yoked prism goggles

The Great Peripheral Awakening of 2011

Posted on by amberhj

A few weeks ago,  I noticed a distinct change in Stella’s vision. Bam! It could not have been more obvious if she slapped me across the face and said, “Damn it, mommy woman! My vision is changing! Give me a god damned hug!”

In short, her peripheral vision opened up in dramatic fashion. Last year, when the esotropia hit the amblyopia fan, I would not have even known that Stella’s peripheral vision was limited if not for the input of our developmental optometrist and vision therapist. Our ophthalmologist never made mention of peripheral vision, which is a sizable piece of the pie in terms of how we take in our surroundings. It affects how we feel, not just how we see. Anyway, I suddenly had clear evidence that Stella’s peripheral vision had been turned on or amped up by the yoked prism goggles, or at the very least she became more aware of it and more tuned in to her surroundings.

How did I know? Walks became more stressful for a while. We live in a bustling urban neighborhood. In fact, it’s been declared the dessert capital of Seattle, with quaint cupcake, gelato, ice cream, chocolate, and pie shops all within a couple blocks. Strolls can be highly caloric, though I like to think we break even, what with the ambulatory mode of transport. For a while during this period of visual transition, when we walked along the sidewalk and approached a crosswalk leading to some sort of sweet destination or none in particular, Stella would get very upset. She experienced panic at intersections. At first I didn’t quite get it or its significance, and in my ignorance probably thought, “Yeah, I wish the cupcake place was closer, too! Mommy needs chocolate NOW!” Honestly, her agitation was too high to downplay and her actual reasons became clear quickly. Her anxiety was sparked by cars approaching from the cross street. She reacted as if the cars (moving in our direction on the cross street, so at a perpendicular trajectory, and I should really have my engineer husband proofread this) were coming straight for us. She lacked the common, seemingly natural understanding that vehicles would stop for us if we just waited at the curb. She was downright afraid they would hit us–even if they were a good half a block away. Stella refused to walk all the way up to the curb to wait to cross, she wanted to stay back from the road, so that’s what we did for a while. Until the fear faded away and she found a new “normal.”

Stella simply wasn’t used to being able to see the cars’ motion in her periphery. The difference was clear as day and her reaction was made my heart race. I knew that a sizable shift was taking place. My gut had no doubt that this was a positive development, and that she was simply noticing the previously unnoticeable, but I also felt her visceral fear and desperately sought to soothe and reassure her. The intersections that never bothered Stella before, with the usual rhythm of cars coming and going, were now somehow very different to her. This was around the time that I noticed, during a vision therapy session with the yoked prism goggles, that she was locating letters on the floor without looking directly at them.

As she has time and time again throughout her 2.75 years, Stella adjusted. She learned that this is the way streets and intersections and crossings work. That cars approach but are not actually barreling for us. It wasn’t long before she incorporated this new broader, more inclusive view as normal. Stella now seems less afraid of most things, in fact. She’s been more and more social and talkative, and increasingly adaptable in general. Her babysitter recently marveled at the fact that most of Stella’s talking to her had been echoing, simply repeating what she’d said, but now Stella initiates and offers her own thoughts. The echoing is drastically reduced if not gone for the most part. We recently had company and Stella brought item after item to Cody’s best friend Tom, engaging him excitedly and chatting away. This is new behavior. Part of it may be simple advancements that come with age, but I think just as much is related to her vision. I have other observations to back this up, like her weeks-long fear of playground structures and other kids on said structures. That’s gone, too, and its disappearance coincided with what I’m calling, as you can no doubt guess having read my witty subject line, “The Great Peripheral Awakening of 2011.” If only the United States’ financial industry could follow suit.

Life is less stressful and more secure when you are aware of your surroundings, I imagine. To me, nothing feels better than seeing her happy. To witness her blooming into this more engaging, engaged, often fearless kid.

Like many people with esotropia, her vision has been focused centrally–like tunnel vision to some degree. We’ve done vision therapy for almost nine months now, and have devoted many recent weeks to use of the yoked prism goggles (20 minutes a day at home, with 10 of those base up and 10 base down) to open up her field of vision. Vision therapy, including our goggle time, will likely end in a few weeks. This Friday, Stella will have an exam with our opthalmologist, and a couple weeks later we’ll head in to Alderwood Vision Therapy see our developmental optometrist, Dr. T, for a progress evaluation. This is a crossroads. I’m still nervous about her amblyopia, and about whether her prescription will increase. But I’ve seen real progress that can’t be denied, including the minimizing of her toe-walking. I’ve been amazed on a weekly basis by the thoughtful, individualized approach and powerful yet nuanced, seemingly subtle but life-changing, results of vision therapy.

