Miss K Memories - Part 3

Once we had confirmation that Miss K had Down Syndrome my research mode kicked in and I had to know everything I could. Somehow and I really don't know how I found a small friendly group of Homeschooling moms to kids of Down Syndrome. I actually joined that group before she was home from the hospital. That was a wonderful source of encouragement and hope. Woodbine has a number of books that talk about Down Syndrome. It didn't take long and those were on my shelves. One thing that I am thankful for is that we have a name and also for the amount of research that has been done. There is so much that is known and for that I am thankful.

In my research it didn't take long to learn that one of the things that helpful for an early start was therapy or as it is called in the US early intervention. How do I find that in a foreign country? August 12 when Miss K was a month old we went back to the doctor. She was still 6 pounds 1 ounce and I mentioned something about her not really breastfeeding so we were sent back to the 5th floor NICU help. The head nurse quickly said, "she needs therapy". "Yes, I know but how do I get it" was the question in my mind. She called the therapist who came up and evaluated Miss K and gave us some things to do with her. She then told us to come back in a month. She left the room and came back to tell us just bring her in and she will donate her time. So for 2 1/2 years she evaluated and told us what to do next.  God provided a therapist to help. I have a picture of daddy doing therapy but I don't think I will post it. You can tell she did not like it. It was one of those things that was not easy to do but was good for her.

Miss K was very alert and aware of what was going on around. It didn't take long for her to kick her kicking piano and make music.

She used to get mad at her stuffed animals and I think it was because she wanted them to do something and all they did was sit around.

I am thankful for people that were in our life when she was so young. Her doctors, her therapist, NaiNai and Pipaw, Aunt Becki, Auntie LiLin and others.

NaiNai and Pipaw came when we were told that she wasn't going to make it and it was there that she had her first sleepover. Miss K was 2 months old and we did not yet have her passport. Our visa expired and we were not sure what we were going to do but decided to go to Hong Kong overnight and then we would have at least 30-60 days to figure out what we were going to do. Since she didn't have her passport she didn't have a visa that was going to expire so she spent the night with NaiNai and Pipaw.

This was Miss K's 3rd birthday party in PA. Pipaw was working in Maryland that year and so they came up for her birthday.

Aunt Becki was a coworker and friend who lived on our couch. Well, she didn't live there but spent lots of nights there and we loved having her stop by our apartment. Our apartment was centrally located near the church, MRT station and just convenient so Aunt Becki would stop when she had time. Aunt Becki has a nephew with Down Syndrome and has a special place in her heart for children with Down Syndrome. Aunt Beck read lots of books to Miss K and taught Miss K to say "YESSSS" with a cheer like motion and she did it that way for a long long time.

Now Aunt Becki lives on the west coast which is too far away. Maybe Aunt Becki will move here and live on our couch again.

Auntie LiLin was the church secretary and she would call in the afternoon to see if "baby" was awake and would come visit or on our walks around town we would stop by her office if we saw the light on. Daddy knew LiLin when she was a student in Seattle. Mama knew Auntie LiLin before she even met Daddy. I think Auntie LiLin needs to visit because I can't find any pictures of her and Miss K.

There were so many people around the world who prayed and loved her. I am thankful for the people that were there in her life when she was so young I was going to use small but she is still small.