Ariana's Posts

343 posts

Speech Device Update: Denial Received & Initial Response

Today, Andy and I took turns waiting at home to sign for a letter from the department of the Arizona Division of Developmental Disabilities that handles applications for speech devices regarding their ultimate decision on the recommendations of the AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) evaluator. For those of you new to this blog, I will

Checking In With OT

Over a year has passed since our last occupational therapy (OT) update. Shortly after our last post about what we were working on with her, Amara went on maternity leave and another therapist was covering as our little man’s OT provider for a few short months. We are grateful Amara was able to resume working

Vacation for Two

Our last family vacation happened over two years ago. The extent of the work required to pull off that trip successfully left me feeling far more strained and stressed than if we’d stayed at home. Frankly I can’t recall a time when I was so pleased to return home. For Hannah though, we had still

February Gratitude & Reading

To Amara For roughly a year and a half now, you have patiently come into our home once each week to provide Tony’s occupational therapy. Since that very first visit I have been grateful for your positive attitude and your willingness to meet Tony where he is at. You have a wonderful way of listening

Additional Information: New Speech (AAC) Device Policy by AZ DDD Disputed

My sweet husband Andy reads each of my weekly posts. After reading last month’s post “So Many Questions,” which was written about the challenges our family had been experiencing trying to obtain an updated and medically appropriate speech device for our son (whose current device has been malfunctioning for nearly a year now), he noted

Sleep Band-aid

Simplicity and I have a very complicated relationship. Sometimes I can be comfortably entwined with something that is stripped down, and others I feel that all of the details of a particular situation are demanding an acknowledgment from me with equal force. Sometimes the way I write about our experiences is just a product of

New Year’s Mombie

Miss R is the sweetest. Our little band of public therapy rompers encounter her sometimes at one of our local Target stores. She of the fabulously sparkly scarf, brimming with kindly energy and enthusiasm, asked me January 1st, 2020 how my day was going. Only after hearing the sepulchral dustiness of my answer, and glancing

The Ghosts of Christmas Left Behind

A couple of nights ago, Andy removed much of our outdoors holiday light display, leaving only remnants of bush netting with lights that might discreetly pass undetected during any roadside scrutiny from the HOA until he has enough spare time to finish the job. Inside our home, three deflated stockings still grace the walls…and one

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