The boys are about to be 8 months old (scary) but are 5 months corrected age. For the past four + weeks now they have been attending the Bell Center for developmental delay. The Center has done such a great job with them! It's crazy - their appointments are in the morning, they come home WIPED-OUT and later that afternoon they are doing something a little more than they were just hours ago. When they are with the therapists they are the only kids in the room - so they are getting total attention. The therapy includes stretching (toes to mouth, pulling shoulders forward), playing with reactionary toys, mirrors etc. They have helped for instance with changing the habit of favoring their right sides. While in the NICU most nurses are right handed so it was human nature to lay, feed and hold them a certain way (also didn't help that they were there so long), we knew that at the time. After awhile the left side of their necks got very week so when they came home we had to hold them differently while feeding them, lay them a certain way for naps and bed time, etc. At the Bell Center they work on building strength and changing habits among many things. If you were watching a session you would think they are just rolling around on the ground with them and handing them toys. After awhile you notice they are "working' them over and are very specific about physical and social interactions. Its great. After awhile the boys conk-out!
Jill took the boys yesterday and when she was leaving they gave her a medal from the Mercedes Marathon? To our surprise someone ran on their behalf to raise money for the Bell Center and had given their marathon medal to them. I almost cried when Jill told me. It's one thing to make calls on behalf of non-profits, of which I appreciate and do, but to actually give yourself physically for a cause? It just never hit me so personally. I really was touched.
Through this short time in the boys lives they have put me in a position to learn a lifetime of experiences and I will forever be gratefully. The sacrifices that I have seen people give has forever changed me. Thank you Andi.
www.thebellcenter.org