Two-year-old Gracelyn Conklin likes farm animals. Let me rephrase that. Gracelyn loves farm animals. Specifically horses. Obviously it’s a completely wholesome interest for a toddler to have. However Gracelyn’s affinity for horses is a bit more complicated than most.
Hippotherapy – for those unfamiliar – is a form of therapy that uses a horse’s motion to help improve strength, coordination, and balance. That’s just one form of therapy that Gracelyn is currently working through.
But, before there was Gracelyn, there was Luke and Hope. Luke is a Veteran. He was a member of the Army Infantry who served in Afghanistan. And after returning from overseas, he met Hope.
At the time, Hope was living in Florida while Luke was stationed in Colorado. But it was long-distance love at first sight.
After his military contract was up, the couple bought a house and began putting down roots in Sarasota County.
According to Hope, it was clear that Luke missed the brotherhood and camaraderie of being in the military. It makes sense then that he was hired on as a Deputy at the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office.
For all of his cool, calm, and collected-ness things were about to change in a big way with the birth of their daughter, Gracelyn.
“When he saw the cord wrapped around Gracelyn’s neck, he absolutely just froze.”
Doctors determined that Hope accidentally falling when she was 39 weeks pregnant may have caused the umbilical cord to wrap around the baby’s neck. This led to the first diagnoses of Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy, where the brain is no longer receiving enough blood-flow and oxygen.
After all was said and done; a brain MRI, the HIE diagnoses, and not to mention over 6 weeks in the hospital, the couple was able to take their daughter home – with the likelihood that she may have mild to moderate cerebral palsy.
To say their world was rocked would be a massive understatement. First and foremost, Gracelyn falls a lot. Whether it's trying to keep up with her parents or climbing stairs, she just doesn’t yet have those mobile balancing skills.
She also has delayed speech as her oral and core muscles are too weak. This leads to frequent drooling. Gracelyn’s communication is typically limited to single words.
To top it all off, delays in her fine motor skills make playing with toys or feeding herself feel like an impossible chore. This leaves Gracelyn feeling incredibly frustrated.
The sad truth is – at least in Gracelyn’s case – private therapy is the only type of care that has shown real results. And it is expensive. Unfortunately the difference between outpatient and private care is night and day, or as Hope puts it, “There is no comparison.”
To put that into perspective. She has appointments 3 times per week. Speech therapy is on Mondays. Hippotherapy/Physical Therapy is on Wednesdays. Occupational Therapy is Thursday mornings to round out the week. That doesn’t include the exercises and homework that Hope and Gracelyn do together after her sessions.
As if Luke and Hope didn’t have enough on their plates, Gracelyn’s continued seizures have led to an epilepsy diagnosis.
The positive news? Therapy IS working. “Mentally, she’s there”, explained Hope. It’s just the physical aspect that is most difficult. “It’s things that she can work through that can maybe eventually be grown out of.”
One of the most recent jumps in that direction was in Gracelyn’s Dynamic Movement Intervention (DMI) therapy. A huge accomplishment occurred when she walked up 3 steps carrying a ball, and back down those 3 steps without crying. Fear plays a big part in Gracelyn’s life, so this was a huge deal.
“You can’t put a price on your child’s care.” From the very beginning that has been Hope’s parenting mantra. That’s not hyperbole of any kind.
I’m thrilled to announce that Chive Charities was able to grant over $2,625 to the Conklin family. Hope’s emphasized, “As parents, we want to do the best we can to set her up for success.” We’re happy to be able to help in that process.
From Luke working overtime shifts to Hope having to give up her billing business. Through countless scholarship submissions, part-time shifts, and literal hurricanes, the Conklin family is moving forward.
I think I speak for everyone here at theCHIVE and Chive Charities when I say that we’re just as grateful to be able to help Gracelyn, as Hope and Luke are to receive it. You’ve all done a great thing today, Chivers. Be proud of yourselves and what this community is able to accomplish on a daily basis. If you’d like to jump in as an active difference-maker for the next Gracelyn, become a Chive Charities donor right HERE.
Silver, Gold and Green members receive the much-desired Green Ribbon T-Shirt. Give proudly. Wear proudly.