My son is brilliant. I love the way his mind works, jumping from one cool discovery to another. I love his strength, the way he’s risen through adversity and allowed it to make him stronger. From the first summer of his life when his colic was so severe I questioned whether either of us would make it through, to when he was body-casted at 28 months as a result of a severe femur break.
Though he still remembers almost every detail of his hip spica cast, it’s now a thing of the past. While my little guy had to learn to walk all over again and worked hard for two and a half years to be able to run and keep up with the other kiddos his age, I’m now so proud to report that he has officially finished with physical therapy!
It’s been a long road, a bit of messy road, and there is no way we could have trod it without the encouraging, smart skill of his physical therapist, Melissa Geffers from Austill’s Rehabilitation Services. You see, my son is a sweet, neat kid, but he is stubborn. No idea where he gets that from…If he gets a notion into his head that he doesn’t want to do something, forward progress can be tricky at best. Nothing makes his resistance more apparent than situations that are fearful to him.
Learning to jump and ride a bike can be scary for any kid, much less one with his disposition and the resulting challenges of his break. He needs someone who can be endlessly patient, but who can be firm in pushing him on to new goals. Someone who is wicked clever at tricking him into trying new tasks in the form of creative play and games. Someone who makes him work, but makes the work fun.
I feel so blessed that God brought Melissa into our lives two summers ago. She was just the person we needed and He knew it. Through her work and instruction I saw my son grow in ways I was never sure he would. Melissa is also just a very, very neat person. For two years, she has visited our house weekly and accepted us for all that we were. She put up with my fussy toddler daughter, my unwashed hair, the millions of teeny Legos all over our carpet, our psycho chocolate lab, and the fact that my preschool son sometimes was simply having a bad day, like preschoolers tend to do.
I was touched that Melissa always brought little gifts for not only my son on the holidays, but my daughter as well. Both kids got to squee together over bubble and sticker time at the end of our sessions. She got to know Isaac’s best friend and my Mother’s Helper. During her visits, Melissa updated me about all the exciting things in her life and patiently let me babble about the latest books I was reading. She truly treated our whole family with her therapy, befriending us all, and teaching us new skills that we could do together to help Isaac.
That’s his name: Isaac. It means laughter, and I will never forget Melissa’s part in helping my sweet, smily boy get one of the most precious parts of his childhood back–running around laughing. Because he can run now, you know.
****Melissa, we love you and will always be so grateful for what you have done for our family. So excited to see all of the wonderful ways you bless others with your talent and all of the beautiful things to come in your own life!*****
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Jen says
This is great!
Meredith says
Thanks, Jen 🙂
Helen Ward says
Thank you so much for your comments about my daughter! Yes I raised that girl and it makes me so much prouder when I can see the work she is acommplished with your son. You see she too grew up with a sister who has special needs and to see her help your son is so Thankyou againuplifting. He is special in so many ways be proud of him and of yourself because if it were not for you too he could nothave acommplished those goals! Thank you again I cry but not in saddness tears of joy for you and your family!
Meredith says
Helen, thank you so much for checking in and sharing this! And for creating such a beautiful daughter!
Janine Huldie says
Aww, I am so happy that your little guy had such a wonderful person like Melissa to get him through this and couldn’t even imagine what that must of been like. The colic, I get though and felt bad enough for you reading you went through that and then this on top of it with your boy. I really just wanted to reach through the screen and give you a big old hug to he honest!
Meredith says
Taking that hug because I know you get it, Janine! xoxo
Ashley @ 3 Little Greenwoods says
Hey Sweet Lady! Thanks so much for sharing your son’s struggle and triumph with us. So wonderful to hear he is doing so well and that you guys found such a talented, loving therapist.
{big hugs}
~ Ashley
Meredith says
Aw, Ashley, thanks for such kind encouragement!
Frugalistablog says
What an amazing tribute to someone who did so much for your family! Go Isaac, so proud of all his developments and what he’s achieved. Yay you momma!
Meredith says
Thanks, Frugie–Melissa was such a Godsend!
Stacey @nursemommylaughs says
I loved this heart warming story, but loved even more the comment from Melissa’s mom. Full circle of the wonders of motherhood! Yay!!
Meredith says
I know, Stacey–beautiful that she shared that!
Mary Miller says
I have known Melissa since she was a very young child. I have watched her grow into an amazingly beautiful , intelligent.and compassionate young woman! I credit a lot of that to her Mom! *who is also amazing*. I am so proud of her , seeing this written about her confirms everything I have thought about her for many years. Man young children would have been jealous of the attention given to her sister but her mom would not have that . She LOVED both of her children so very much that it had to come out in a positive way in their adulthood. I agree , your family was blessed to have gotten Melissa to work with your son and befriend each of you. That is the woman she is and I love her to death! I don’t have to hope she will continue this way , I KNOW she will be this way for the rest of her life..
Meredith says
Mary, so wonderful for you to share this here and it makes me so happy to know that Melissa and her family have such wonderful loving friends!
Sharon Dozack says
Thank you for sharing your families experience! First of all, I am sooo happy for your son Isaac. He was blessed to have one of the very best and caring therapists. I’ve known Melissa since she was born. Her mom, more lovingly known to me as Helcha, and I have been friends since junior high school. Melissa has always set her goals and reached for the stars. She has always had priorities in her life and I’m so proud that she has and continues to achieve them. It is kind words of thanks that help make what we do in life worth while. Wishing you and your family nothing but the best that life has to offer.
Meredith says
Thank you so much for your kind words, Sharon, and this outpouring of love for Melissa and her family touches me so much! We have been blessed to have her in our lives!
femmefrugality says
Oh, you made me cry again! We know how big a difference it can make having a good therapist versus just a therapist…thanks for being a great weekend one, Melissa!
Meredith says
Femme, thanks for cheering Melissa on with me–we love her!
Barbara Cianciulli says
This made me smile. Thank you for sharing.
Meredith says
Thanks for being such a supportive fellow mom, Barbara!
Joan says
Made me cry, too! What a neat tribute to someone who has truly blessed your family. And SO proud of Isaac’s accomplishments! 🙂
Meredith says
You’ve been there through all of it from the beginning. I love you, friend!
Cynthia Gabriele Sprouts Consignment Boutique says
Beautiful!
Meredith says
Thanks, Cindy!