Mae
Diagnosis
Carmella (Mae) was your typical, happy baby girl. She was meeting all of her milestones, saying words like "Dada, Mom, Hi" and she loved to engage in play. At around 14 months of age Mae went through a regression. It is branded in our minds. We watched as her smile, eye contact, her words, and her play all change. She lost all of what she had learned and stopped meeting her milestones. At only 20 months old Mae was referred to a developmental pediatrician at Rileys Children's hospital, who at that time diagnosed her with autism.
Present Life
Today, Mae is full of smiles, love, and joy! She is nonverbal and still searching to find her voice. In the mean time she is teaching us all how to live life beyond words. Her spirit is pure and she reminds us everyday of the beauty God has given us, through her love of nature. Mae loves to dance and listen to contemporary gospel, and her favorite nursery rhymes; that's where she finds her peace. Carmella has mastered pretty much any electronic that is in her reach, which has made virtual learning almost impossible. She will turn off her teacher or therapist any chance she gets and turn on her favorite show or music instead! Mae definitely gets her tech savvy from her dad.
What the Future Holds
With being in the early years of knowing Mae as nontypical, it makes it hard to know what the future holds for her. Honestly we put our trust and faith in God. We know that he has a plan for her. We are hopeful and excited to see what amazing, beautiful woman Mae will grow to be. Our big hope or dream for Mae is that she could give the world a glimpse of life through her eyes, that could change the world even if only a small bit.