Kevin's Healing Journey: August 2017

Saturday, August 26, 2017

Lifebanc Gift of Life Walk - August 6, 2017

My Mom, Dad, and niece Sara came to visit us the weekend before Kevin was admitted to the hospital for six weeks of intensive rehab. It was a nice hurrah to have family with us that weekend and they were able to come to the hospital that morning to help ease the transition...and help carry all our stuff.

On Sunday, we participated in Northeast Ohio's Gift of Life Walk on the grounds of Blossom. By participating in the walk we honor my Dad's heart donor who gave him the gift of life four years ago. We hope our participation will help raise awareness of this great need for people to register as an organ donor and reduce the wait and number of people in need.

Balloon release to honor donors and recipients

More July Photos and Gratitude

I want to express my gratitude again to all our friends and family that helped us during Kevin's home recovery during the month of July. I had taken this photo of our July calendar to remind me of how blessed we are and how God provides for us all of the time. And I absolutely LOVE the people God provides for us!

This is Nick, who helped me take Kevin to the pool every weekday for two weeks after his casts were removed and before he started inpatient rehab.

And this is Rita, who helped me nearly every weekday morning for six weeks with morning duties.

Thursday, August 24, 2017

Art on August 19

Regina was so kind to visit us in the hospital and do some art with Kevin.

She leaves for college this week so we won't be seeing her as often.

Making a colorful tree to add some color to our hospital room

and drawing more circles

Art on July 27 - Northeast Ohio Rocks

Kevin's first art session after his casts came off and able to sit at the table again...and his last art session at home before going into the hospital for intensive rehab for 6 weeks. It was a great way to have a painting celebration and it was so much fun for all of us!

Northeast Ohio Rocks
Step 1 - collect rocks during walks and hikes
Step 2 - paint the rocks and have lots of fun
Step 3 - hide the rocks in your favorite spots
Step 4 - find a rock and re-hide

Hey, I thought we were supposed to be painting rocks
- not faces and hands...silly!

It's a rock painting party!

Messy! Messy!

Kristen's rocks

Mom's rocks

Hiding our rocks

Met some friends along the way

Right there Regina

The first rock we gave Kevin to hide was Kristen's Christmas Tree rock...and Kevin threw it in the pond...LOL, that's what we normally do with the rocks when we go for a trail walk.

Art in July

We continued to have art sessions while Kevin was in his casts during the month of July.

July 3, 2017 - Puppet

Kevin was so silly with Regina during this session.

July 11, 2017 - Thank You Cards; Coloring;
DRAWING CIRCLES FOR THE FIRST TIME!

First time - CIRCLES!!!!

July 14, 2017 - Tissue Paper Flowers and Vase

July 18, 2017 - Mod Podge Jar; Drawing Circles

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.