reply about preemies

Gary Shuman (gshuman@ix.netcom.com)
Wed, 27 Mar 1996 10:36:22 -0800 

Dear Gary and Anne,
   Thank you for returning our letter. Since we just moved here from 
Dallas we have so few acquaintances, so it is nice to hear from 
someone.
   Carly has done so well over the past few years -- it seems so 
unbelievable that she started out as she did. Some days her CP seems to 
jump out at us and we have to constantly correct her. Lately her arm 
has been tensing up her arm when she eats, or various other one-handed 
activities. She completely withdraws her left arm and fists her hand, 
so we have to remind her to place her hand in her lap or by her side. 
She does this quite willingly, but we do feel like we are on her all 
the time too. Even her 9-year-old brother is starting to sound like us 
and that is something that we have been trying to avoid. Since she 
discontinued therapy thru the public schools, her gait has become 
rather "stompy". She did not do this while she was taking ballet, so we 
thought we would try to enroll her again.
   Have you considered Mommy and Me classes for Anne and Vincent? 
Although Carly could not always do what was suggested she did benefit 
from the socialization and wanted to try to keep up. I think this made 
a hard worker out of her. Other activities that really hepled were 
hop-scotch, miniature golf, and jumping on the mini-tramp. I realize 
that maybe your little one is a bit young for some of these, but they 
are something to look forward to. Also hyppo=therapy, or horse-back 
riding. It is so good for balance and rhythm. 
   But the up-side is that never has anyone asked about her disability. 
No one ever notices -- we would like to think it is because of all the 
hard work she has done. Maybe not. But we will never know -- I would 
rather err on caution. We feel that sometimes we make more of an issue 
of her CP than need be. She does not think there is anything she can't 
do, so maybe we should let her keep thinking that. As a result she can 
swim without assistance, roller-blade, ride a bike, play base-ball (her 
real love), and dress herself. The future looks brighter the more work 
you invest. NEVER GIVE UP!!!!!!
   Hope to hear from you soon -- and keep looking up. And remember, 
your instincts as a parent are your best clue, even better than those 
doctors. Do what you fell you need to do and then don't stop until you 
drop.

Sincerely, 
Stacey and Gary