2/25/13 - Hard Worker

It is unfair to practice dessert words with pictures before dinner....smile. However, she had a great session again tonight. She continues to expand her vocabulary. We appropriately had "frustrated" as a new word. When she does not understand a word, she becomes frustrated, but fortunately that does not happen often.

2/14/13 - 1,000+ Words

Everything continues to progress. I tend to think it is a slow process until I think back.

On October 31, 2012, the day she was "turned on," we really didn't know what to expect. Alexandra was hearing sounds and loving it, but she didn't know what the sounds were. Now she knows at least a thousand words (of course that is just a guess, it could be more). She continues to expand her vocabulary. Before the implant we only used necessary words. Now we are able to explain new words as we encounter them. For example, last night in our speech therapy, there was a picture of someone dreaming. So, I explained what a dream was. There is so much she is capable of learning, but she has a lot of catching up to do. What little children normally learn through everyday life without even paying attention, she has missed. Will she completely catch up? No. Will she always have Autism? Yes.  Will she be able to understand what other people say to her (within reason)? Yes. Will she be able to make herself understood to others most of the time? I believe the answer is also Yes! When we began this journey, we knew what the best possible results could be. She is right on target.

One day Alexandra came out of school with the battery in her hearing aid dead and also her implant battery dead (which was a first). It reminded me how it used to be before her implant.  We have become so used to her hearing. We are spoiled and are truly blessed. 

We were in a restaurant this evening and a pager went off at the table behind us. It was sitting on the table and vibrated and made that funny sound. Alexandra turned around to see what it was. Every time something like this happens, it warms my heart.

One day this week Alexandra left her coat at school, and I sent her into her classroom to find it. As I followed her in I heard her ask, "Where's black coat?"  I understood her. Perhaps it was because I knew the context, but I also understand most of what she says. I heard one of the staff say, "I don't know what she is saying." It hurt me to hear that, but her speech continues to improve. That is why every night I sit down with her for about an hour and work, work, work. Do I get tired? Yes. Does she get tired and at times frustrated? Yes. Is it rewarding? Yes, Yes, Yes!! Am I thankful for this wonderful gift of hearing she has received? Yes, beyond measure.

Journeying on.......