Rambling about Ryder: 3 down 2 to go!

Sunday, January 22, 2012

3 down 2 to go!

Day 21 today and tomorrow we enter our fourth week! It feels so good to have the bulk of this behind us. I am trying my very hardest to keep positive and just take it all in. I am still really homesick but I am choosing to switch my focus.

Ryder is doing great and already, I can see so much progress. Today I watched his Ability camp application video, that I made just a few months back and I am shocked at how far he has come. Since getting here he has gained a lot of balance, the first few days in their backwards walkers he needed someone to steer him around. Now he just takes off down the hall all by himself. He can steer into doorways and even throw his weight to completely turn himself around to go the opposite direction. He can even walk backwards!! lol I have also noticed he can stay up on his feet for longer periods of time. Before he would prefer to crawl and now if the walker is there he will crawl to it pull himself up and just go! His vocabulary has probably quadrupled and he often talks in sentences now too. I know Tyler is just going to be blown away when he sees him. Will be an exciting day for sure :)

Wish us luck for a great week!!

1 comment:

AnonymousJanuary 22, 2012 at 6:24 PM
Off to see Jordan, I presume. Good luck to you and Ryder this week, I miss you both so much. Love you lots, Mom xoxoxoxo
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Ryder's Story

Ryder and Wyatt are our identical twin boys that were born 12 weeks premature. They suffered from a "rare" disease called Twin to twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS). TTTS affects 10-15% of identical multiples sharing a single placenta. Basically what happens is there are crossed vessels in the placenta forcing one baby to have way too much blood, nutrients & oxygen and the other not enough. Left untreated this heartbreaking disease has a astonishing mortality rate of 90%. Unfortunately I was not diagnosed until I had already gone into labor at 24 weeks gestation so not much could be done. Thankfully the doctors were able to stop my labor and we all made it to 28 weeks. The boys entered their nicu fight together but sadly on their 24 day of life we had to say our goodbyes to sweet Wyatt. Our hearts broke in a million pieces but somehow we picked up a few and continued our fight for Ryder. Ryder stayed in the nicu for 67 long days and was finally able to come home 2 weeks before their anticipated due date. It was a bittersweet day for many. We were told by every doctor that Ryder was just a "normal" baby and not to worry. I never felt right about this and knew there was something more to come. When he was 11 months old he was diagnosed with Spastic Diplegia Cerebral Palsy. Our hearts broke once again and we were left to wonder what his future would hold. When we started this blog Ryder was 19 months old and still could not sit, crawl or walk unassisted. Since then he has made tremendous leaps but he still has a long way to go. He see's his physio therapist and occupational therapist twice a month and speech pathologist once a month. This is what our government will offer and we don't feel it's enough. He has so much determination and we know given the proper tools and therapy nothing will stop him. With your help we sent Ryder to Ability camp in January 2012 and there are many other treatments and alternative therapies we want to give him the opportunity to try. Thank you for supporting Ryder and following his journey!