Yesterday AJ had a tummy bug. She vomited about 10 times but then she recovered overnight and this morning was amazing. She played with Owen all morning, only coming up for air to tattle on him a few times, once for suggesting they play baseball in the house. It was such a remarkable morning that I called Cathy Z from CARD and asked her to come over and observe AJ. She came over with her video camera and said that she noticed right from walking in the door that AJ's "processing time" was immediate and we did not have the usual, "Look its Cathy, say hi to Cathy...can you say hi to Cathy, AJ?" Instead AJ ran up and waved and said, "Hi Cathy!" She answered questions and smiled and when I talked to her she gave me some sly little smiles like when she was a baby and gave me good eye contact. Her eye contact wasn't that great with Cathy but she was totally "with us" in a way that was really exciting. She was more alert in the morning before Cathy came over, but she was still doing well for Cathy. I think that Cathy got some good stuff on tape. It is weird how the heightened awareness and "normal" energy seems to kind of fade away as the bug goes away. AJ does very well now with the b12 shots, but she is always on a completely different, amazing level after a stomach bug. It is so great to know that she is in there. I think all our kids are "in there" and that if this were studied we would be so close to getting to meet them eye to eye.
Cathy and I talked for a while about why on earth a stomach bug and a fever could be so good for her brain. We talked about how maybe it was the heightened immune system was leaving alone attacking itself and was concentrating on attacking the bug. Whatever it is, it is highly under-studied, under-reported and if it was studied seriously and hugely... I think that it could open the doors to treatment in an incredible way. All AJ has had to drink all day is gatorade and she did not eat anything all day until this evening when she had two rice cakes. She is still doing well. I hear her out there watching a movie with her grandpa yelling about how there is ice in the video and how Owen is wrong that it is not a rock it is an iceberg.I have capitalized on lots of hugs and kisses today and lots of smiles. It fills up my heart, which is especially wonderful when this is such a difficult week as it is one year tomorrow since my sister and her baby were killed in a car accident. She would have been so proud of AJ. I wish I could be telling her all about this. Anyway, I feel like she is also somehow a part of AJ's progress. I know that sounds crazy but I just feel it in my heart.
me.
