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We are here!

Saturday, we began our journey to Baltimore, for the Intensive Feeding Clinic at Kennedy Krieger Institute. Tommy, my mom, Kaydence and I successfully made it to Love Field and flew Southwest to Baltimore, where a nice lady named Lorraine would meet us and take us to our apartment. Kaydence was a great flyer! She climbed all over her daddy and was up and down in the seat, peeking over the tops at unsuspecting strangers. She manhandled the pretzel bags for the sound they made and watched videos of her siblings and random kids online. We snapchatted away as well. She only yelled a couple of times and the lady in front of us commented on how well she did.

Lorraine came and picked us up as promised. She manages Chase Street Properties in Baltimore, and they began as a company specializing in medical relocation services. She is an angel here on earth for sure. From the moment I spoke with her on the phone, I knew she was sent to help us. She brought us to our little apartment, explaining lots of info along the way, and then took us grocery shopping. We are sitting right by Inner Harbor and are just a few minutes away from KKI.

Now before we left, I think every test I could have, happened. I had quite a few orders to get finished and I had my days lined out and they had to happen the way I planned to get it all done. Low and behold, Wednesday morning, Abigail told me her stomach felt bad. A stomach bug was going around, so I kept her home. I took K and Wade to school and about 30 minutes later, I got a call that K was vomiting. There went my work schedule. My mother graciously came to the rescue and watched the girls while I worked some. I was a nervous wreck trying to make sure I got everything done before we left.  My aunt also died last week, but due to illness and trying to get us ready to go, I couldn’t make visitation or the funeral. I’m pretty certain my blood pressure was through the roof. However, we had some great friends helping out and bless Jennifer, she tried hard to alleviate my stress.

Checking Kaydence out of school Friday was a fairly tearful event. Lots of hugs. I think I cried most of the day. Possibly the hardest thing was leaving my grandma! I told her before I left she had better not get sick or do anything crazy while we are gone.

Sunday morning, Tommy and I went to Old Otterbein Methodist Church. This church was in existence 4 years before George Washington became President! Amazing church grounds. Beautiful sanctuary, but the church itself, the people, were exceptionally welcoming. We enjoyed a service so very much like church in Centerville and it felt like an affirmation that we are doing what we are supposed to do. I have said to God that if it took taking KK to the Jordan River and dunking her in it to heal her body, I will. This trip is the Jordan River. And she is about to be totally immersed.

So today, was day one of Kaydence’s Journey affectionately hashtagged #ChubupKK by my cousin Rachel. We walked in to KKI and were met by a very friendly security desk, who called my contact there, Kerri. She met us and took us to take care of some paperwork. Kaydence had a baseline check for weight (finally over 30 pounds!!!!), height, temp and an exam. Then we took Kaydence to a supervised play area. Kerri then toured my mom and me around the whole place. My mind was kind of dizzy. We then met our therapist, Heather. We sat with her and discussed all of Kaydence’s eating habits and quirky things. We talked about her preferred and non-preferred food and toys. Then lunch happened. They brought a tray filled with foods both preferred and non preferred. The therapists sat behind the mirrored window and I fed K. We repeated this at dinner too. Kaydence displayed her eating habits perfectly.  We had a moment to have a nap. HA! Hahahahaha! We were taken to a closet space to rest. It was cold but we had plenty of blankets and a pillow. I felt like I had wrestled a raccoon. She wouldn’t sleep of course, but she is not a napper. She wasn’t always happy in the play area, but I know she has to get used to new people. And they have to figure her out too!

Tomorrow I will be observed feeding her one more time and then they will take over. She will have lots of therapy while here and I’m excited. It will be hard on her, but therapy everyday versus 30 minutes once a week at school, is huge! When we used to drive to Dallas with her for therapy, they told us that if we lived closer, they would have her in therapy 2 or 3 days a week, but since we lived 2 hours away, once a week was all she could handle. I’ll be honest, there were times I wished we could move to a city just to be able to get therapy more often. Therapy is important in overcoming brain injury and physical limitations and it is hard to find in a rural area like ours. I’m excited to see the possibilities even though this is going to be hard. Please keep us in your prayers. And I mean ALL of my family.

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