This place has been an absolute blessing! Seriously. The day Robbie noticed that Ellie's eyes were 'wandering,' I went into a panic. Then when I took her to the eye doctor and he mentioned surgery, I totally freaked out. So we tried putting an eye patch over one eye everyday for a few months, then took her back.
The eye doctor said that the patching was not really working, and she is also farsighted. His solution was to put her in glasses with a higher prescription than she really needed, forcing her eyes to 'team,' or work together. My concern was that she would always need this higher prescription because that's what her eyes would become accustomed to. So we waited some more and tried patching for another few months.
By Ellie's next progress check, I was eight months pregnant with Robert. The second I walked into the waiting room of the eye doctor's office, all of the worries of surgery and not-perfect eyes poured out. I was sobbing like a little baby. Just before her appointment, Robbie got there and I rushed to the bathroom to get myself together. I still get a pit in my stomach just thinking about it!
After a thorough eye screening, the doctor and Robbie and I determined that the patching really wasn't doing the trick. He wrote a prescription for glasses. I called another doctor at Children's Hospital for a second opinion.
In the meantime, I heard from a friend about vision therapy. Yes, please. However, it was extremely expensive, and upon further research, I found it was more for behavioral issues and not necessarily eye turn. THEN, one day my mother-in-law called to tell me that she found an article online about a program at UAB's School of Optometry. I had just had Robert, so I was waiting to see the other eye doctor for the second opinion before I called UAB.
With one-month-old (nursing!) Robert, Robbie and I took Ellie to see the eye doctor at Children's, who once again confirmed that she is farsighted and does indeed have strobismus (eye turn). He wasn't as adamant about surgery as the other doctor, and when I asked about vision therapy, he wasn't too keen on it. We walked away with yet another prescription for glasses, but this time it wasn't a strong prescription, so Robbie and I decided to go for it.
Let me mention that through this entire process, Robbie and I prayed and pleaded and asked God to heal our Ellie's eyes and for the Holy Spirit to give us wisdom. Not only were our prayers answered, but they were answered ten-fold...just like always!
After our last visit with an eye doctor, Robbie and I decided that I needed to call UAB. Well, to be honest, the Holy Spirit told us to call UAB (along with some prodding from Mary Latham!!).
So I called UAB. I talked to the receptionist who told me she would have Dr. Hopkins call me back. Huh? A doctor who Ellie has never even been seen by is going to call me back?! That afternoon when Dr. Hopkins was done seeing her patients, she called and talked to me about Ellie's condition. It was so refreshing to hear her tell me everything that Ellie's eyes were doing without even seeing her! She told me to bring Ellie in for an eye exam, but she already thought she would be a good candidate for their program.
So once again, (nursing!) Robert, Robbie and I went to the eye doctor with the El. Walking into the clinic, I didn't have the pit in my stomach. I had hope. Then when we met with a student to dilate Ellie's eyes and take a look, I felt peace. This place was buzzing with kids in glasses who were happy, doctors who had gentle spirits, and students who were eager to help their patients. Thank-you, Lord.
At the end of Ellie's exam, Dr. Hopkins came in and confirmed that she was an excellent candidate for vision therapy. She explained that Ellie would come once a week for twenty visits where an optometry student in his or her last semester of school would work with her. Dr. Hopkins started the vision therapy program at UAB, and I could tell that the students were loving working with her and her ideas. (Dr. Hopkins has since moved to Atlanta, but Dr. Rah and Dr. Dillie have done a fabulous job taking over!!)
Another answered prayer was the cost. Insurance would not cover the therapy, but the cost was totally doable.
So, for the past year, we have been blessed by the people at UAB School of Optometry. Ellie has had four different students work with her, and has been sad each time she's had to say goodbye. That's how good these people are.
And Ellie's eye turn? It's not gone, but it's SO MUCH BETTER! Yesterday the doctor told me that surgery isn't even in the picture right now. Ellie's brain is working so hard to keep her eyes 'in,' that it's not necessary. HALLELUJAH!
Ellie has an appointment in January to check on her progress. I personally can't wait because I know that the Lord is continually healing her eyes, and I love that we get to share His presence with Ellie and with all of those around us.
(Every. Single. Week, Ellie would stand on this grate as we were walking to the parking lot. She thought it was awesome that air would blow out of it, and that she could stand on it without falling through!)
The last forty-five minutes I've spent writing this post, I have been so excited to type the ending! What a blessing to go through an experience where our family can share a tangible example of God's faithfulness. I honestly cannot fully explain the feeling of answered prayer.
Thank-you, Jesus, for helping me write this post to show others how You are constantly working for us. Thank-you for reminding me of your unfailing love and promises. Thank-you for gently nudging me to come to you always, and for our family to keep our eyes on You.
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