Doctor visit

Today was Shi Yu's check up with Dr Handler. She is the doctor that oversees everything. She was impressed with the flexibility Shi Yu has gained. It really is tremendous. The problem is more the muscle tone. Muscle tone comes from the brain and in cp it is that part of the brain that was damaged. The tone in her abductors (they are at the hip joint) is very high and is causing the scissoring of her legs which cause her to step on her feet while trying to walk as well as walk on her toes.  She really believes Shi Yu will walk. In the meantime she wants her to be fitted with another apparatus that will help separate her legs and help her walking. She is also referring her to another doctor, a physiatrist, that can help this with botox shots. The botox will paralyze only parts of the muscle and help decrease the high tone. They will put her to sleep for these shots and they last about 6 months. It was all pretty much what I expected to hear except for the new apparatus. But everything is temporary to reach the goal so it's ok. Dan was pretty quiet when we left. I asked him what was wrong and he said he didn't know. That he keeps hoping someone will say they have the miracle remedy for her. I felt bad for him. He loves Shi Yu so much.  I told him the road is just a little longer but the outcome will be the same and she will be fine.  And she will be. She will be the best that she can be and that's all that matters. She is already so amazing and smart and funny and loving. And very determined.Shi Yu has made it through being abandoned on the street, surviving an orphanage in China, surviving medical issues that most would not have survived, so I know she has got this! Just takes time and hard work. We went out to eat afterwords and as a treat night her a new book and some pretty spiffy sunglasses in hopes we will see spring soon lol.

Therapy and more

Yesterday Shi Yu started swim therapy. Daddy took her because this mama doesn't own a bathing suit and wouldn't be caught dead in one!  I thought she would love it.  The water is heated nice and warm! But no. The second the therapist took her that was it. I don't blame Shi Yu though. She is still very least of new people and then you through in a swimming pool of water? So it turned into a kind of get to know you affair. Today she had her speech evaluation at the place she now gets her physical and occupational therapy. It was so much more realistic then the first place she had it where it was completely ignored that she had only been in this country 2 months, was just learning English, had never been out of an orphanage and therefore couldn't pick out a picture of a race car, orange, cow, bunny etc.. she lived the therapist. And I have to say the therapist fell in love with her lol.  Ask of her therapists think she is so special (yes I am bragging). It's not just that she is so cute, it's the drive and determination she had as well as how easy she is too work with. They can't believe that she came from the god awful place she came from and it's such a happy sweet little girl. Sometimes I can't believe it either. She is such a quick learner!  Sorry, hit side tracked in my pride. Any way, The speech therapist assessed her and feels she will be taking up a storm in no time. So we will be adding speech therapy to our busy schedule. Right now she has physical therapy twice a week, occupational therapy once a week, doctors appointments in between, as well as dealing with other agencies offering help and now she will have speech therapy one or two times a week. We are very busy lol. But each time she goes to one of these things means more improvement. And I love it. Dan is still wonderful about bring at any appointment he can. He is a great daddy. He just adores her. And she adores him.  We got good news from the blood work the neurologist did. No lead poisoning , no fragile x syndrome, and no something else he tested for.  She was also tested for intestinal parasites (common in China adoptions) and some other weird things and all tests came back negative.  Wow, this was going to be a short post. Not sure what happened lol. But it's all good news!