I Need Help/Suggestions…….

As of this moment, I am officially at wits end. Hands shaking– light headed from a very generous rush of adrenaline. I don't know what else to do. I have tried everything. So now I am extending this to anyone who may have experience to help me. This is about Ivey's prosthetic eyes. Just five minutes ago Ivey was BLUE – gasping for what little air she could – because she had removed her eyes, both of them, and slipped them into her mouth, where they lodged in her throat. In the past we have made light about it, and this is not the first time Ivey has choked on them; however, today she truly s.c.a.r.e.d me.

I have asked our ocularist, ophthalmologist, members of my MAPS group, visual teachers, therapists and any one else who might have experience or ideas with this issue. Here's the thing, the suggestions that maybe she is bored, needs to be kept busy, enjoys the attention that she gets from us telling her 'no', the idea that I should be able to watch her literally e.v.e.r.y second of the day to prevent this or anything of the latter is NOT the issue we are dealing with at this moment. Yes, I know this is a discipline issue. Unique one at that! How to go about it – well, I don't know. I have been persistent and as consistent as humanly possible. I switch toys, her location, sounds, seating, etc. I tell her 'no' vocally and by signing. We have even restrained her arms, for a lengthy time – that was allowable.

I know that there are times that she is 'bored' and that she turns inward fixating on her eyes, ears or mickey button… But the shear matter at hand is that I can not sit in front of her 24/7 to prevent her from doing these things. Today I was merely standing 10 feet from her putting the groceries away. I am at a loss. My MAPS friends have not had this issue to the extent we do.

I think Ivey is beautiful without her eyes. Matt and I don't need her to wear them to see her beauty. Yes, sometimes is public it is helpful for her to wear them – you can imagine why. It is not helpful in public when she takes them out-again you can imagine why. It is not reasonable to me that she should wear these if it is such a high risk for her choking! Why is the Lord's name should we risk loosing her. Can you imagine making to the place she is today, only to choke on these things?

So here are my questions:

1. I have read the literature. Both our ophthalmologist and cranial facial surgeon highly suggest that skull development, eye sockets, etc will depend on the placement of the eyes. I look at pictures of Grace, and she looks beautiful without them and every thing is proportional. Right?
   
2. What else can I do to keep them in?
   
3. Who else out there does not opt for prosthetic eyes? Has that changed the growth of the skull or sockets?