Debate

Soon, the first presidential debate will air.  I may have to tape it and watch it.  Aly has swim practice tonight.  I really want to know who to vote for this year.  I consider myself a true independent and typically vote for whomever comes closest to matching the positions on the topics that I feel are important.  This year, at this point, I really have no idea who I will vote for and I'm not using this blog to state my political views.  I know we can't keep going down the same path, but I also don't think the other side will do much better.  If I had a third option I'd be a happy camper.  Many have said to me, "well you do have a 3rd option, but then you'd be throwing your vote away."  Well, really, what is the difference if I don't want to vote for either candidate?  And maybe, there are enough people, like me, that feel the same way?
There are so many topics that you don't hear any discussion about and many aren't addressed until they are experienced first hand.  I have been posting on Facebook, for the month of September, facts about pediatric cancer on the Rally 4 Aly page.  September was pediatric cancer awareness month.  Another mom, who's also had a child with cancer, posted a picture that said something like, for most people September is cancer awareness month, for people experiencing cancer, every month is awareness month.  Aly's cancer battle has opened my eyes to so many things, good and bad.  I see so many deficits now that I didn't see before.  Issues with health care, cancer treatments, patient care.  Issues with schools and how there is a major lack of funding to handle special education and children with disabilities and other health issues.
I really wish there was a way that I, just one person, could make a huge difference!  I know I'm like so many others, when I look at the obstacles and what it would take to make just a small change, I freak out and think, how does anything ever change?
I had a meeting, last week, at Aly's school.  I am going to preface this by saying, they have been outstandingly accommodating to Aly and her needs.  I love the staff and I can't say enough good things about all they have done for our family.  I think the change needs to come from state funding, or higher up in the chain of command.  I saw issues when I worked, for a short time, as a para for special ed., a few years ago,  and now that Aly's vision issues have put her in the special ed. category, I see it even more.  There is a lack of funding for staff to help with special needs children.  It seems that is where the first budget cuts are made.  It seems to take months to get your child "qualified" for special education and then once they are the needs aren't easily met.  I attempted to see if Aly could get into an adaptive phy. ed. class because she is unable to participate in any sport that has flying objects.  Yes, limiting right?  So, I was hoping that the meeting would provide a quick solution.  Instead, it showed me that options are very limited and very complicated.  It is unfortunate.  How does one going about changing something like that?  It is a minority of children that need these programs and because of that it seems that they lose out.
I sit here and wonder about how viewpoints can be changed.  I've seen so many facts, this last month, in relation to how children's cancer research does not get the funding because it is such a small fraction of cancers overall, yet it is one of the leading causes of death in children.  I ask myself, am I doing what is necessary to help Aly recover from her cancer experience?  No follow up, such as physical therapy or psych help was ever suggested.  Yet, I read adult cancer magazines and they say how helpful physical therapy is in recovery....I think about Aly's experiences in the hospital and how much better it could've been.  Even after having the treatments at a children's hospital.
I, still, would like to start some type of children's cancer survivor group, but there again, I don't know where to start.  It would be nice to have some type of chat session where kids could just get together and talk and share their experiences.  I still haven't found anything like that for Aly.  It surprises me.  I'm still digging....

Ok, I'll get off the soapbox now...Aly had an appointment with our eye doctor this week.  As expected, there has been no significant change in her vision.  Aly has a very small area, in her right eye, that she can see out of when her left eye is covered.  The vision in that area has changed for the better.  It is clearer than it was (her last appointment was right after treatments were completed), but it is such a small little area, it doesn't help her function any differently.  We asked about any possible medical advances in vision research.  He said, "at this point there is not enough concrete evidence to warrant any attempts."  He said there has been work done with stem cells, in China, but the numbers don't back up the work.  He said the risks far outweigh the potential benefits.  He told Aly to wear glasses, at all times, to protect the vision she has left.  We need to be thankful that she has some vision and is able to be pretty independent and read, learn, enjoy as much as she can....