…there was never any doubt. But there have definitely been challenges, just as in all marriages.

Mark Nepo says in this same reflection that “it is often easier to butt up continually against these blocked pathways than to enter fervently the one passage that is so powerfully clear. In this regard, salmon innately model a healthy persistence by showing us how to keep nosing for the unimpeded way, and once finding it, how to work even harder to make it through.” This part of the reflection reminds me of our marriage. Jon and I were bumping up against some blocked pathways in our marriage in the early days of Kevin’s program. But through persistence we found the way and continue to put time and effort into our marriage. This has, and will continue, to make our marriage stronger.

Jon, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

I LOVE YOU

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My Blog

This blog was created to keep our family and friends updated on Kevin's healing journey. It is also our hope that others may find this blog to give help and hope to other delayed kids.

About Kevin

They told us Kevin would never walk or talk. But with lots of prayers, hard work, and extra hands, he began walking when he was four years old and we continue to have faith and hope as we wait patiently for his speech to develop. Kevin is now eight years old. He is diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy due to a brain-injury he had before birth that was caused by a stroke. In 2006, before Kevin was 2 years old, we found Glenn Doman’s book "What To Do About Your Brain-Injured Child" that had answers to help children with special needs and developmental delays. We began an individualized home treatment program for Kevin immediately and have been dedicated to our program ever since. We spent three years with the Doman family at The Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential (IAHP) and now we are with Matthew and Carol Newell at The Family Hope Center (FHC). Twice a year we return to Philadelphia where Kevin receives a neurological evaluation to determine the progress he has made in the last six months. Then they provide us with an individualized, program that puts me in charge to help Kevin develop and reach his fullest potential.

Do You Know a Delayed Child?

The best recommendation we can give to another parent with a special needs or developmentally delayed child (brain-injured, brain-damaged, mentally retarded, mentally deficient, cerebral-palsied, epileptic, autistic, athetoid, hyperactive, attention deficit disordered, developmentally delayed, or down's) is to read Glenn Doman's book What To Do About Your Brain-Injured Child and/or Dr. Coralee Thompson and Dr. Philip Maffetone's book Healthy Brains, Healthy Children. By simply reading these books, you will gain valuable information to help your child which will begin to unlock the potential your child has. And best of all you will learn that there are other options to helping your child that you can do yourself. We would also highly recommend attending the parent course at FHC or IAHP. To read how our journey began and the successful progress Kevin has had refer to the January 2010 blog archive.