Day 14 of Better Hearing and Speech Month
You Are Not Alone - Apraxia Awareness Day
This morning, I got up and put on my blue 2012 Apraxia Walk shirt and Bee-bee met me in the kitchen wearing hers and we took our picture and I posted it on FB. Cha-cha was still sleeping as I left, but his blue shirt was waiting for him. I brought to school (my work) more ribbons to replenish the ones that were taken in the teacher's room yesterday so more of my coworkers could wear them. As I was writing my morning message, FB was exploding with messages from CASANA, Apraxia Kids, and the friends I've made who also have children who have Apraxia. Posts and pictures from friends and their kids, Cha-cha's daycare provider, and friends sharing other statuses about Apraxia, made my heart soar.
Yes, it sucks to have a child who has this neurological motor planning disorder, but the biggest message that I got from today is that we are not alone. There are other children out there and other moms just like me, who are fighting for awareness and pushing for better treatments and therapies to help our children. There are some friends who don't even really know what Apraxia is, but today, wearing that ribbon, they supported Cha-cha and what he goes through every day. Seeing the ribbon on coworkers who work on opposite sides of the building, who I barely see, made me smile and even tear up that they are with us. They are learning what Apraxia is about and they too want the best for children who have this disorder. Hearing about how my school psychologist and how she explained to a kindergartener why she was wearing a ribbon today was pretty amazing. Having a coworker ask me how Cha-cha was doing and progressing made me proud of our efforts. Seeing my principal explain to our new principal candidate and Superintendent about how our school joins together to support each other, as she was wearing a ribbon and pointing out a picture of "Cha-cha" - priceless. Hearing Bee-bee explain to her after-school counselor about what Apraxia is and how it effects her brother - amazing.
I feel very fortunate to have such great family and friends - and an extended family and friends in the Apraxia Community. We may not always agree on what therapy is best or what diet works with our kid this week or what brand of Omega-3 supplements you should/shouldn't be giving - but we're all trying to figure this out - together. We are not alone.
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