- Sorry it took so long to write! ATTN : MASSACHUSETTS

[Guest guest]

,

Sorry it took me so long to write. Life's been hectic. I live in

Rutland. It is 20 minutes from Worcester. I used to work in

Framingham (I'm on an extended (possibly permanent) maternity

leave), so I've been shopping out in Natick quite a few times. Next

time I'm out in that area (I mostly just go for the Babies R Us

now), we should get together.

I took to Hanger today for another check. He's been in the

helmet almost a month now. I've seen a few more little ones in

helmets. 1 at the specialist's office, 1 at Hanger, and 1 who is a

friend of a friend who is being fitted for a helmet soon. They're

out there, just hard to find!

Anyway, I threw attn: Massachusetts on the subject line just in case

anyone else from the state has been on lately. Please let me know

if you'd be interested in introducing and Tommy to each

other!

-Laurie (mom of Tommy)

> > > > > > > Hello all!

> > > > > > > My little guy is asleep for the night so I can write

> in

> > > > peace

> > > > > > now.

> > > > > > > I had to share the good news that Tommy rolled over

for

> the

> > > > first

> > > > > > > time from back to belly! The first time he did it was

> > > > Saturday,

> > > > > > > while I was filling his bathtub. He was in just a

> diaper

> > and

> > > > his

> > > > > > > helmet was off since I was cleaning it. I was

convinced

> he

> > > > only

> > > > > > did

> > > > > > > it because the big, clunky helmet was out of his way.

> > > > However,

> > > > > he

> > > > > > > has started rolling over regularly - with the helmet

> on. I

> > > > was

> > > > > so

> > > > > > > worried the helmet was going to hold him back, and

> > apparently

> > > > > this

> > > > > > > just isn't so.

> > > > > > > I have posted his picture in his new helmet. The

> picture

> > > was

> > > > > > taken

> > > > > > > on day 2 of the helmet. You can see from his

expression

> he

> > > > > didn't

> > > > > > > mind the helmet at all!

> > > > > > > I am in such a better mood about the helmet. His

> > physical

> > > > > > > therapist swears she sees an improvement already. I

see

> it

> > > > too,

> > > > > > but

> > > > > > > hubby thinks I'm nuts!

> > > > > > > Oh, I need to clarify about my hubby. I maybe

> indicated

> > > that

> > > > he

> > > > > > > isn't supportive in all of this, and I want to clear

> that

> > up.

> > > > He

> > > > > > is

> > > > > > > really great. He wasn't that supportive that night

that

> I

> > was

> > > > > > > depressed and wrote that book...but what I didn't

write

> was

> > > > that

> > > > > I

> > > > > > > was just a real pain that night to be honest and was

> > > > complaining

> > > > > > > about EVERYTHING - helmet or otherwise and he was just

> sick

> > > of

> > > > > > > hearing it. He really is there for me most of the

time,

> > with

> > > > a

> > > > > > > shoulder to cry on.

> > > > > > > About going out in public...I'm not letting the

helmet

> > hold

> > > > me

> > > > > > > back. We still go out for our daily walks. All the

> > > neighbors

> > > > > > have

> > > > > > > been really great. I took him to the hospital to

visit

> my

> > > > > > husband's

> > > > > > > grandmother. It was weird to be in a hospital with

him

> > > > because

> > > > > > > everyone assumes something is wrong with him - like a

> major

> > > > head

> > > > > > > injury or surgery or something. A woman in the

elevator

> > gave

> > > > me

> > > > > a

> > > > > > > grave look and told me she hoped everything goes ok

for

> > us!

> > > > It

> > > > > > > cracked me up. I didn't even bother to tell her he

was

> > > > fine...I

> > > > > > just

> > > > > > > said thank you and walked out.

> > > > > > > Good news on the torticollis. While the battle

isn't

> > over,

> > > > he

> > > > > > is

> > > > > > > doing so much better. The PTA told me we can cut back

> from

> > > > > > therapy 4

> > > > > > > times a day to 2 times a day. This made the whole

> family

> > > very

> > > > > > > happy!

> > > > > > > There have been some adjustments to Tommy's helmet.

> His

> > > > velcro

> > > > > > > strap has been shortened (you can see how long it was

in

> > the

> > > > > > photo).

> > > > > > > He used to play with it and pull it open... now he

> hardly

> > > > notices

> > > > > > > it. Also the back of the helmet was shaved down so it

> > > doesn't

> > > > > dig

> > > > > > > into him anymore. It still seems a little big to me,

> but

> > > > overall

> > > > > > a

> > > > > > > decent fit.

> > > > > > > Oh well, there is laundry to be done. Goodnight all.

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > > -Laurie(Tommy's Mom/ plagio/tort banded on 9/10/04)

> > > > > > > Rutland, MA