It’s been one hell of an eye-opening journey! (You didn’t think I’d given up terrible vision-related puns, did you?) When I look back, I’ve been most struck by my sharp yet sweet two-year-old Stella and her ability to adapt to a new way of seeing the world, a place that to her now feels wider and more welcoming.

Artist, and goggles, at work

Posted on by amberhj

Artist at work, wearing yoked prism goggles

Vision therapy? Art therapy? Either way, we're winning.

Stella’s Easter basket included a sweet set of watercolors and accompanying pad of paper. She’s used them every day so far, at her request, and as it so engages her, I’ve been putting the goggles on her while she paints. We’re starting to branch out, no longer limited to the brush that was included with the set. Fingers, Q-tips, and other brushes and random household items are coming into creative play. Relatedly, today’s “watercolor goggle time” turned into “manic sprinting while tossing cotton balls all over the place goggle time.”

Currently, Stella’s only at-home vision therapy exercise is to wear the yoked prism goggles, base-down, for a minimum of 20-30 minutes per day. It’s going very well! The first couple days wearing them at home, she took them off after five minutes and I didn’t push her to do more. I figured she’d adjust, and she did. Voila! Less than a week later, 20 to 30 minutes (or even a bit more) are flying by and I don’t have to work so hard to keep her busy and entertained during goggle time. Plus, I could fill a gallery with her prism-goggle-influenced masterpieces! Naturally, I’m accepting bids starting at $500. GO!

Nest

When asked about her inspiration, Stella said, "I made a nest for birdies!" Sure, it's a nest, but the underlying narrative taps into Americans' current longing for security and "re-connection" with nature. Brilliant work.

Untitled. Stella's first foray into watercolors, on Easter Sunday. On the surface, it's a tribute to the joys of spring and candy, but underneath, there's a deeply conflicted expression of the promise and peril of modern childhood. Stunning.

Quick VT note: TLC for Stella’s transitioning toes.

Posted on by amberhj

Stella’s toes are starting to relax. The yoked prism goggles continue to benefit her, but it’s created a small, surprising side effect. Turns out, her toes have been clenched so consistently for so long that the skin is actually having to stretch out as her toes extend outward. There are now raw, sometimes bloody cracks on the bottom of her toes in the incredibly deep creases that formed where her toes folded and curled over. Her right foot is more affected and cracked. I’ve actually noticed that when walking, her right foot is more consistently flat than her left, which has just a slight bit more reliance on her toes still, though both feet have clearly improved. Stella’s brain is figuring it all out, and it’s fascinating to watch. Well, almost as fascinating as watching her attempt to unwrap and quickly devour a foil-wrapped chocolate chick this morning. Only Kevin Garnett of my beloved Celtics can match that level of intensity.

I’m making sure antibiotic ointment is liberally applied and socks are worn when she is up and about. With those two pieces in place, she’s fine. Otherwise, it’s painful and she limps over to tell me her feet hurt. I apply a thick layer of “booboo cream,” usually tickling her in the process. Then all is well.

Those little piggies have been tasked with gripping the ground tightly in an effort to keep Stella up high. As previously explained, she was positioning her body in a way that made sense for her visual field. The goggles are helping re-wire her brain and create a more accurate map of her environment and her relation to it, spatially. Ten tiny toes have carried much of her weight for most of her walking life! Through vision therapy, her toe-walking is dissipating. When she runs I hear her feet slap the sidewalk. It makes me smile. I’m thinking about making it my ringtone.

And hooray! We currently have a pair of the goggles checked out for use at home, and she’s doing very well as she ramps up to wearing them in the base-down position for 20-30 minutes a day, minimum. She doesn’t mind them so much but still prefers close-up activities for now. Like unwrapping rare bits of candy or making play-dough Easter cookies.

For now, I await the healing of those little wounds as Stella’s toes delegate responsibilities to the rest of her foot. I’m constantly noting positive changes in Stella, including a heightened awareness of her periphery, which I’ll talk about here soon. But most of all, I relish the small but big changes that unfold as her vision therapy enters what looks to be its final phase.

