My Beautiful ROBPI Daughter Chloe

[Chloe's mom]

I have thought long and hard whether or not I should take my daughter in for surgery should it be needed, but I face the same problems as the other parents who post on these boards, how do I KNOW if she does NEED surgery.
Let me tell you a little bit about her. She was injured at birth and we were told it was a clavicle fracture, the docs never took any x-rays, and the next day the neonatologist came to my room and told me she had some type of a palsy to her right arm and that it should heal up in a couple of weeks. Her arm lay completely limp at her side with some spontaneous finger movement when we brought her home.
Now for some great news, she is now three months old and while laying down she can lift her arm up and move it above her head, she wiggles her fingers like crazy and opens and closes her hand a lot too. She still can't grab onto anything and hold it, but we constantly try, all the PT's we have seen say she is doing good, but want to try to get her to start doing more (of course). She has great shoulder support while she is on her tummy and can lift her entire head and chest up off the ground, she doesn't like it very much, but I think it's important enough to keep doing it with her because I am hoping that if she puts enough pressure onto that arm maybe she will start to feel some sensation in the other parts of her arm that she isn't moving.
We saw a developmental Therapist and (now it's my turn to brag) she said that my daughter is extremely strong and smart. She kept asking me if i was sure my daughter was only three months old, and continued to tell me how she was very advanced for her age. Do you know how good that made me feel despite her injury, my daughter is beautiful and smart. I know that no matter what happens surgery or not I KNOW that Chloe will be okay because she has family that loves her.
That doesn't mean that I am going to quit doing what I am doing to help her along the way, but i think that I have just really come to terms with the fact that this is not the end of my life or hers. I used to cry because I wanted my daughter to grow up and play the piano and the violin like her mommy and her grandma (a one family orchestra hehe) I thought she would never be able to do those things. Look at Beethoven he was deaf and composed symphonies.
I guess what I am trying to say is that my daughter is not limited by her injury she can live a full and happy life, if at anytime in her life she were to be limted it is because I have not opened MY mind wide enough to think of all the possibilties, our children can do anything as long as we are there helping and not hindering them for fear they might hurt themselves.

I hope that this was somewhat of a positive message.
Life is too short and we need to enjoy it while we have it.
I leave you with this....
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thouroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "WOW, What a Ride!"

[admin]

Beautifully said!!! It is wonderful that Chloe is doing so well!!! Im sure you are a great mom, just by listening to what you said. She is very fortunate to have you!!

[Chloe's mom]

I just wanted to bump this back to the top.

[Lenni]

Amen, beautiful and wonderful ! I couldn't agree with you more and have a very similar philosophy .

Bless Sweet Chloe and Congratulations,

Lenni

[katep]

Chloe's mom,

Your post struck a chord with me, too. Our son is advanced in his development in many ways, the therapists keep saying. I think it is because he has had to be so creative with the muscles that DO work that he's learned very early that you can make things happen if you are just clever enough about it.

And he is exceedingly friendly and happy, too. I always say this is because since he was born all he had to do was wiggle his fingers to make mom jump for joy! From his perspective, that must be a pretty nice life

Kate