My son, Corbin, started feeding therapy today at the Kennedy Kreiger Institute (KKI) Feeding Disorder Clinic. I should technically say that “we” started feeding therapy today because it is going to take a very many of us to make it all work.
For one, there’s me. I will be there with him pretty much every day for the next 6-8 weeks. There is my husband, who will have to pick up a lot of the slack around the house while I spend my late evenings trying to catch up on work since I am not really going to be able to get into the office much and I still have tons to get done. Speaking of work: huge shout-outs to my incredibly patient and understanding business partner for always caring most about family and well-being. Also props are owed to my staff as well for holding down the fort while my side of the office remains dark for a bit. And let’s not forget the family members who are willing to pick up a day or two if there is need, and the amazing outpouring of support from friends all around. Phew….can’t get much luckier than all that, really.
So, overall, the first day went pretty well. Everyone we met – staff, therapists, aides, other parents – were friendly and welcoming. We were greeted with many smiles and encouraging words. We received a lot of information, and to be honest, not all of it was clear at first. I feel like while there is so much to cover in a short period of time, a few more descriptive handouts would have been helpful for me to keep reviewing until I was comfortable with my understanding. I may eventually mention this.
I enjoyed the opportunity to chat with a few of the other parents and briefly learn about their experiences. I really enjoyed hearing about their successes. I mean, that’s the point, right? So hearing about kids who now eat over one hundred foods, or who are leaving the program two weeks early, or who have taken to every new food or protocol offered, allowed me to breathe easier about entering Corbin into this program.
And to throw it back to how lucky we are again for a second….I met families today who are staying in the Ronald McDonald house because they live on the other side of Maryland, or in another state. Or in another country. We live 40 minutes away, with traffic. And while we may have to wake up extra early, rush around a bit more to get lunches made and sunscreen on, and fight traffic on I-83, we also get to sleep in our own beds, relax at night on our own couches, and stay together as a family.
So while I am heart-poundingly nervous and head-achingly stressed out, I am also breath-relievingly aware of just how easy we have it and how lucky we are.
Day 1 is in the bag; only 39 more of them to go.
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