It truly feels like forever has gone by since I have last updated and yet so much has happened in this time. I'm going to rewind a bit back to the beginning of August. I went back to work on August 2, almost four months since having our little guy. It was definitely much harder on me than our little man, nonetheless, it has worked out great! I have to thank my blessings that I am a teacher and can leave at 3:30 everyday (despite all of the other stuff I bring home with me to grade!). The Friday after I returned to work, Chris took the little guy to his first spina bifida clinic. This is where we get to visit all of the doctors on the same day and the discuss the best possible plan for the future. I was heartbroken that I could not go with them as, of course, this had to fall on the day of my "Meet & Greet" at school.
Thankfully I have an amazing husband who recorded everything for me so I could hear it all for myself when he got home. At the clinic, we found out that Gabriel's calf muscles are weak which in turn leads to weak pointing reflexes in his ankles. Due to this weakness, he may need AFOs to help him walk but Chris and I have both agreed that at least he will be able to walk! He also seems to have a preference for his left side and as it turns out, he is not visually tracking to the right. This may be in part to the hemorrhaging the shunt placement caused in the back part of his brain but we are not certain. He also has developed a cyst on the right side near his collarbone which also could be causing some discomfort.
Other than that, he was evaluated by a program here in Florida called Early Steps which provides physical and occupational therapy in home. They believe that the tracking and left side preference is strongly related to how well he sees. Since he has met all of his physical milestones, they only want to provide PT once a week.
Here is a video of him "talking." :)
Almost 5 months!!
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