Today is one of those days we can say "MONTH"! Philippe's last seizure was on Christmas morning (December 25). Since then, it has been a great seizure-free month!
We got to go to Mexico to spend 2 weeks with Marcel's family for Christmas and New Years. There were a lot of emotions, as this past year has been one of the toughest for the Cochegrus family, but the most prevalent emotions were JOY and gratitude.
When we got home, my mom and dad got to come visit for 10 days! I LOVE my parents! They are the most supportive people I know, always loving all their kids no matter what choices we make and where life takes us. I know I can always count on my parents to be there for us. The thing that has impressed me and touched my heart the most the past few years is what caring, sweet, and patient grandparents they are! It amazes me every time we're with them! From the time last summer when they drove from Virginia to the hospital in Cleveland to spend just a couple days with us while Philippe stayed in the Epilepsy unit for over a week. Every time Philippe pulled my dad's glasses off his face he always responded with something kind or even said something silly or made a funny face. This past visit my dad went to Staples and asked if he could take Philippe with him. I had total trust and faith in my dad that he could handle Philippe while shopping, which is something I can't even say for myself half the time (which is why I never take Philippe shopping!). When they got back my dad said "he did great! He sat in the cart, and he only grabbed one thing! Then we walked around the parking lot with our arms out while we looked up at the sky and were slowly spinning around. It was wonderful! He loved it".
My parents left on Sunday. On Sunday we also started the Brain Highways program with Philippe. I don't want to speak too soon and "jinx" anything, but the past week has been AMAZING! Philippe has done more new things in the past 4 days than the entire past year combined!! Ever since Philippe had his first seizure at 5 months old we've been doing lots of different therapies, programs, and diets with Philippe. I've never seen any of the others show so much progress so quickly! Maybe it is just a "coincidence" that he started doing several new things just 4 days after starting Brain Highways, but it's the only change we've made lately. In his other therapies he's been working on things for several months with little to no progress, but when he woke up on Wednesday morning it was like someone flipped a switch in his brain and things were just clicking! You can see in his eyes he looks more "there", like he's more focused and can understand what you're doing and saying, and he's responding to what you want him to do like it's no big deal. He has been making 2 new sounds (he was only making 4 sounds before!), he started trying to jump and gets excited about it (we've been asking him to jump for a few months in therapy now, but he always just stood there with no response at all), and Wednesday morning he picked up 1 grape then reached and grabbed the other grape that was near it on the floor too! He has never, ever reached and grabbed more than 1 thing at the same time like that before! It has been incredible and so much fun!
Yesterday he did REALLY well at horse therapy! The past few weeks were tough for me because he would just there on the horse not responding, not signing "go" or "stop" or showing any interest in whatever activity they were doing. But yesterday he did awesome! He was signing and making sounds right away when they asked him! And for the first time ever he was actually looking over and paying attention to the other boy that rides at the same time as him!
Today has been fun too! Philippe started a swimming class just for kids with autism. He was totally content just sitting in the water hanging out. But when they were supposed to be splashing and kicking, Philippe was doing it too! He was laughing and squealing and having so much fun! He even looked over to Marcel and me a few times and was smiling really big! He usually doesn't look very far past what's right in front of him, and we were about 25 feet away! I was loving just sitting there on the side watching him have so much fun and just being with other kids :)
I can tell there are lots of great things to come for Philippe! I'm sure he will still have tough moments with tantrums, biting, kicking and screaming. And I'm sure I'll still have tough moments where I lose my patience, or break down and cry for who knows how long. But I know that every day from here on out is going to be AWESOME!!!
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