Hello Ability Hacker Friends! It’s been a while, and I’ve missed you. Just as our life started getting back to normal after a year full of medical challenges for our family, the Novel Coronavirus entered the picture – throwing life sideways once again. This past week has been full of stress for me (as I’m […]
Posts in the Unexpected Challenges category:
How Spina Bifida influences how I dress & shop for my daughter
At the beginning of summer, I realized my son had grown out of his 18-24 month clothes, and it was time to upgrade to the next size. Shopping for him was surreal. What is this uber-easy experience of walking into a store, looking for a size, seeing something I like, and… buying it? Good-ness. SO. SIMPLE. When gifting […]
Fear was holding me back from giving my kids an awesome summer
When Lily was first born, one of the things I struggled with the most was approaching a child care center and asking if she could attend. I wrote a post about it here, and what this experience taught me about bravely asking bold questions. These last few months I’ve been struggling with something very similar. […]
Where to buy shoes when your feet are two different sizes
One of the questions I’ve been asked a few times is whether I’ve heard of any resources for people who need two differently sized shoes due to two differently sized feet. I’d heard rumor that Nordstrom will sell two different sizes shoes, so I went investigating. And guess what? It’s TRUE! And you know what? […]
When a girl wants to be Ned the Junior Conductor from Dinosaur Train
She wanted to be Ned. Ned the Brachiosaurus from Dinosaur Train. I will admit that I tried to change her mind. “How about Buddy or Tiny? They are both on Dinosaur Train” we said (you can actually buy these costumes). “No. I want to be Ned” she said. “How about pac man?” we asked. “Daddy […]
10 Lessons I learned when my daughter didn’t meet the goals we set in therapy
Ever have one of those days when things become unexpectedly clear? This summer I felt perpetually uneasy. It’s hard to explain, but I’ve been second guessing myself, worrying more than normal… just simply out of sorts. I want to do what is right for my family, what is right for Lily’s development, what is right for my career, […]
Medical Supply Hack: Stand up antiseptic wipes with a simple package fold (keep them sterile)
Now that we are three and a half years into being parents of a child with extra needs, medical procedures are a normal part of our daily routine. At first, however, they seemed overwhelming. Many things contributed to moving these medical tasks from the “OMG how am I ever going to do this?” column to the “It’s […]
Spring opens the door to playing outside – find an accessible playground near you!
This past weekend I sat outside under the bright sun and spring flowers, and drew pictures on the sidewalk with my kids. There is something magical about playing outside in the bright warmth after a long, gray, cold winter. I can’t seem to soak up enough of the sun. When I think about fun outdoor spring […]
How to “Hack” Cute Shoes for AFOs #1: Remove the Tongue
One of the most frustrating things about having a child who wears AFOs is how hard it is to find shoes to fit. My daughter started wearing AFOs at 3 months old. For the first year, she simply did not wear shoes. However, when she started pulling to stand I knew I needed to tackle the […]
How a sleep sack saved my daughter’s toes
When I became a parent, the last thing I expected was to have to protect my child from eating her own feet. Eating might be too dramatic of a term. Chewing on or teething on her feet is more accurate, but those terms seem a bit understated based on my experience. Most kids put their feet […]