That was fun while it lasted

Today is Monday and that means another therapy day.  Last week, neither therapy was very good.  He wasn't much interested in the eating, and he was just not having any part of physical therapy.  So today we set off once again to see how it would go.  He did a little better with OT and eating, but still not as good as he has been doing.  But the PT is where it all goes down hill.

Since I posted a few months ago about how well he did during a PT session, I was hoping to be able to build on that and have a lot more good things to tell you.  But there hasn't been much.  It seems that each session since has steadily declined and we are at the point now where he won't do anything that we want him to do.  Today, I had enough of watching him.  I know the things he is capable of and he is just not doing any of them in therapy.  I can tell by the demeanor of his therapist the last few weeks that she no longer knows what to do with him either.  She has continued to try, but nothing seems to work for him.  I don't know if it's the therapist and he's just not relating to her, or if he is just really that stubborn and just doesn't find any of it interesting.  So today I made the tough decision to discontinue his PT for the time being.  This doesn't mean that we won't start back again in the future, but for now, it's not worth the time or effort being put into it, because he is taking nothing away from it.  He does better on his own at home.  Both his therapist and I agree that something needs to be done about his sensory problems in order to make progress in his gross motor skills.  I would say that it was fun while it lasted, but it really wasn't. 

Today I came home in search of a solution for this.  My immediate thought is horse back riding, or hippotherapy.  Since I struck out with the place closest to us last week, I decided to call the place that we tried 2 years ago and see if I can make any headway.  I spoke to a lady at one of their locations and she informed me that they don't do hippotherapy because they do not have any licensed therapists on staff.  They only do therapeutic riding, which is different.  I'll explain in a few minutes what the difference is.  But she told me she would contact the lady at the other location and we could have an evaluation and see if therapeutic riding would benefit John in any way.  I asked the lady if she knew of any other places in the area that offers the hippotherapy and she gave me the name Joy Riding Program.  This place is located in Magnolia, which is probably about an hour's drive from here.  They have licensed Physical and Occupational Therapists on staff.  So I called them for information.

I spoke with a very nice lady named Lee, who was extremely helpful.  I felt like I was finally making progress.  Lee went over what they do and it all sounds great.  I was a little misinformed about what hippotherapy really is so it was nice to get a clarification on it.  Of course they don't have any spots at the moment, but she felt confident that he could get in for their 7 week summer session and then it would be a possibility that something would open up for the fall so he could continue riding.  So my next step is to fill out the registration packet and send it back so that they can set us up for an evaluation.  After talking with Lee, I am much less discouraged than I was when I left TCH this morning.  And I should add that on my way home from therapy, I prayed and asked God to help us figure out the right path for John and to provide him the opportunity.  Of course, God being God, he seems to be answering that prayer right away.  Although we aren't officially enrolled in the program, I know God is working and that big things are on the horizon for John.  I'm learning more and more each day about just how mighty our God is!

I want to share with you a video that the Joy Riding Program has on their website.  The video is about 12:30 long and it explains the difference between therapeutic riding and hippotherapy and it also explains all of the things that hippotherapy does.  Talking with Lee did make me feel better, but watching this video made me hopeful of all of the things John could accomplish if we can just get him on a horse. 

Please pray for us and for John as we continue to search for ways to help improve his gross motor skills. Pray that God will open the doors to the right program that is going to help John make bigger strides toward his potential.  Also pray that we will continue to trust in God's perfect timing and to know he is leading the way.  I read this morning about God leading the Isrealites out of Egypt and away from Pharoah and I was thinking I could really use a pillar of cloud to lead me in the direction he wants me to go.  But I have faith that if I seek his guidance and listen, he will show me the way.