Get ready for the premiere of Josephine, MEDEK and Azriel: The World Tour. Yes, folks! After many long days and nights of wishing for more MEDEK videos, the producers of Josephine are proud to show off the stunning successes from Sessions 21-27. PREPARE TO BE AMAZED (I know I am EVERY day)!
Session 21 (The Ramp)
Session 24 (The Balancing Thingy – the technical term)
Session 25 (The Steps)
Session 26 (Out of the Boxes INDEPENDENTLY!!)
AND FINALLY…
Session 27 (Up and Down the Ramp ALL ALONE!): I would recommend watching this one and then watching the video at the top of this post to see the fabulous progress Josephine made in 6 sessions. Tell me this little gal isn’t INCREDIBLE!
I know, I know…Where have I been? What has been happening with Josephine? Where is she going to school? When is she going to school? So many questions. And all will be revealed in due time…Well, maybe not. How about now? Do you have your coffee and doughnuts ready for a nice read???
SCHOOL
I am proud to announce Josephine is the latest addition to P.G. Chambers School in Cedar Knolls, NJ!
First day of school is September 8 and that is the first day I will be a mess! I know this is best for Josephine and for me, but my heart is still all aflutter at the thought of my J-Bean being in school. Yes, I am counting the days until she can start this new chapter in our lives, but I also know I will be wishing for her to be back at home for the first few days…or at least first few hours…teeheehee!
I WILL be following the bus on the first day, as suggested by the head nurse and Josephine’s teacher. And I WILL be bringing my husband along because I know I will not be able to drive to and from the school, unless I can somehow manage to hold back the tears (both of joy and sadness).
Regarding the services received at P.G. Chambers, Josephine will be getting 3 sessions PT, 3 sessions of ST, 2 sessions of OT, a bus aide, a personal aide and air-conditioned transportation in her wheelchair to and from school. We will also continue with MEDEK privately with Azriel 2x a month.
WOW! I really can’t believe that day is almost here.
I truly have to give major props to the caring and patient staff in the West Orange School District Student Support Services Department. I was honestly prepared for a battle like no other after hearing about other parents’ horror stories with their districts.
From start to finish, Josephine’s placement process was top notch! Our Case Manager, Alexis, was outstanding and went out of her way to give Josephine the schooling she needs and deserves. The Student Support Services Director, Connie, is caring and treated us like people, not a number in the district.
Will we always have great success every time an issue appears? Maybe, maybe not. But I hope this thoughtful approach continues on, even if we DO have to butt heads a bit.
I am most happy to report Josephine’s new love, Corn on the Cob! Certainly taking after her ole’ mom’s love of that golden glory, especially with butter and salt. Hungry yet? Love this video of her attacking her first cob…
Oops! Guess who found out that concrete and faces don’t mix too well??? It seems our little Josephine decided to get ahead of herself during her PT session and got a bit too close to the ground…2 bloody lips and 1 possible broken nose later…
Carrie Underwood’s song has been in my heart since Mother’s Day 2008. I was on my way back from visiting my best friends, Janine and Jeffrey, in Massachusetts. They burned Underwood’s album, Carnival Ride, saying I would love it. That was an understatement.
I popped in the disc and headed back to NJ, with Little Sheldon in the back, sleeping from a long weekend with his best friend, Miranda.
Neither my hubby or I wanted to find out if the Bean-To-Be was a boy or girl. And I hadn’t really been clear with which one the baby could be. Until this song came on…
I heard the song, my heart was filled with butterflies, tears filled my eyes and I knew…I didn’t know, but my heart knew.
Fast forward 3 years later (almost to the day actually)…
I was driving up to MEDEK in New Milford and was in the mood for Little Miss Carrie. Popped in the disc and relaxed into the 30 minute drive.
All-American Girl came on. But now things were very different from 3 years before.
My mind started racing about Josephine’s future. Would she marry the high school football star? Would she have a daughter of her own?
Tears welled up in my eyes, as they did in May 2008. But these were not tears of joy. These were tears of fears, tears of the unknown. Tears of tomorrow’s possibilities.
Then I caught myself.
STOP!
Stop with the predictions. Stop with the unknowns.
I looked at the little girl in my back seat of the 2008 Saturn Vue and relaxed knowing my girl is who she is…An All-American Girl. Perfect in her own way. Perfect as God made her.
Enjoy the song and think of Josephine while you listen. It’s an amazing experience.
Truer words were never spoken. I’ve seen this on several web sites for kids with special needs and it’s perfect!
“God doesn’t give children with disabilities to strong people;
He gives them to ordinary, everyday people,
then He helps the parents to grow stronger through the journey.
Raising a child with special needs doesn’t TAKE a special family;
it MAKES a special family.”
I thank God every day that I am the mom of Josephine Betty Joy. The mom of one amazing little gal!
Just in case anyone was wondering, the stomach flu is not fun. Not fun for a kid, not fun for an adult and certainly not fun for a toddler with special needs.
**(Not to be read on a full tummy)**
Josephine was hit mid-day on Saturday with a nasty fever of 102.7, followed up by 5 hours of vomiting. 5x changing of Josephine’s clothes, 2x changing of Mama’s clothes, 1x changing of Daddy’s clothes, 1x cleaning of the front door, 1x cleaning of the bathroom (various surfaces)…OK…you get the point. There was no fun happening at the Senek house that day!
The main reason for this post is to share the importance of getting the special needs child to the ER when something like this occurs. We didn’t think Josephine was so bad at first, but after the 7th explosive episode in 4 hours, we knew we had to call in reinforcements.
Dr. Silverman (Pediatrician) strongly suggested heading to the ER, especially since she has the “failure to thrive”/weight issue and slightly compromised immune system (comes with the chromosome disorder territory). After the major loss of fluids (I’d say AT LEAST 8 oz or more), Josephine was very dehydrated and needed an IV to improve her levels.
St. Barnabas Medical Center’s Pediatric ER is wonderful. We were in very quickly (fortunately, this is only our 2nd visit in almost 3 years) and the doctor started her on fluids and anti-nausea medication immediately. The nurse also gave her a Tylenol suppository, which brought her fever down almost immediately. Blood work and a urinalysis ruled out any serious illness or infection and the doctor settled on a stomach bug.
Before the supplemental fluids, Josephine was super tired and almost limp like a rag doll. After the fluids, she was her perky and happy self…AND SUCH A JABBER BOX (check out the video at :35 – the punchline in her head must have been hilarious…)
Always listen to your heart…a parent ALWAYS KNOWS!
Look out world! Josephine is now a whopping 22 POUNDS!!!!! We are officially over the hump of 20 pounds. In fact, our little principessa is sooo big, she was able to STAND ON HER OWN on a big girl scale at the Neurologist’s office. Who’s the proudest Mama ever???
