Tough Decisions

We've had lots going on. Hudson had some assessments done at speech these last couple weeks. He's starting to learn his vowels which our SLP said is really good for him to start to increase his speech. 

We had a meeting today which included the lady in charge of daycare, our ECIP lady, our school principal and a pre k coordinator to discuss hudsons needs when planning on enrolling him into pre k. 

They have applied for a grant to have him come to daycare 1-2 times a week and have someone there to be with Hudson. 

Pre K is changing this fall also. The daycare currently runs preschool and they get funding through the school district. In the fall, the plan is to have the school run the pre K. Everything is just in the works currently. The only disadvantage is that if we enroll Hudson in, he would be enrolled through the ministry of education, which results in him loosing his SLP services through our health region. He would have to start seeing a SLP through the school. We were informed that the SLP's are there every other day which was very reassuring as well that they are very good. It's just going to be a really hard decision. We will have been with our current SLP for a year this May. We really like her, as does Hudson. It would just be very beneficial for Hudson to attend pre k.

We have a very hard decision to make in this next month 😕

The picture I posted tonight is from a couple of days ago when Hudson and I spent most of the morning playing with his "speech" toys while Quinn was at school. 

Our life

I So it has been a very long time since I have written anything. Don't think anyone follows my blog anyway. 

It's been 4-5 months now since I sent our letter to our MLA regarding Hudson's speech services with the lack of funding. I never heard back. 

I saw on Facebook I'm the last week or so a lady from Ontario created a petition online because her daughter is in a similar situation. 

It's so heartbreaking hearing these stories. Our children sit here and suffer through this and we as parents feel helpless that we can't do anything about it. 

We have been going to speech therapy every other week now. Instead of doing it every week for 10 weeks and then 10 weeks of a break. This way we have continuous speech therapy. On the off weeks we have ECIP come to our house. 

Currently both our SLP & ECIP are working with PECS. Which is using pictures as a different form of communication. They've found kids who use this program have great success. Here's hoping he continues to speak more and more. He has caught on so much on this. This past week when we went to our SLP appointment he immediately grabbed the binder she uses for his pecs. He's definitely learning. Last week our SLP suggested asking occupational therapist about him possibly having apraxia through his fine motor skills. We see OT and PT the beginning of May. 

It's so hard going to see all these therapists. I'm so happy having our SLP. She is absolutely amazing. Hudson loves her and has a very good connection with her. The one day after our appointment he ran up to her and gave her a hug and kiss and said "bye" before we left. It's amazing to see the bond he has. And he looks forward to his sessions with her.

We have recently seen Physio regarding his walking, running, jumping, standing on one foot, doing buttons, ect. She did an assessment about a month ago and he failed almost all the activities. It's so heartbreaking seeing him suffer and not be the same as kids his age. We have our next appointment the beginning of May. Occupational Therapy wants to see him that day as well. It's wonderful getting the services. It's just hard. Part of me wants to just say no. I want to believe he doesn't need to see them. It's just so unbelievably hard. Because I know he needs to be seen and it's for the best. I just wish he was a normal boy. Wish we were having normal conversations with him, not worrying anout him falling down stairs, not worrying about him having any kind of gross motor skill challenges. 

I have been reading a lot about children with Apraxia of speech (CAS) and it's still a learning process. I find myself wondering very often about of future and what's it's going to be like. I wonder if he will still be struggling with his speech when he's 10 years old, 15 years old or even struggle as an adult and have this worry for the rest of his life. I often wonder if he will ever get married? Have children. Will Apraxia affect him forever? 

We are in the process of getting him into preschool. Would be great for his socialization to be with kids that will someday hopefully be his friends and classmates. I'm happy for this to get rolling, but I'm so scared too. What if they pick on him because he is different and not like them? Do kids that young bully their friends? Often makes me wonder. I was picked on almost all through school. I don't know why I was picked on. Just was never accepted as a "cool" kid I guess. Maybe I wasn't outgoing or because I was shy. Hudson is just like me. He is so shy. I just hope he will be accepted and not have to worry about being picked on like I was. 

I've just been feeling so many emotions lately. Like a Rollercoaster. Feels like my heart breaks piece by piece every week when I sit and think about our life and his. 

Just so hard. I hope he will outgrow this. But I think hoping for that to happen should be more like a dreaming 💔

On the other hand I should be happy it's only this. There are worse things that he could have. So should be thankful for that!!

We will fight and fight for this! 

I've joined some apraxia Facebook pages. A couple of Canadian ones and one not Canadian. Can't believe how many families are going through this. One of those things you never know about. Wish that there was more awareness. I found out tonight that Apraxia Awareness day is May 14th. I want to get shirts made for this day. We will be wearing our blue shirts! 

I saw Calgary has a Apraxia Summer Camp. Something I thought was neat. There are walks too that raise awareness but the closest ones are B.C and Ontario. None in Saskatchewan. I thought it would be nice to connect with some Canadian families going through the same thing. Even Saskatchewan would be wonderful. 

I am posting a picture from Hudson's 3rd birthday. He had a minion party. He says mimian 😍

This is all I have to write for now. I will try and update more often.