"There is nothing the Lord has asked of us that in faith we cannot accomplish." Thomas S. Monson

Thursday, July 15, 2010

It's been a while!

I know, it's been a while sense we've posted, and a lot has happened! Gibson got a new baby brother, Mack! He loves the baby, and is a huge help.
Gibson graduated kindergarten with honors (I just made that up). He did amazing. We had his IEP at the end of the year, and absolutely NO concerns educationally or socially. He is reading and now, thanks largely in part to the stem cell transplant, he is writting better than ever! At the begining of kindergarten, he could barely write his first name on his papers. Now, he writes his first, middle, and last, just to show off! He can write 1-100 perfectly. It has been amazing to watch his fingers come alive!
HE CAN DRINK FROM A STRAW! Oh the simple things in life! I know it sounds rediculous, but that one small step, has changed his (and my) life! A couple of weeks ago, Gibson finished his physical therapy, and had done a great job, so I told him we could go to Sonic to get a treat. Normally, he would order a chocolate milkshake, but, he of course wouldn't be able to suck such thick liquid into a straw, so I would have to pull over, and spoon feed him. BUT NOT THIS TIME, AND NEVER AGAIN! I handed him the cup, stuck the straw in, and with one miraculous suck, Gibson was born again! His face lit up, and as he gave me his signature "two thumbs up", the tears welled! Serioulsy, one of the top ten happiest moments in my life.
I decided to make this summer my summer for answers. So, I lied, cheated, and stole my way (not really, but close enough), into an appointment with one of the best neuorsurgeons in the country. The doctor took one look at Gibson, one look at his MRI scans, and said "this kid does not have perisylvian dysgenesis." Hugh? I felt like my life was a giant game of "shoots and ladders", and I had just landed on that huge slide that slips you all the way back to the bottom. The doctor did all sorts of tests on him, even had him running laps around the hospital! This genious neurosurgon, was "baffled". That is what he said, "baffled". For some reason, I think it's pretty awesome that Gibson has "baffled" a brilliant surgeon. The doctor referred us to a new Neurologist, and Gibson will be getting a new MRI scan that is much more detailed, probably in the next year or so. So, as of now, Gibson is diagnosed with "gibsonisfreakinawesomeitis".
We are hoping that this new Neurologist, who Gibson will see next week, will direct us to someone who can give Gibson botox injections into his saliva glands, to help with his drooling.
So, that is where we are! Enjoying our baby Mack and our extra thick milkshakes! Life couldn't be better.