A Year, A Journey

It was a year ago today that we got the DNA results that Abby was officially affected by Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy. That it was the cause of my 6 year olds vision loss. It wasn't just Abby but much of my family that could be affected one day. My son, myself, my sisters and my nephews.

Abby thinking

Its been a journey. At first the journey seemed to be full of does,diagnosis and the mystery but really the biggest challenge is living day to day. Its making sure Abby gets the best education she can. Its making sure that she can acieve every thing she was always meant to do. I have realized that my little girl isn't that little anymore more and she can really handle this.

Abby putting leaves in her hair

 A year later she is reading and doing amazing well in math. She still struggles catching up to her grade level in reading but I KNOW she will fill the gap quickly. Tonight she did her math homework almost all by herself. She asked what the questions were (there was only two) She then put paper in her brailler and answered it all on her own. She didn't want any help. I am so proud of Abby. I am proud of both my smart children. She has been enjoying not only reading with her me but with her father. She loves to share with us the contractions she knows. She loves it when she knows things that other people don't know. The future seemed so scary a year ago. Now it just seems like a maze that we may get lost going the wrong direction every now and then but we will find the way out and I KNOW Abby's future is bright.

Homemade Tactile Drawing Board

I made Abby a tactile drawing board.  This is not an idea I made up myself. Actually parents and teachers have been making these for years.   I saw one at the NFB convention in July.   Its simple and Abby loves it.  Sometimes with kids its the simple things.

I realized a few days ago I had all the supplies at home to make one so it didn't cost me anything.  If I had to buy materials it wouldn't have cost that much money ether.  

All I used was

a piece of cardboard larger than a piece of paper (I used to because mine was thin)
Duct tape
screening (like window screening)
scissors (to cut the screening and cardboard)

I had this coated plastic screening already but the metal stuff would have worked great too and I still may do one using that kind of screening.  Different materials would give a different texture and impression.  Abby has used crayons, colored pencils and markers on hers already. She gets excited about how different they all work with it. (when you flip the paper over you can feel the picture on the other size)  You simply color/draw over the screening.  It doesn't just give a the user texture feel but it makes a sound when use it and it vibrates the writing instrument while in use.

I like being able to do things like this for my daughter.