Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
I waited to be pregnant to have children for a long time and then thinking that
everything was going well and then to hear that it is not - it's devastating and it's
scary
>>The arrival of twins - Maddie and Mia - was of course a blessing for
Cindy and Vince Todd, but during the pregnancy they received the
terrifying news that Maddie had hydrocephalus, or excess fluid on the brain.
>>She was 4 pounds, 6 ounces and two days old and they put a shunt in,
which is right back here to help drain the fluid.
So she has tubing that goes around and into her belly
and then her body absorbs it like we normally do.
She will have that forever. I think this is just going to be part of her
life.
>>The pressure from the fluid along with a tethered spinal cord
caused Maddie to have several delays. She struggled to even stand
as a toddler and didn't walk until she was three. As she grew
alongside Mia and their differences became more pronounced,
the Todds knew they would have to be vigilant in order to keep
her moving forward. The physical and occupational therapy
covered by the school system and insurance just wasn't enough
and that is when they turned to Crossroads for some extra help.
>>Occupational therapy is basically helping people do the things
they need to do in their everyday life. Like with Maddie,
for example, she has a hard time if she has never done
something before and hasn't seen you do it, she may not
know how to do that. She needs to have many repetitions
of things to really master it. And I think while they
work on those things at school, she really just needs more practice with it.
That has really helped her feel more confident.
>>She has been there for four years. She can pedal a bike;
she can swing; she is swimming on her own. Her writing has become much more legible - her
cutting - you know, they sound like little things, but
in the grand scheme, they are all part of what helps her
grow and become independent and succeed at school.
>>Looking at seven-year old Maddie today, it is hard to tell
that there is anything wrong. But that doesn't mean that life will be easy for this brave
girl.
>>In your head, you know that she has delays -
you know it's going to be tough for her, but to sit in meetings and to hear everything
that she is not doing like the other kids - it's really hard.
>>Her future is a big question mark. I know what I want for her.
I want her to graduate from 8th grade; I want her to go to high school;
I want her to go to college and be able to live independently. And hopefully have her
own family and I want her to have all the basics.
You know. I want her to be happy. And as healthy as she can possibly be.
I mean, she is a little fighter and she has worked really hard herself
and we have had good people in our lives to help us help her.