We are excited to tell everyone that we have put lock guards on our kitchen cabinets! The excitement isn’t in the lock guards themselves, but rather the reason we needed to install them. Jake rolls along in his feeder seat and makes his way all over the house. Jake is now able to access the cabinets, open the doors and grab whatever he wants to. We also need to keep the bathroom door shut, as he now knows that there is water inside the toilet bowl. In case you didn’t know, Jake loves to play in the water.

We are not so excited to tell you that Jake did not respond well to the new anti-convulsant medication. As mentioned in last month’s newsletter, we hoped the new medication would allow him to perspire and improve his quality of life. During the trial period, he experienced side effects such as grinding his teeth, flushed cheeks and loss of appetite. The most significant was night terrors. Night Terrors are very different than a nightmare and are most common in children between the ages of 2 and 6 years old. They can be confused with seizures as their presentations are very similar. They are very distressing to him as well as us. After extensive research, we realized the new medication could have induced the night terrors. We agreed to discontinue the new medication. He is now back to himself and has regained his appetite. (No more night terrors either!)

Jake participated in the March of Dimes walk this month. He had to wake up about an hour early and was about an hour late having his breakfast, but was an angel the whole morning He was a trooper for the hour long walk as he rode beside his friend Teagan who was also born premature. He must have known the importance of fundraising as the March of Dimes is dedicated to improving the health of babies and preventing birth defects and premature births.

Our friends, family and supporters have really pulled through for Jake. As of May 1st, you’ve already donated $2,900.00. These funds will be put toward his first round of Therasuit therapy, which starts on June 2nd. Each round costs $4,500.00, so every dollar is greatly appreciated. Every penny of every dollar donated goes directly to Jake. We are proud to say that we truly have the best people on earth in our lives.

Speaking of Therasuit, Jake’s evaluation was April 30th. The therapists will discuss their findings and formulate a customized plan for Jake. We’ll then meet with them to finalize a program tailored for his needs. Next month’s newsletter will be the day before it starts, we’ll keep you posted!

Please feel free to visit “Meet Jake” and view the new video of Jake. Also, there are several new links added in the “Resources” section.