Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Better Days

This was my Facebook status just now: "we just completed our 10th car ride in a row with NO SCREAMING! WHAT?! we're also on our 4th day without a meltdown!! Who is this big girl? ...and can we keep her?"

Last Wednesday seems to have been our last bout of car screaming. I don't know what has changed...the baclofen (more on this in a minute)? Her vision? Growing up? Does it really matter?! The fact is that I'm really enjoying quiet car rides.

A week ago we started weaning Sadie off the baclofen. Baclofen is a muscle relaxer that is often given to people with CP. She started it when she was 6 months old because the concern was that she was so tight in her legs all the time that it was stunting her hip development. And it really helped for a while, but she seems to have grown out of her high tone (tightness), and I'm not sure there is much concern anymore about her hip. Sadie's PT noticed recently (after our last go-round of movement therapy) that Sadie didn't have a lot of control over her body and suggested we ask Dr. Wendy about weaning her off the baclofen. The idea is that without the medicine causing her to be relaxed, she might gain control of her body and be abe to use it more effectively. This is exactly what we are seeing happen.

The last 3 nights Sadie has woken up around 5:00 or 6:00, I know this because I can hear her in the monitor. Not crying, just laying there clicking her tongue or "talking." She has even been able to put herself back to sleep in these situations. I am having a hard time sleeping during this time because I am waiting for the crying to start any minute. But it doesn't. I end up going to get her when it's time to wake up and she's usually just laying there all happy and smiley!

Sadie has not had a meltdown for the last 4 days. She has been happy with no crying for 4 days straight!! She has eaten everything I've put in her mouth without crying. She has laid on the floor and played by herself...even on her tummy. She has sat in Brian's office while he works and I sew and not said a peep. Who is this girl?!

But for the Grand Finale...Sadie took a nap in her bed for over an hour today!! I knew she was tired after therapy today, so I decided to experiment and put her in her bed with the pacifier. Suck suck sleep. I was literally there for less than 3 minutes. I didn't know what to do with myself. I didn't want to start anything because I was SURE she was going to wake up any minute...but she didn't. She slept for 70 minutes! What in the world?!

My only thought on all of this is...FINALLY!! I finally have the baby I was supposed to have, one that I don't have to hold all day and argue with to eat her meals. It gives me hope that we have turned a corner and I can't wait for Grammy to come next week and love on this new baby!

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