While on Christmas break the girls eased into the usual winter cold and corresponding cough, meaning we spent a lot of time at home. With the sub-zero temperatures outside, not being out and about was welcomed (at least in my opinion!), but also meant a lot of energy was present in the household, and not from the adults.

One morning at home we patched all three kids, covering everyone’s right eyes in an attempt to show Reagan and Harper what Emerie goes through every day at school, and five days a week since she was fourteen months old. Unsurprisingly, Harper was instantly asking to take it off while Reagan didn’t seem too bothered by it.

Throughout less than one hour, multiple requests occurred to take it off, mostly from Harper, who complained her eye hurt, it was itchy, or she didn’t like it. It truly goes to show the patience Emerie displays everyday when you look at how often she goes about her daily business with half the eyesight of other kids, and does exceptionally! I hope this experience shows the other two how resilient their sister really is, who can do anything patched that she does unpatched, and that is not an easy feat.

We assume we have another year or two before she will be grown enough for the patching to no longer make an impact on her brain senses. No surgery in 2023 was a great thing, less stress for kiddo as well as parents and no droopy eyelids, something she will start being more aware of at this age. And other kids are now more curious about it; although her class is used the normality of her wearing one each morning. From what we can tell, her eye is staying straight from the last procedure and we are so very thankful for that! All the complaints and questions why she has to do it and her sisters don’t is really worth it!

And now we can remind the other two how they felt when they patched for less than an hour…although Reagan seemed much less impacted by it than Harper. Everyone likes to “help” pick out which patch is worn in the morning, and so far the turtle and panda themed ones are the favorite. Harper also takes it personally that no seal option exists- it would be super cool for Ortopad to let kids make custom orders!

More to come on Emerie’s vision journey soon, after our next check in with Dr. Winkle.

❤