Kevin's Healing Journey: A Very Special First Communion

Monday, November 30, 2015

A Very Special First Communion

To say that Kevin’s First Communion on Thanksgiving day was very special doesn’t even begin to describe this blessed day for Kevin and our family. We could feel the love of everyone that was with us at the Mass, everyone that was with us in spirit, and most of all the love of Jesus’ presence with Kevin and all of us. We are especially grateful to Father Jim for approaching us about Kevin making his First Communion, for his compassion and understanding, and for making this day with all who participated and celebrated in the Mass (3 Priests and the Choir!) so personable and memorable to us. Our out of town family was so impressed with our IHM family and how you embrace Kevin and make us feel loved and accepted as a full member of our church. Kevin has the title “special needs” associated with him, meaning “different from what is usual” but our family and friends make him feel special as in “greater or better”. Kevin’s special needs require us to adapt our life and sometimes it feels as if we miss out on “normal” life experiences but here at IHM and especially for Kevin’s First Communion the people of IHM show their love of Jesus by surrounding our family with so much love and support that “my cup runneth over”. It was very meaningful to us to see so many who have been a part of Kevin’s journey celebrate this day with us. Some of you prayed for Kevin, many of you came to our home to help with Kevin’s program, some of you still come to help with Kevin’s home program, some of you helped prepare food for Kevin, some of you built crazy devices to help with Kevin’s healing, some of you helped us financially on Kevin’s healing journey, some of you made Christmas time extra special for us, some of you walked in our door exactly when we needed you, some of you are new friends that will share the next stage of our journey, and some of you only know us from sitting in the front pew. We thank you all for showing us so much kindness over Kevin’s 11 years and for always supporting us with your love and prayers of hope. God has always provided for our family by surrounding us with faith filled friends and family.

I wanted to add a few more things I didn’t mention above.

The Gospel reading for Thanksgiving day was from the Book of Luke when Mary visits Elizabeth and Mary’s Psalm of Praise, the Magnificat. The theme of joy and praise were very appropriate on this blessed day.

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior for he has looked upon his lowly servant.”

This was easily one of the top favorite days of my life. There were so many times during the Mass that I was struggling with the tears of love that were filling my eyes. I loved watching Kevin and his cousins bring up the offertory gifts during the Mass. At the conclusion of the Mass, our church family gave Kevin the most loving and extended applause - and my tears spilled - and the tears still come to my eyes every time I think of it.

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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.