Finding Maddux: December 2007

One semester down!

One semester is down for our amazing Maddux. She has adjusted well to being

mainstreamed and has surprised us with her transition and her ability to make friends. I go to eat lunch with her often and it is nice to see the 5th graders say "Hi" to her. Everyone knows Maddux. She received her first report card yesterday. She is on a steady pace upward and is improving everyday! Miracles happen for her and for us everyday! Her teachers are so talented and patient and are the reason she has done so well! THANK YOU!

Fall festival

Words written on a page for us means so much more than it does to anyone else. Anything that comes home that Maddux drew or wrote gets laminated or put in a frame! It goes far beyond the act of just writing. It is the control she has learned to hold the pencil, the ability to look one page and copy to another and the fact that she can read it after she writes it goes beyond our most powerful dreams for her.

Ken's Korn Maze Field Trip

Maddux and her class took a field trip to Ken's Krazy Korn maze in October. Maddux's friends "know" she needs extra help and they follow her around and make sure she stays with the class. It is nice to know her friends care for her almost as much as we do!

Her Seizures

Our journey began when Maddux had her first visible seizure cluster at 15 months. After an EEG, her final diagnosis was a rare type of infant seizures called Infantile Spasm Epilepsy. Commonly misdiagnosed as reflux. Her prognosis was that her physical and mental state would not be above mental retardation. After months of trying to find out what was wrong with Maddux, a mother's intuition, we finally had a diagnosis. We were happy to finally have a label so we could start her treatment. After 3 years of different seizure meds, hospitalizations and a special diet, her seizures are now gone. But we consider her in remission. We will never forget the shots of ACTH, the blank, over-medicated stares or the first day she went without 100 seizures. Every night we thank God for giving us another seizure-free day. Even though that was the hardest part of this journey, she was still our Maddux!

But it was our own eyes that saw these great things the Lord has done. Deutoronomy 11:7

Her Diagnosis

During our battle with Epilepsy, Maddux began to slip away from us. Her words stopped, her smiles stopped and she acted as if she were the only one in the room. The toys stayed on the shelves. I would have given anything to have toys to clean up. It was like the love was gone from her eyes. Maddux used to not answer me because she was having a seizure and her brain couldn't "hear" me. Now she was not answering me because she just didn't know the answer. When Maddux turned 2 years old she was diagnosed with Autism . Devastating, yes, but now we could take this diagnosis and find her and bring her back. Even with that label she was still our Maddux.

He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted. Job 9:10

Her therapy

Maddux started therapy at 18 months. She began her treatment with in-home OT and PT and as she got older she graduated into Early Intervention. She was in a full day program at Pediatric Therpay Network in Torrance, CA where she had one on one OT, PT and SLP classes as well as group sessions. Words can not express the miracles that happened behind the doors of that center everyday. Maddux was able to work with the most wonderful, caring and knowledgable people who changed all of our lives. I dedicate all of her progress to these wonderful people who I hold dear in my heart. She has come so far and I can not wait to see what lies ahead for her! She is still our Maddux!

I will remember the deeds of the Lord, yes I will remember your miracles... Psalms 77:11

One semester down!

Fall festival

Ken's Korn Maze Field Trip

Jaime Lackey Photography

Our Maddux

Her Seizures

Her Diagnosis

Her therapy

Books I used for resources

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