Happy Easter, everyone! I wish you jelly beans in only your favorite flavors, and happy relaxation from head to toe.

Happy Stella progresses with yoked prism goggles and vision therapy

Posted on by amberhj

As spring arrived, Stella turned a corner and found herself in a sunnier place. I’m soaking it up, people.

All of a sudden, she seems more social. Of course she’s still shy in some situations, but lately, nothing really seems out of the ordinary for her age. At the playground last week, she complimented an 24-month-old-ish boy on his jacket, pants and shoes. And just between you and me, they were nothing special so you know she was being extra sweet and friendly. (The kid looked back at her and said, “I’m tall.”) The kicker occurred last night when she collaborated with her best buddy and longstanding weekly playdate on an imaginary meal, using her play kitchen set and some dried beans and dry uncooked pasta. They collaborated for at least half an hour and afterward I offered to fund their start-up catering business. They worked as a true team, such that Cody and I felt totally inadequate by comparison. Seasoning with salt and pepper, providing Cody and me with plates and everything we needed to properly enjoy their feast, blowing on our food so it wasn’t too hot, and more–they were on top of everything and both contributed equally and without conflict. She said, “Okay, dinner’s ready!” inflecting just as I do.  Her friend took the pan out of the oven only to pronounce, “It needs a few more minutes.” No problem! They both went back to adjust the heat, open the oven, season it again, etc. They’ve always gotten along but there is a whole new level of interaction going on now. All around, Stella’s opening up to new people and new situations. Coincidentally, my shoulders are more relaxed. I’m probably more social, and less worried, too.

She’s growing so tall, that some 3T clothing is too short (to be exact without using the much-maligned months method of age accounting, she’s 2 and 2/3). Her language has undergone its own growth spurt, such that her sentences are suddenly more fleshed out and descriptive and specific. Less toddler-ese, more kid-ish. New molars have just broken through. She’s having fun with her new/first babysitter–adjusting to the situation much more quickly and happily than I dared dream. At-home vision therapy has been pretty darn smooth. Without really looking for this, I’ve noticed her new comfort with catching and hitting a balloon from above. Not long ago, she avoided this like H1N1 and now does it on her own, just for kicks. You know, tossing it up as high as she can and then catching or hitting it up there again. I’ve been very impressed and encouraged. Stella is thriving and woven in with her development, I see the benefits of vision therapy.

Up at the office, Alderwood Vision Therapy Center (for the record, we are paying clients and not being paid to promote them–so be cool, be cool), she’s been much more agreeable and engaged. I’m sure her recent developmental gains have something to do with it, but much credit goes to our vision therapist, Bethanie, for suggesting that we move the in-office therapy later in the day. It has made a remarkable difference. Later is so clearly better that we all agreed to cancel our standing morning slot and take whatever later time comes up each week. No later slots are open, so we have to hope for a cancellation. If nothing comes up, they told us to just skip it instead of taking our old time. That should tell you how rocky it was in the morning. What a relief! I felt like cracking open a bottle of Veuve Clicquot then and there, and toasting the end of a decidedly cranky era.

For a few sessions now, Stella’s been wearing the yoked prism goggles for 30+ minutes at a time! Walking across balance beams, making bead necklaces following a pattern, catching and bouncing balls, and jumping on trampolines while identifying letters or colors on a chart. All that and a lot more, while wearing those goggles. It used to be a challenge to get her to wear them for five minutes.

Though, I’ll admit it’s getting a bit trickier. Stella has shown that she likes and will tolerate the goggles in the base down position, so we need to switch things up on her. The goal is for Stella’s brain to learn to adjust to the input from the goggles–regardless of the lenses’ position. Stella will be done with them when, no matter where the lenses are pointed, she’s comfortable and not thrown for a loop. A couple appointments ago, after a long stretch with the lenses base down, Bethanie switched them to be base up. As if we’d flipped a switch, Stella’s whole demeanor and attitude crashed immediately. It upset her deeply. She became a different person! These are difficult moments for both of us. I struggle with them emotionally, but also find large clues about Stella’s vision.

