Changes

Yesterday Ally started attending an outpatient day clinic at Boston Children's Hopsital. It was a pretty difficult decision for Becky and I to enroll Ally in this program, on pain management. But Ally has been in pain, constant daily pain, since October. It got better for a while and then in early December it got worse and has been persistent and frustrating and painful. 

So this beautiful, strong, brave, kind, smart and innocent 9 year old, who visited the Easter Bunny last week 

Is this week taking a break from school to spend 8 hours a day in various therapies to enable her to be a kid again.  Yesterday Becky and I took the day off and brought Ally to the clinic and spent the morning there meeting her new attending physician, her psychologist, her occupational therapist, her recreational therapist and her new physical therapist. Oh and the nurse who staffs the program. We arrived at 8am and left Ally at 1130. We returned to pick her up at 345. Today and for every week day for the next 3-6 weeks I will bring Ally to the hospital at 8:00am and return at 3:00pm. From 3-4 are family sessions, twice a week family counseling and the other 3 days physical or occupational or recreational therapy together. Becky was able to work her school schedule to be there for the counseling sessions, and might be able to make a few of the others as well. In addition on Wednesday I will attend parent education sessions from 12-3pm. 

A huge time investment. Thankfully our health insurance pays for the program itself. But this is an amazing place, and Ally needs this to learn how to deal with her pain and resume her pain-free life. 

Ally is doing pretty well with it. It's hard for all of us. But for this girl I'd do anything

Even let her fall asleep sleeping lengthwise across the bed. I did move her eventually.