May 14, 2014

The Beauty of Apraxia - Apraxia Awareness Day 2014

Hi friends!  Sorry I'm posting so late, my husband had surgery yesterday, so I've been so busy taking care of him and my two girls that I'm just now sitting down to the computer.


Today is Apraxia Awareness Day!!  It's been amazing to see my Facebook feed light up with blue - for Paige and for all of the other sweet children who are fighting this battle.

(For those of you who don't know, my 4 year old has Apraxia... you can read our story about it here).  


I've been thinking something for a few months now.  Apraxia is odd.  It's something I hate.  I HATE that my daughter has to suffer with it's evils.  But deep down (really deep down), there's some beauty in it.

If you would have told me that there was beauty in Apraxia when we were first diagnosed with it, I would have wanted to punch you in the face.  So for those of you newly diagnosed families reading this, be patient with me... keep reading.

Because of Apraxia...

  • I value the simple things... hearing my daughter say "I love you", seeing another child grab Paige's hand and invite her to play, the value of days I don't have to take her to therapy and the power of knowledge -- so many amazing professionals have dedicated years to learning ways to help kids just like my daughter.  To them I am truly grateful! 
  • I've made so many friends that I never would have originally been connected with.  They are inspiring moms who want to fight like the dickens for their children.  They are professionals who go above and beyond to help families in any way they can.  
  • I am more patient and understanding of others.  Whether it's the screaming child in the grocery store (maybe they have Sensory Processing Disorder?) or it's the pain of a friend, I am more sympathetic to their trials and what they are going through. 
  • We should make the most of our challenges.  As much as I don't want to admit it, life is meant to be hard.  If it wasn't we wouldn't learn and grow.  If we never grew, we'd never become something big and amazing.  We all go through some really hard challenges in life, but if we follow the example of all of our Apraxia kids, we'll make the most of this challenge and rock it.  We'll go above and beyond to become something grand.  

A year ago, Paige couldn't say the word 'up'.  But today, she's talking up a storm.  She's mostly understood by both myself and strangers.  We still occasionally have to play the guessing game to figure out what she's saying, but each day it gets less and less.  Sometimes when we are practicing a word or a sound that she's having a particularly hard time with (right now it's the 'N' sound), she'll get frustrated.  I'll tell her it's okay and that we can take a break, but she always insists on trying more.  She amazes me day after day!  

Words can't really express enough how even though I hate Apraxia & what it's done to my child, it also has a special place in my heart. 

Apraxia is awful.  Apraxia is strengthiening.  Apraxia is special.  Apraxia is beautiful.

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For even more Apraxia posts, check out our Apraxia Awareness Link Up!

4 comments:

  1. Life was meant to be hard. If it wasn't, we wouldn't learn and grow. LOVE that line Michelle!

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  2. This is beautiful, sad and inspiring at the same time. Thank you so much for sharing it on the Pintastic Pinterest Party!

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  3. A very touching and interesting article. I have never known about apraxia before I read this post. Thank you very much for sharing.

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  4. such a good perspective to have. Great post.It is so amazing to watch our children grow and talk more and more.

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I actually really love it when you comment! ;)

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