Around 6 months ago I ran into a SN mom (Special Needs) in the parking lot of our previous physiotherapy. Well I would say it was more along the lines of me running up to her and asking a million questions about her sons adaptive stroller/chair. I had been pushing for quite a while to get something similar for ladybug but nothing was being done. All I heard over and over was that she is too small and too young. I refused to believe this and was on a mission to do something about it myself. Talking with this mom was like talking to a close friend. There is a connection that parents of children with special needs have. I can’t quite explain it. We can all relate in some way or another to the hardships that each has been through.
As I was talking with this mom we began venting to each other over the lack of proper therapy that was being provided. She shared with me a wonderful bit of advice – take her to a private facility and try CME therapy. I’ve heard of this amazing therapy before – another child from our CDG family actually travels to Chile to work with Ramon who is the developer of Cuevas Medek Exercise to receive intensive sessions.
“CME, the acronym for Cuevas Medek Exercise, is a physical therapy approach for infants suffering abnormal developmental motor evolution caused by a known or unknown non-degenerative syndrome affecting the Central Nervous System.
This therapy can be applied to children from the age of 3 months until they achieve and control independent walking. Because the CME physical therapy practitioner needs to expose the infant to the influence of gravity, by providing progressive distal support, the use of this therapy may be limited by the child’s size and weight.
This approach was created and developed by Ramon Cuevas, Chilean physical therapist, during the early seventies in Caracas, Venezuela.” (http://www.cuevasmedek.com/cme_def.html)
I soon discovered that CME does to many children like my ladybug, what ABA/IBI therapy does for children with autism. It gives them a chance to do things in their lives that most likely would never have been possible. Another thing they have in common is the cost. It is so disheartening as a mother to see first hand the positive impact these therapies can have on our children’s lives and at the same time struggle and stress about how on earth one could possibly afford it.
I’m going to post a video of my daughter after a very tough week of helping to train new CME practitioners – it is very short so I suggest not blinking. BUT…it brought tears to my eyes and gave me hope that my ladybug will be able to put weight on her legs and stand and perhaps one day walk. (watch out for the pesky pop-ups they appear at the worst time just click the ‘x’ and they will go away)
For some who see this video they will question what the big deal is – so what she stood up. However, for most who know us and the struggles that ladybug has endured this far they will smile and get the same warm fuzzy feeling I did.
I know in my heart of hearts that this will work for my ladybug – she is stubborn, tough, and a true little diva who needs the extra push that CME offers.
This is where putting my pride aside comes into place. I have been struggling with reaching out for help or accepting help offered for quite a while now. Considering we now have the chance to book an intensive block session with a wonderful CME practitioner this coming new year, as well as the impending purchase of ladybugs adaptive stroller “Squiggles” (I’ll need a whole other post to share how fantastic the Squiggles stroller is) – I am letting go of this silly thing called pride and will be starting a fundraiser to help offset the cost of CME as well as the adaptive stroller.
I’m so grateful to a very dear friend who told me (paraphrasing) it’s not like I’m asking for help to buy a new pair of sneakers or a trip to Disney Land – I’m asking for people to take part in our fundraiser to help give my daughter a fighting chance at the best life possible.
Keep posted – within the next week I will talk about the “Squiggles” stroller and share all the details of the FABULOUS Fundraising ideas we have in store.
Little Ladybug Hugs 
AMAZING!!!!! and you caught it on tape . Can’t wait to see what ladybug does next.
I must admit this was the second time standing up – the first was just as amazing I had to have them try once more so I could capture it.
woohoo way to go little ladybug!!
It was such an amazing moment. I’ll have to try and capture more on video.
Absolutely brilliant!!! So happy that you are going to be fundraising!! Let me know because I want to help out and donate to such a very worthy cause!!!! Thank you for sharing!!!! Love you!!!!
I will certainly let you know. The great thing about the fundraiser that we are working with is that they will ship world wide. 🙂 xoxo
Let me know how we can help hun.
Absolutely – as soon as I get everything set up I will most likely post the details in the Little Ladybug Hugs Group.
That is absolutely amazing and beautiful to see. Keep us posted on your fundraiser
Thank you Fiona. Will do. 🙂
Hey! That is AMAZING!!! Yay Ladybug!!!! You guys must be so proud of her! Let me know if there’s anything we can do to help with your fundraiser. We would love to be a part of it!!!
I am so proud of her. Every little milestone fills my heart. Yesterday we were in town and there was a plush snowman that had different coloured bright lights in it and played music. For the first time ladybug smiled at, and reached for a toy. 🙂
If all goes as planned I’ll be posting the fundraiser info this week.