Gage is finishing up his third and final week of intensive physical therapy. I can’t believe how quickly 3 weeks have flown by, and Gage has been surprising me every day with his progress.
A few months ago, I asked our pediatrician to make a referral for therapy. As we transitioned out of First Steps and were no longer receiving weekly therapies in our home, I thought anything extra we could do for Gage would be good. At an initial evaluation, the therapists started talking about intensive therapy. I assumed that meant 2 or 3 times a week. When they explained that it’s 3-4 weeks for 3 hours a day, 5 days a week, I think my jaw may have dropped!
The idea was totally new to me, and I was worried about trying to do too much. I told them I didn’t know how Gage could do school, feeding therapy and that much extra PT on top of it all, especially since he still needs an afternoon nap. They explained it might work best to take some time off school so Gage could use his best hours in the mornings for the hard work he’d be doing. Ultimately, that’s what we decided to do. Before I knew it, Gage was getting a second round of Dysport injections and 3 weeks of intensive physical therapy were scheduled shortly after.
I wasn’t sure what to expect. With each new treatment, there are many unknowns, and I try to manage my expectations and not get my hopes up too high. Of course I want the best possible outcomes, but don’t want to be disappointed because of the measures of success I’ve built up in my head. So I tried to go into it with an open mind. I thought there wouldn’t be any harm in extra therapy, and I was fairly certain Gage would win over the PTs with his adorable personality, a hunch that proved to be right.
So for the last two and half weeks, each weekday morning the boys and I make our way to a pediatric therapy gym. I’m pretty sure Caleb thinks we’re there for his benefit. This place is like a kid’s dream, filled with toys, big mirrors and lots of open space. As soon as I set Caleb free from the captivity of his stroller, he takes off to find his favorite ball, flirt with the other therapists or try to make friends with other kids. Gage gets to start off with a good stretch or massage, all while watching his favorite You Tube videos! Caleb and I usually sneak away for part of the time so he can squeeze in a quick morning nap (he’s not quite ready to let that go, and I’m definitely not ready for him to) and Gage gets to work. While I’m away, I get picture updates via text and they never cease to amaze me because he looks SO BIG! Check out this stud!
I was hopeful that Gage would make progress over the weeks, and he has! But what I wasn’t expecting was the benefits I would get out of giving this a try. Those benefits have come in the form of new relationships with the therapists who work with Gage. He is lucky enough to get the expertise of 2 different therapists working with him for different parts of the week, and I’ve been extremely lucky as well to get to know these incredible women.
Companionship from Gage’s therapists is not new to me, as I had the privilege of connecting with all his First Step therapists while they worked in our home and truly loved and appreciated each one of them (and miss them dearly). But I’m always amazed at the way God gives us just what we need when we need it. In just a few short days, I felt like I had known these women for much longer. One is a new mom with an incredible heart and a contagious love for Jesus. The other is a special needs mom with the insight and understanding that comes from experience, and a wonderful example of a true advocate for her kid.
As Gage has gone through a few weeks of intense therapy, I’m reminded how intense God’s love is for his children. He always provides, always, whether by encouragement through old friendships and new connections, or the medical help and therapy my kid needs. Gage’s therapists push him to do repetitive stretches and exercises, building strength and reinforcing muscle memory. Perhaps God is giving me the same cues over and over again – constant reminders of the truth – that He’s got this. He’s in control and He will take care of us. I’m not sure why it’s so hard for me to let that sink in and trust in Him, but I’m grateful for the constant reminders of His intense love.
“May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ.” 2 Thessalonians 3:5