Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Paying It Forward

I just got off the phone with The Thoughtful House in Texas.  They had emailed me asking if they could use Brian's files as part of a research study looking for trends in not only causation but treatments that showed promise.  It was a no-brainer for me to quickly respond positively.  After all they have done for my boy I will always do all I can to help them help other children.

As I was waiting for them to call me to go over all the legalities of the study I began reminiscing...

I remembered filling out all the paperwork for the Bright Eyes grant.  Not really ever thinking Brian would be one of the fifty children picked from all over the country.

I remembered sitting on my bed, actually in the midst of going through Brian's paperwork, when I got the call that told me they wanted to award Brian one of the grants.  It was one of those pivotal moments in my life that I can recall every little detail to it.

The trips down to Texas are remembered in the same details.  I remember every little piece of it- the layovers, the hotel room, the practitioner's faces and voices, what we were wearing, etc.

Funny when most of the time I can't even remember what I did yesterday.

We will forever be honored by that grant.  That grant gave us speech, less self-injurious behaviors, more interactions, happier affect overall, increased cognition, and sleep, GLORIOUS sleep.  That grant helped bring my boy back to me.  Is there still work to be done?  There sure is.  But I know we wouldn't be where we are today without the Thoughtful House.

I hope whatever little we can do can help another child the way mine was helped.