On the Road Again

I haven't posted since Riley's terrible night last week, but I'm happy to say it isn't because it's been a bad week. After we left Duke Thursday afternoon, we went through Mooresville, NC to stay at our friends Shannon and Rich's house to break up the trip home. Joel was already convinced we shouldn't stay and just go straight home because Riley was going to keep everyone up all night. I convinced him to at least stay over night so we didn't have the full 7 hours to drive. Riley had a great night. Probably since he hadn't slept the night before, but I was willing to take it any way I could get it. When we got up Friday, we decided to stay another night so we could take Riley out on the boat Friday afternoon. We had no idea how he would do, but were thrilled when he loved it! We still weren't able to get his coat off of him, even under his life jacket in the hot sun, but nevertheless, he enjoyed the boat ride.


We had another good night's sleep and a quite drive home the next day. We have continued to ween Riley's meds, as well as adding prozac, and we have been thrilled with the changes we are seeing in Riley. He is sleeping well, he is a much happier little boy, he is walking more and better, and his eyes are actually open all the time now. We thought he was keeping them closed since he can't see, but apparently, he was just very medicated.

We met with Riley's team of people who have been putting together his IEP (Individual Education Plan) at Apison Elementary School on Wednesday, and they are awesome. Riley will begin school next Monday in a multiple disabilities class. I am very excited about it, but it break my heart to visit his classroom in the students in it. I think when your child is not born with a disability but rather develops one, it is hard to adjust your thoughts and plans of everything you expected and wished for for your child. I always knew Riley was very intelligent, very good athletically, and very charming! I just knew he would go very far in life and be very successful. I am not saying that I don't still have hopes and dreams for him now, but it is just different. I really have high hopes that starting school will be another positive step in Riley's life.

And that brings me to now. We are at a cabin in the mountains of Pigeon Forge for the weekend. We arrived yesterday evening and are here with my mom, brother, sister and brother-in-law. We just saw them all 2 weeks ago when we stopped for a couple of nights in Spartanburg on our way to Duke. No one could believe the change in Riley over the past 2 weeks when we got here last night. He is doing so good! We just hope and pray that it continues and he continues to get better and better everyday!