Thursday, February 26, 2015

Changes

We have been back from Florida for about 5 weeks.  Lydia is on her seventh week post super hip. I just wanted to write a quick blog-post to document and let other people know some of the changes I've noticed since we've been back.  Are they due to her surgery?  I have no clue, but they didn't show up until now.

Words:  Lydia talks.  alot.  It was almost like she got out of the hospital and started talking like a full grown person.  She speaks multiple word sentences.  She has an outstanding vocabulary.  She understands "in the past" vs. "right now", she can count apples, and she pretty much uses all parts of speech in her sentences.  (I'll ask her if something hurts and she will not only tell me what part of her leg hurts, but whether it hurts right now or in the past.)  I can't explain it, but her vocabulary and ability to talk is crazy and literally started once we left the hospital.  I spoke with a speech pathologist who tested her and she tested at the 3 year old level for cognitive and speech skills. The Speech Pathologist said (and it makes since) that since Lydia was restricted in her motor growth that she had no choice but to burst out in the cognitive sphere.

Stuttering:  She has also started stuttering.  Just in the last weeks.  I think that there is a little stammering in both my and Paul's families - all of which was outgrown - but still something to note since the interwebs say that it can be caused by trauma.

Nightmares:  I am pretty sure that Lydia is starting to have nightmares.  Nothing horrible I dont think, but she has been a great sleeper for the last year and only recently started wimpering in the middle of the night and screaming.  I'll ask her if she hurts and she says no.  Many times she is still asleep when I go in to see her and make sure she is okay.

Pretending:  One thing is for sure - The girl can make-believe.  The Cashes all have a wonderful ability to make-believe/pretend, so maybe she is just coming into a great part of her birthright.  It might also be tied to the cognitive jump - I don't know.  I just know that hide and seek, pretend fruit picking, princess play, and playing "Super hero" are some of her favorite new post-Florida play activities.

Acceptance:  I didn't know what else to title this part.  Lydia has a fighter's spirit.  It's been evident since the beginning, which is good considering what her life will look like for the next few years; however, Lydia has recently began accepting what she cannot fight.  It's both a good and bad thing, I think.  I don't want her to ever stop fighting, but I also don't want her to fight against something that . . . (I dont know what words to put here.  I hope you can get my feelings though).  Example:  long story short, Lydia had to have two staples put in the back of her head (yes, while she was casted.  parents of the year, I know.).  We told her their would be two staples, really quick. Lydia fought and cried as the Nurse Practitioner held her down and stapled the back of her head.  The second staple misfired. Lydia lost her shit.  I asked Lydia to look at me.  She did.  I told her that we had to do one more staple.  Lydia looked at me with that two year old ire and put her head down - voluntarily - for the second staple.  Don't get me wrong, she was crying.  Yelling.  She didn't swollow her emotions, but she did what was asked of her without a fight.  Part of me thinks that this trait will be a defining awesomeness of her in many years to come.  In any event, I add it because it wasn't a thing and now it is.

If any more come up, I will add them.  Everyone in the PFFD/CFD blog-osphere seems to talk about "changes", without any real specifics.  So, here are ours - all in one place.

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