When the goggles are base down, notorious toe-walker Stella walks flat–the stronger the prisms, the more pronounced the effect. Base down, which she so clearly prefers as made obvious by her cheerful demeanor, her peripheral vision is greatly amplified. In one exercise, letter puzzle pieces were scattered all over the office floor. Wearing the base-down goggles, Stella scanned the floor and found letters as they were called out by Bethanie, then placed them in the puzzle. I noticed that Stella was finding letters to her side–without having to look directly at them! With her searching gaze directed in front of her, she identified and found letters off to her side. So subtle, yet incredible.

After Stella’s brain has had time to adjust to the base-down position, Bethanie now switches them to the base-up position, which (at least in my experience trying the goggles on) lifts and tightens the visual field. It limited my peripheral vision. While not upsetting to me, it felt a bit like being in a tunnel. After the change, Stella’s brain is forced to adapt–to figure out for itself how to map out the periphery. This is HARD for Stella. Which is why I’m so proud of the progress she made in only two sessions. The first time Bethanie went from base-down to base-up, as I explained above, Stella completely freaked out and wanted them OFF. She did wear them for a couple of minutes that time, doing a familiar stacking puzzle in a secluded corner. We realized she was averse to being in the open with the base-up lenses, she wanted to be lower to the ground, and near tasks were more tolerable. In essence, she preferred places and activities that felt more secure, to counter the insecure feeling imparted by the base-up goggles. We didn’t push her, and moved on quickly. But those few moments were telling, and there was even some therapeutic benefit derived. Because the next time, her reaction was less explosive. While still showing dislike of the base-up position, she tolerated it longer and walked across the balance beam a few times! This is how vision therapy moves forward, step by step, over layers of small revelations. And in Stella’s case, mouse sticker after flower sticker, like stepping stones in a river of chocolate milk. Yes, completely unpoetic, but for toddlers, tiny rewards hold epic sway. And honestly, Stella earns them.

Speaking of sway (“controlling influence” not “middle school slow dancing”), the lure of marbles is very powerful with Stella right now, and I casually mentioned this to Bethanie. We paint with them, and play all manner of rolling games with them. So during that second base-down to base-up experience, she invited Stella to collect a marble from me on one end of the beam and walk on the beam to the other side and deliver it to a Frisbee Bethanie held, which she would then move so the marbles raced around the edge. Stella did so a few times before bailing and removing the goggles. Again, the time before, Stella wouldn’t go near the balance beam with base-up lenses, and would instead throw herself on the ground and rip off the goggles pronto. I’m going to start taping segments of her therapy and at the end, put together the most inspiring montage since Rocky. I’m taking soundtrack suggestions, so please do chime in.

Because it’s still a challenge, and because the goggles are proving to be powerful and beneficial for Stella, Dr. Torgerson is arranging for a pair of yoked prism goggles for us to check out and use at home. Holla! I’m thrilled. This is going to be good for Stella, as we can take some of the pressure off. She can wear them here and there, as opposed to having all hopes resting on the in-office goggle work. Bethanie and I will work together figure out how to make this process as comfortable yet potent as possible. Hey, so maybe Cooper and Stella aren’t the only dynamic duo in town. Though, Stella is turning out to be one hell of a teammate. She and I may take the collaboratively baked cake, if I do say so myself.

You know, spring is here, but Stella’s been so delightful I hardly noticed.

How vision therapy is saving Stella’s toes, and then some.

Posted on by amberhj

The hardest working toes in the business (of running around)

The hardest working toes in the business (of running around)

Stella is a toe-walker.

She’s been tiptoeing around for as long as I can remember. Prancing, really. Her gait has been so bouncy and adorable, so evocative of a little ballerina, that her physical effervescence has charmed even sour onlookers. I’ve been kindling a small flame of worry about her overworked and constantly clenched toes, despite an inner voice that told me to stop looking for trouble where there was none.

Early last year, I met up with Stella’s occupational therapist–the OT who helped Stella overcome her feeding aversion–to check in and discuss ideas for an article about our feeding experiences. I couldn’t help but ask for her expert opinion on Stella’s toe-walking. And just as I’d hoped, she reassured me. She rightly noted that Stella could stand on flat feet, bend her legs and pick something up with ease. Stella walked flat-footed here and there, and when she stood still, it was often on flat feet. Clearly, Stella was not incapable of walking flat-footed. Besides, she was less than 18 months old at that time, and toe-walking is relatively common in such little ones. In my heart and soul, I agreed with this assessment. I mean, really, do we have to make every little kid quirk into a problem to be fixed? It made me angry to think that something so seemingly age-appropriate and  harmless about Stella could be pathologized. Enough with the medicalization of childhood already! As my dad used to bellow, in Braveheart fashion complete with a raised fist before leaving to pick up our Friday night pizza, “Who is with me?!” So I stopped worrying about it. For a while.

