Today, Saturday, was a busy day!! First we were with Alison, speech therapist in Peoria, then way down to Gilbert for a Jin Shin Jyutsu session with Debbie, and finally back to Peoria for occupational therapy with Chris. Debbie did her usual thing of treating Maria while Maria listens to Therapeutic Listening tapes, which are supposed to help her talk. Manolis and I always leave the room because the treatments go better when Debbie and Maria are alone.
In her OT session, Maria was sitting on Chris’s lap, looking at her. Chris would talk to Maria, then Maria would look right at Chris and move her mouth like she was talking (no sounds came out). Then Chris would talk, then Maria would move her mouth. This went on for more than 20 minutes!! Chris said Maria was breathing like she was talking (not sure if that makes sense, hard to explain in text). Back and forth, and back and forth, just like they were having a long, involved conversation!
It was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen Maria do! I wish I’d had my camera to take a video! I almost cried. Sue would have cried if she’d been there. And for some reason 2 tears came out of Maria’s eye at the end of the session when she was laying down.
I have no idea what that was about, but it was absolutely amazing! It reminded me of the time when Helen Keller finally figured out that the W sign meant water and the whole language thing finally made sense.
Next week is another Jin Shin treatment, followed by OT, so we’ll see what else happens!