Hero is spelled: Hocking County Ohio Help Me Grow Program

Catherine (left) and her Help Me Grow Heroes

Most of us can remember a person who came into our lives who made a difference. It might have been a coach, a teacher, or a relative. But how many people can say they've had 6 of those people before they were 3 years old? Well, Catherine can. Through the Help Me Grow Program she has had most of these ladies in her life since she came home from the NICU when she was 4 months old. In the hospital when we found out about her rare chromosomal abnormality, the doctor said she couldn't tell us whether Catherine would walk or talk or how well she would learn.

Then a Help Me Grow representative at Children's Hospital asked me if I would be interested in getting therapy services for Catherine when she went home, and I emphatically said yes. I finally felt like someone could help us. Because honestly, we didn't care what Catherine could or couldn't do or what her future was going to look like, we were just happy she was alive after the roller coaster of the NICU. We wanted to help her be the best that she could, whatever that looked like! 

Catherine began receiving speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and early intervention services. These ladies helped us to focus on what she could do and even though it's their job, they were like family, rejoicing with us when Catherine finally rolled over, sat up for the first time, began crawling, began signing "more", making her laugh (and cry!) like I've rarely seen her and more recently when she began eating. They also cried with us when Catherine developed retinoblastoma.

Now that Catherine is 3, the therapy that she receives becomes the responsibility of the schools and she will begin preschool in a few weeks and will leave Help Me Grow. We are so blessed that a few of these ladies will also be providing her therapy at school, but are also very sad that we won't continue to see some of them on a regular basis like we're used to. I have been made to promise that I will keep them updated on the blog and on facebook so they can continue to see Catherine grow and develop, and of course I will.

Thank you so much Michele, Christina, Carrie, Jill, Amy, and Michele. You truly are like family to us. You have no idea how much you've helped Catherine and our family. We promise to stay in touch!

Nicole Hahn is a registered nurse, home schooler, mom to Catherine - who has complex medical needs, and mom to fiver healthy boys, wife, and co-owner of Real Life Rosary.  She is one of our original founding Mommies of Miracles.  To learn more about Catherine's Story visit www.jamesmhahn.blogspot.com