Veronika’s Entourage

This morning Veronika and her entourage(Me, her teacher from ECIS, her physio, Occupational therapist, and a OT student for good measure) visited the school Veronika is going to for kinder next year, to meet with Principal this morning….to see what needs to be done to make the school ‘Veronika friendly”…..Mummy is feeling incredibly overwhelmed, but very Blessed at the same time to have such a great team supporting Veronika’s transition to school….

…way back after Veronika’s first brain MRI at one week old, when we were told Veronika would never walk, one of my 1st thoughts was she wouldn’t be able to go to the same school as her brothers, because it’s on the side of a hill, and there are stairs EVERYWHERE….

and by EVERYWHERE I really mean EVERYWHERE…

every corner we went around, yep there is another set of stairs there too….

Veronika has been using her walking frame heaps. She is getting so much stronger, her endurance is improving every time she uses it….

but we all know walking frames weren’t designed to go up stairs(or down them for that matter), or across grass, or across pine bark….

but yes we are very Blessed that Veronika has such a great team supporting Veronika’s transition to school. There is SO much to think about, and work through…mobility is only ONE part of it…
but as I said, just over 4 years ago when Veronika had her 1st Brain MRI when she was only a week old,

Veronika's first MRI...age 1 week....they didn't need to sedate her for it, as she really didn't wake up for the 1st 2 weeks of her life...

tiny Princess in such a big machine...

to see what had happened and what the results were from the stroke she had before she was born….

and we were told she would never walk….

after my 1st gut reaction of  ‘that’s not fair, why can’t she just have down syndrome, why does she have to have brain injury as well….why are you saying she will not walk….because thats not fair….its not ok for Veronika to have a duel diagnosis…..its just not fair…..’

after my 1st gut reaction…..my mind raced to ‘but she wont be able to go to the same school as her brothers, because it’s on the side of a hill, and if she can’t walk, well how can she get around a school on the side of a hill with stairs EVERYWHERE’

a LOT has happened over the last 4 years….

but Veronika will go to the same school as her brothers….

and I am completely overwhelmed by the work that needs to be done to make this happen…

and my goal as it has been since that 1st brain MRI,

Veronika Will Walk into kinder on the 1st day of school in February next year….
my goal that I have had for the last 6 months or so, was that she would walk in without a mobility aide….

it’s still my goal, even if she will use her walking frame up to 1 step before the door, and just take 1 step thru the door way….it brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it…

I know there are a lot of people who will be just as proud of Veronika as we will be, on that day in February 2013….

There are a lot of people travelling this journey with our family….and for that I am grateful.

Dont take for granted what your children are capable of…if they can talk be grateful, if they walk be grateful, if they eat be grateful….if they can do all 3 be even more grateful….but most of all NEVER underestimate what your child is capable of….

If we had of given up those 4 years ago, and thought oh well they say Veronika won’t walk, why bother trying….well I just can’t even think about it….

lets just say never ever give up hope, anything is possible….