Leading the Blind

Last week we visited Tennessee School for the Blind. This was a trip that I have been hearing about for about a year. I’ve known it was coming, but I had no idea what to expect. There was some anticipation with a touch of dread mixed in about this trip.  The purpose of this visit was an evaluation. That single word is too small to really describe what all took place, really. Christian was evaluated on pretty much everything. His vision was checked (no brainer, but they did have an ophthalmologist just take a look, to confirm his vision impairment. It’s always good to have it documented on paper.) The school AKA TSB also brought in physical, occupational, and speech therapists, vision teachers, orientation and mobility specialists, assistive technology experts, a psychologist, and just an entire array of specialists to do this evaluation. He was ranked against other blind children his age to get a more accurate measure because it doesn’t really give us a good picture to try to co

     February 18th, 2012 will mark a huge occasion for our family, so I MUST share it with my readers! Our amazing little fella will turn the BIG 1!!!!! I remember the first few days after he was born, thinking about a year from then, where we would be, and how we would get there. And here it is already. It is so bittersweet to me. I was overcome with joy and love when Christian was born, but also with fear and heartache at his diagnoses and the pain he endured in the first few months of his life. I am overwhelmed with joy that he is growing and doing so well, but I am also a little sad that he is growing so fast.      We spent February 18th to March 15th, 2011 in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, which is by far the main reason that I don't like it now. As sad as it is to say, we were treated terribly during our stay. We encountered way more hatful people than kind. With the exception a few doctors and nurses, most were sterile to the fact that my heart was breaking for my new b