Noah for the last month or so has occasionally had these moments of yelling at us - which sounds much like what Charlie Brown would sound like if he was mad and attempting to talk in sentences. We find it funny, because Noah is so serious and in his world he is talking. Last weekend we had lots of these moments, Noah is becoming more communicative - in his own way, we just don't know what he is saying - but he certainly does. Chris and I think this is very encouraging. Noah is making an effort. He wants to talk. He really does.
Speech therapy even reinforces Noah's amazing progress, as we asked him a series of questions for the last two weeks, and he is able to make the correct choices by first looking and then hitting the corresponding big mack button that is the correct answer. Noah is completely accurate and never misses the correct answer, which indicates to us that he understands. He could tell us who was holding him, the name of his speech therapist, identify who his brother was, and even make correct responses to what pieces of clothing a puzzle was missing. This is HUGE! Noah understands, and we have confirmation! This an amazing blessing and a big "inch-stone" for Noah. Now that he understands it is my task to figure out how to open the doorway to further communication between us. I still haven't abandoned hopes with the IPad, although communication apps that I would likely need for Noah are expensive - a few hundred dollars each. His speech therapist hasn't given up hopes that Noah will eventually be verbal, but we are working on both goals - augmentative speech device and verbal speech.
Two big successes in a month- the ability to eat soft solids and confirmation of comprehension and understanding. I can only imagine what the new year will hold for Noah. I keep dreaming of all the endless possibilities for Noah, all the things I still would love to provide for him to further his successes.
We also were gifted with a early Christmas blessing. Four very talented engineering college students built Noah a chair that straps in to other chairs for feeding and activities. They put so much time, love and creativity into making Noah something functional and safe. They have forever touched our hearts with what they have done for Noah. Not many people take the time to care they like did. Their hearts were genuinely in helping Noah. They thought of all the creature comforts for him, an abductor, special padding, 5 point harness, BPA safe plastic, magnetic tray with a lip, Noah's lack of head and trunk control and added extra supports. Young minds with such determination and love for others. They are the type of people who will help shape a better future for little ones like Noah - people who care so deeply sprinkled about out there - angels in waiting. Sometimes there are not enough words to express the gratitude that your heart contains. I am as candid about our hardships as I am about the joys and thankfulness we have for the blessings that come our way. They even made an instruction manual for us and called it "Noah's Miracle Chair."
"Gratitude is the music of the heart, when its chords are swept by the breeze of kindness." ~Author Unknown
Love,
Noah's Miracle by Stacy Warden is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
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