Yesterday I had our first IEP meeting with the school district.  An IEP is an individual education plan for children with special needs.  I have heard horror stories of school districts not being forthcoming with much needed services so I did a little legal research in preparation.  I went into the meeting with faith that they would have Jackson's best interest at heart but also very prepared to do battle if needed. Fortunately, I did not need to go full lawyer on them as they were truly amazing!  Based on an assessment that had been done several weeks before they had a great plan in mind to assist us with his much needed rehabilitation.  Jackson will be starting a special education preschool class for physically disabled children.  It is five mornings a week and includes speech therapy twice a week, adaptive PE twice a week and aquatic therapy once a week.  He will also be continuing physical therapy.  The preschool is run like a typical preschool with songs, letters, stories and circle time.  They will also help us work on re-potty training him.  I think the program is going to be very good for him but I would be lying if I didn't admit it also brings up a whole range of emotions for me.  I am a little nervous that he is going to be away from me in the mornings and not tucked safely in my arms.  I am a little excited that he gets to go to school and play with other kids.  I am  a little relieved that a place like this exists to help these amazing and very special children and at the same time am a little sad that he is a special needs child and not able to run, play and talk like others his age.  It is a constant reminder of everything has been through and how fragile life is.  He is also still very exhausted almost all of the time and yet doesn't sleep well at night.  We are meeting with a neurologist on Tuesday and an endocrinologist next week so hopefully somebody will have some answers for us.

On a good note, we recently returned from a week long trip back east.  We braved the cross country flight with two toddlers and flew into Boston.  We stayed there for three days and then drove through Vermont and New Hampshire for some leaf peeping and then down to Newport Rhode Island for some "lobstah"  The trip was amazing, Kelly saw the Red Sox play at Fenway Park, the boys enjoyed some good family time and I fell in love with Boston! After a year and a half of cancer treatments, doctors, hospitals, and overwhelming stress, it felt good to do something normal.  

As always, thanks for checking in on us!