Fast forward a few dizzying toddler months. Sail past the great eye-crossing incident of 2010 and whiz by the diagnoses of strabismus/accommodative esotropia, hyeropia, anisometropia and amblyopia. Jump to Stella’s first appointment with her developmental optometrist, Dr. Torgerson (“Dr. T”) of Alderwood Vision Therapy Center. (‘Bout time I named her–we’re very lucky.) Upon meeting Stella, having taken her hand in the waiting room and led her to the exam room, Dr. T noticed that Stella walks on her toes. (Note: Stella’s ophthalmologist never noticed, or at the very least never mentioned, this.) During that consultation, Dr. T placed yoked prism goggles over Stella’s regular specs. Stella’s toe-walking was completely eliminated. She walked flat, instantly. No. Joke. Stella seemed to be looking at everything with new eyes. Dr. T seemed interested but unsurprised and made a note that this was worth exploring. I was still a bit defensive, a bit reluctant. I tried to reason around it. As in, “Well, she was just walking very slowly and cautiously due to the weird distortion of the prisms and that’s probably why she wasn’t as bouncy or tiptoe-y.” Of course, while my focus at that time was beginning a course of vision therapy to address the aforementioned diagnoses, I did at least make a mental note about the prisms’ elimination of her toe-walking. In truth, I pushed it aside, not wanting to create another problem. Not wanting to accept that in addition to her feeding and vision challenges, Stella’s toe-walking was “an issue.”

Turns out that the toe-walking wasn’t so much a seperate issue as an unexpected (to me) extension of her visual one(s). Since that fateful day, Stella has worn the prism goggles many times during vision therapy sessions. After the first time Stella wore them under the guidance of our vision therapist, Bethanie, I was sold on their effect. There was no denying it! I was struck not only by how her gait instantly changed, but also her demeanor. With the yoked prism goggles (the stronger the prism, the more pronounced the effect), she not only walks “flat” but also seems more calm and able to focus. The stronger ones are pretty overwhelming, however, so we’ve scaled back to some less powerful ones with plans to work in the original stronger pair soon. It’s a mind-blowing work in progress, if you will.

Stella's first run with the uber nerd glasses--I mean, yoked prism goggles

Stella's first run with the uber nerd glasses--I mean, yoked prism goggles

In essence, yoked prism goggles help re-wire the brain, forcing it to re-map spatial relations. Every time she wears them, they help her gauge the world more accurately. The repercussions are stunning. This isn’t just addressing Stella’s vision. Changes are happening in her brain, in how she perceives the world and her place in it. And that dramatically affects how she feels and behaves.

When Stella leaves those vision therapy sessions (wherein she wears the prism goggle, of any strength, really), she is more outgoing. She is open. Allow me to explain why that fact is so incredibly huge. I don’t label Stella as shy. I don’t want to presume, at age two, that “shy” is who she is and I don’t want to convince her that it is. But I will say that she is often quite tentative. We do see flashes of wonderful social interaction and friendliness–she’s very attached to her best friend, Cooper–so I know her social self is in there. But most often, she shrinks back under even the friendliest gaze from a stranger, or is daunted by mere proximity to people.

On the playground, Stella’s crowd avoidance is overt. She rarely uses structures if anyone else is there already. If someone playful soul is on or near the slide, instead of waiting for a turn or walking up with the understanding that they’ll be down soon, she avoids it completely. If people step aside and watch her, with a smile and friendly encouragement or quiet patience, she refuses to go down. She’s protective of herself. At music class, when the basket of instruments is placed in the center of the room, every other child in the room just flat-out goes for it. They make a beeline for the basket, and grab what they want, carefree! Stella immediately takes a step or two forward, only to halt as everyone rushes by. She waits for a big opening instead of squeezing in willy-nilly like the rest. Part of me has long wanted to push her into the fray. To tell her that she’s just as entitled and doesn’t have to wait for everyone else to take first pick. I just chime in with lighthearted encouragement, and a hand on her back.

