February has been an encouraging month in a number of ways, including:
* One of the exercises Ellie needs to do at home requires a 4,000 Euro piece of equipment!! The physical therapy center we take Ellie to loaned us one, without charge!!
* Both physical therapists who work with Ellie each week are encouraged by her progress in the last 3 months (she even sat by herself for about 10 or 15 seconds this week)!
* Ellie started occupational therapy this month (once a week)
* We saw the neurologist again Wednesday (the first time since November) and she immediately noticed improvement in Ellie's condition. Although she is officially diagnosing her condition as Cerebral Palsy, she emphasized that because it didn't show up on the M.R.I., it is probably a mild case and with good regular physical therapy there is hope (though not a guarantee) of significant improvement.
* We saw the ophthalmologist on Friday and she said that although she will need glasses in about 6 months, her refractive error has become more balanced in both eyes. This is good because she was starting to develop a lazy eye when we first had her, but this condition has improved and will be unlikely now. She would have given Ellie glasses right away but she wants to wait until she develops more head control. Glasses will help her eyes develop much more normally.
