Veronica’s Incredible Development by Rosita Whittaker

Contest Winning Video –
This article is a brief outline of my daughter, Veronica’s incredible development throughout her life. Thanks to In-Home-Support-Services, I’ve been able to provide a loving home, pets, education and therapy, as well as encouragement, hope, love and inspiration.

Veronica’s Incredible Development

See Rosita’s winning video entry below
I’m truly grateful for the program of In-Home-Support-Services and I honestly don’t know where we would be without it. Thanks to the financial support of this program, I’ve been able to participate in my daughter, Veronica’s incredible development. Veronica was born a totally healthy baby until she had her fourth DPT vaccine at age16 months. Within six weeks of her shot, she became paralyzed and was unable to lift her head, chew or swallow. She was hospitalized, tested for several illnesses and the doctors chose to diagnose her with Metachromatic Leukodystrophy, a degenerative brain disease, although all tests for it proved negative.

A gastrointestinal tube (“G-tube”) was inserted into her stomach for nutritional and medicinal purposes and the doctors sent her home for me to love with six months to live. Needless to say, she surpassed the doctor’s prognosis and within a year she started kicking her legs and moving her arms a little. She was still unable to eat with her mouth and lived on a formula called Pediasure followed by several medications including valium, chlorohydrate, baclophen, and Ritalin, to name a few. Her diagnosis was changed to a spastic quad with severe cerebral palsy.

Public schools were a nightmare and our homeschool adventures began when Veronica was ten years old. She was unable to speak clearly and was roughly communicating with her Dynavox and she had confided to me that a horrible incident had happened to her at her school, and she said if she talked, “he would kill her”. Her first words to her pediatrician mentioned his name and what he had done to her. Her pediatrician immediately suggested that I homeschool her. And so I did!

I didn’t even know that I could, legally. I was scared at first, but I found a homeschool group on a website and started asking questions. This group was extremely helpful and many of the members offered their individual experience and knowledge. They gave me the courage and confidence I needed. During this time we’ve been homeschooling, Veronica has learned various computer, reading and writing skills. She loves to write, and journals every morning before we start schoolwork. I provide speech therapy, just by talking with her, and I am able to understand the speed of her processing skills. I’ve learned to keep everything simple with lots of repetition, jokes and humor. I also provide physical and occupational therapy. I walk her with a gait trainer; (a special walker w/support for upper body), and we exercise her arms with various stretches, such as feeding the dogs treats over the balcony.

We have a little Terrier named Ziggy that we’ve taught to say, “HaaRow”, before he gets a treat. Veronica giggles and giggles! We have so much fun! She also uses her arms to pull herself and her chair around the balcony and back. I’ve taught her about her body and how eating healthy affects her health and happiness. Oh, yes and Veronica is free from any medication, and the “G” tube was removed three years ago. Although she is unable to hold a cup, she can drink through a straw and feed herself with supervision.

As I mentioned before, without In-Home-Support-Services, I honestly don’t know where we’d be today. Through my consistent love and support as a mother and 24 hour caregiver, Veronica continues to progress in all areas. She’s still afraid of men and terrified to be left alone. Veronica and I now have great verbal communication, and a friendship that I never thought possible! She tells me every day how grateful she is to be homeschooled and how much she loves to stay home with me. She tells me that we have a great life and I’m a great mom. Most of all, Veronica is safe and happy!