January 22, 2006
January 22, 2006 | Updates
This week held the 6 month mark since Samuel’s accident. It’s hard to believe it’s been 6 months and yet it seems like such an eternity. I often wish I could fast forward things because I know that Samuel will be doing so much better at the year mark and even at the 2 year mark. But I guess that’s part of this whole trial-patience.Samuel had all of his regular therapies this week. He had about 8 one hour sessions plus at least 2 hours a day with mom. The hardest thing for me lately is to get myself through his therapy without getting off track. He finally has certain things that he enjoys and it’s hard for me to not just sit and do those things with him all day. They are perfectly fine things to be doing, but we need to keep a good balance and get other things done as well-even the things he hates and protests about.
One change we saw this week were “real” tears. Since the accident, Samuel has done a lot of crying. But I have only seen him actually cry tears a handful of times. This past week, there have been about 3 different times that little tears have come streaming down his face. One good example was when his speech therpist showed up the other day. She went in his room, sat down next to him and said hello. He looked at her for about 30 seconds and started crying. It wasn’t a dramatic cry, and he wasn’t posturing, but little tears were streaming down his face like he knew why she was there and he just didn’t want to do therapy. It was cute and heart-breaking at the same time!
Samuel is still calmer most of the time, although he does posture throughout the day. But it is to the point now that it seems like he is doing it because it’s the only way he knows how to move and he really wants to get up and move around. It only lasts for a minute or so, and it only happens 2-4 times in an hour, which is a far cry from 6 months ago when it was happening every few minutes and he seemed to have no control over it.
Another fun change is that Samuel has decided he loves to have his back rubbed or massaged. He will lay on his tummy and let me rub away. It is a really good thing because his back is so tight and his shoulders are also. It gives me a good chance to try and loosen things up for him.
Other good news, I actually saw Samuel roll from his back to his stomach twice this week. He usually goes clear from one side to the other and then to his stomach. But he is also usually mad and arching his back which gives him a good boost to the other side. But once he’s on his side, he pulls in his legs and his head and that carries him to his stomach. But, of course, he can’t figure out how to get back. He is also getting better at being happy on his stomach for longer periods of time which is a good thing.
We started Samuel on his new diet this week. We are going VERY slowly to try and get him some “real” foods mixed with his pediasure just for better health and hopefully, more weight. We’re adding some juiced vegetables and fruit, some nut milk and goat milk to his diet. Hopefully, it will help with his digestion also. I did weigh him this week and he weighed 25 pounds on my scales. Another 5 pounds would be nice.
Best of all, I do believe that Samuel is seriously attempting to talk. He can nearly say “go” and “on” and “all gone” and “ya”. It’s not entirely consistant, and you have to show him how to do it a bunch of times before he will. But he pays attention to your mouth as you say it and then tries to repeat it. No one would understand what he’s saying except us, and we’re a long way from him just saying things on his own. But it’s a start and we are VERY excited!
Last of all, Samuel half smiled today. I asked him to look at mommy and when he did, I must have looked funny, because one side of his mouth grinned about 3 times. That is certainly the thing we miss the VERY most is his contagious smile!
Well, until next week - KEEP PRAYING!
Love,
The Jewkes
RSS feed for comments on this post.
TrackBack URI