Qualities like patience and shyness seem almost beside the point when I think about her vision, and the effect of the yoked prism goggles. I’m now convinced that such reserved, cautious behavior is due, at least in part, to the effect of her visual field–not just her innate personality. Crowded places (especially new ones) and chaotic situations can be so, so anxiety-producing for Stella. Thankfully, at long last, I now believe I understand why. She has trouble gauging her place in relation to a crowd. Per Dr. T and our vision therapist, Stella’s peripheral vision is likely limited, creating a type of tunnel vision that makes life more stressful. She’s always on guard because she’s learned that objects in her proverbial mirror are closer than they appear. She can’t quite trust her visual system in those situations. How startling that would be! And how draining and frustrating to be startled so often. So she takes extra precautions. Her separation anxiety, viewed through this lens of understanding, makes much more sense to me now. I’m her anchor amid the unfamiliar and unstable.

The same visual issues that cause this sort of defensiveness also give rise to her toe-walking. It’s not so much a problem as a solution Stella has come up with to better orient herself in the world as she perceives it. I get it now–the details may be hazy, but I am starting to understand a bit better how Stella sees, and how it affects her way of being.

Back to those yoked prism goggles! Despite some difficulty in getting her to wear them for extended periods, they seem to somehow relax her, and the results are stunning. After her last vision therapy session, during which the goggles are now a prominent therapeutic fixture, Stella ran out into the waiting room and strode right up to a much older child, looking him in the eye and beaming! I was elated. A few sessions ago, in the waiting area following one of her first (“full-strength”) prism goggle trials in vision therapy, Stella started chatting with another family. The mother was gently encouraging her children to put away the toys, and put on their coats, because “we’re going home.” Stella walked up to her, looked her in the eye and said, “We’re going home too! I’m going home!” She kept engaging them, over and over, as they walked out. They smiled and acknowledged her, probably regarding it as typical little kid behavior, but to me? I had to hold back emotion. On yet another such occasion, in between those two examples, Stella walked into the play area of the waiting room after goggle-clad vision therapy, waltzed up to the small play table which was closely encircled by older and taller children, and she confidently and without hesitation joined them. She nudged right in next to a 6 or 7 year old boy. She looked at him, started talking, and reached for the toys on the small table as the others played as well. She was unphased. I was awed. Deeply heartened. That was Stella, freed! That was Stella, no longer feeling caged in by her vision. Her world had opened up. She seemed lighter, less stressed, and more engaged with everyone around her. She carried an innate sense of security. I want her to feel that secure all the time (hek, I wish I did!), or at least more often. My hope is that continued use of the yoked prism goggles will get her there–in tandem with our other vision therapy efforts.

Already, Stella’s toe-walking is fading away. She isn’t so high up on her toes, and she uses her heels more often when getting around. Also! She used to flap her arms, especially when happy and excited, but we just realized that she hasn’t done that in a long, long time! Bear with me: Based on limited but fascinating reading, I’ve gathered that autistic children and others with tunnel vision (or other related visual issues in which ambient vision and/or depth perception are compromised) use arm flapping and toe-walking in part to help gauge their place in relation to their environment. Stella is not autistic, but there are clear parallels between Stella’s vision challenges, and even her behavior in specific situations, and those of autistic kids. Many of them would greatly benefit (not just visually but socially and emotionally and in all kinds of ways) from vision therapy yet never get exposure to it. Hopefully that’s changing as awareness of vision therapy grows. So much needless suffering could be eliminated or at least significantly reduced. I am the wanna-be Gandhi of vision therapy.

My view of vision therapy has greatly expanded over the months, along with Stella’s vision therapy regimen. At first, back in the dark ages, I viewed this work as the remedy for Stella’s amblyopia and probable accompanying deficit of stereoscopy. Plain and simple, just like the initial exercises: catching balloons, stringing beads onto pipe cleaners, and the like. Now, her exercises are centered around yoked prism goggles and vestibular activities. She’s using her whole body. Her brain is re-configuring the world. This isn’t an effort to “fix Stella’s eyes.” It’s a campaign addressing the myriad of ways her vision affects her physical and psychological wellbeing. And mine. Our stress reverberates between us, and can be overwhelming at times. I try to take a tip from Stella and just step back and be patient as we work through this, but sometimes I fail. It’s okay. We’re both doing the best we can. I get cupcakes for myself too often, but that’s a small and delicious price to pay.

The goal as I now see it? Stella won’t feel the need to tiptoe through life–literally or figuratively.