Thursday, December 6, 2012

When Normal is Extraordinary

Our last appointment.  Tuesday morning we headed to Sunnybrook.  Our second day in a row in rush hour traffic, I wondered to myself how others cope.  Having anticipated the time well, we arrived with 15 minutes to spare.  We parked, entered the lobby and were delighted to see that the Sunnybrook Foundation  had installed Summer's photo at the top of a panel in their donor wall. 


We snapped a few photos, grabbed a coffee and headed up to the NICU Follow Up Clinic. 

It is always wonderful to be greeted by familiar faces.  Summer told me earlier that she could not wait to see Dr. Church.  She was the first we got to visit with and also Maureen and Pat.  The Psychologist introduced himself and they let me know that Summer would be assessed and I was not allowed to watch.  During her assessment (which I think was in excess of an hour), I sat with a volunteer and went through a survey and information gathering exercise.  I was a little concerned that Summer was a bit tired and may not perform to her potential.

When the assessment team emerged, we had a debrief while Summer played with the volunteer.  They were sure to tell me all the funny things she said - good blog material - but I did not write it down...

We will receive a full report, but in a nutshell, Summer scored within normal ranges in all categories.  She scored low-average in categorization, puzzles and cause and effect.  That said we NEVER leave the Follow Up Clinic with no homework.  So we will work on the suggestions over the next while.

The team seemed pretty pleased with her.  This is her last formal assessment at Sunnybrook, unless we need their help or advocacy. 

It's been quite a ride and we have had the great fortune of being a part of the Sunnybrook (formerly Women's College) NICU family.  Their passion and dedication is reflected in the progress and outcomes of kids like Summer.


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