December 12, 2012

Scholarship for ABM

  Last week we got a letter in the mail stating that the scholarship that I applied for for Sadie was granted!  I am so totally excited.  The therapy that I have her in is called ABM (Anat Baniel Method ).  Since Sadie is not your typical developing child, I didn't feel like the traditional physical therapy was appropriate for her.  ABM is absolutely amazing.  As I have told you before the Dr's told me not to expect much from her, "she probably will not achieve milestones".  Well that is all that this mama needed to hear.  It lit a fire underneath my rear end bigger then the wild fires in Colorado.
  However, my search led no where.  Everything kept leading back to traditional physical therapy, at least until Sadie gets older (I was looking to see if aquatic or horse therapy or some kind of random therapy would benefit her).  "OK! I'll except it, there is nothing else".  Then one day as I was searching for feeding therapy ideas (cause at the time Sadie still had her NG tube in her nose for feedings) I saw a short little sentence about ABM.  "What is that?"  I google it.  Something similar to physical therapy, but a different approach AND it helps to improve the mind. "Hmmm, this sounds interesting. Sadie could definitely benefit in improving her mind and learning how to use her body".
  So I started to look more into it.  The more I learned the more I realized I had to get Sadie involved in this.  At first I thought I was going to have to go to California because that is where Anat's practice is located.  I talked to my husband about the whole thing and we both agreed that some how we were going to make this work for Sadie and I to go to California.  We both will do anything and everything for this little girl.  So we started trying to figure out how this was going to happen and unless we won the lottery sometime soon, it was going to be awhile (a looong while) before we got out there.  That was not good enough for me.  When I want something, I want it NOW (I'm a little impatient sometimes).  So I kept searching and that is when I found Amy Geib (Geib Movement and Wellness).  She is an ABM practitioner located in Portage, MI.  I contacted her and learned more about ABM.  I was so excited after talking to her I wanted to start Sadie that day.  However, she couldn't see her for another week .  I was bummed, but like everything else with Sadie I just have to wait.
  This was one of the best decisions I have made for her (and for me).  We have been seeing Amy since August and we have seen such a huge change in Sadie.  It is very obvious to us (myself and Amy) that Sadie wanted to move she just didn't know how to coordinate herself and what muscles to move.  Amy started working with her at that first visit.  We literally could see her learning and trying the things that Amy was helping her with right away.  It was amazing and brought tears to my eyes and I knew that this was going to work and be perfect for her.  Amy even said that "Sadie is so smart".  No one (besides family) has ever called her smart.  Generally, people do not use smart and special needs together in the same sentence.  The words kinda threw me off at first, but at that moment I realized that was something I needed to hear.  I really only heard negative stuff about her.  So to hear this.... I can't even explain to you how I felt. 
  When Sadie started she could barely hold her head up to a 45 degree angle for a few seconds and she only wanted to be on her belly.  Today, 4 months later, Sadie is able to hold her head and upper body up to a 90 degree angle for a pretty long time, it's the start of getting into a crawling position.  She is also able to role from both tummy to back, and back to tummy (she is slow at it and does it in parts, but she does it).  She will also pull her legs up underneath her, but not at the same time as her arms pushing up yet.  She LOVES being able to move herself.  Sadie gets her biggest pirate grin on and scrunches up her whole body in excitement.  I LOVE IT!  I wasn't sure I would ever see it.
  I would recommend to anyone and everyone to check out this method.  It is for all age groups, for all types of people, all types of disabilities and gives you so much hope when others don't give you any hope.  As for Amy, she is an incredible person.  She knows what she is doing, has become a wonderful friend, and treats Sadie with love and respect. Again I would recommend her to anyone and everyone if you are in the southwest Michigan area

 
Sadie rolling over!
(It's kind of a long video, I don't know how to edit it.  Sorry)
 
 

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