A New Kind of Therapy. . .

I like to call it. . .

Baby Therapy. . .

And, it does the heart good. Just look at Pop's face. . .


I tell you this kind of therapy is better than any medicine. . .


At least it is with this grandchild loving Pop!


I kept worrying that Erik Daniel might hurt Pop with all of his wiggling, but Pop insisted that he was fine. And, he wanted to be close to this sweet little boy. And, my little boy wanted to be close to his sweet Pop.

Here is my favorite picture of them. . .



Precious.

Now, don't you think that made him feel a little better?

I do.

As you can see, Erik, Erik Daniel, and I went to New Orleans for the weekend. And, it was an amazing trip for so many reasons!!! So, let me tell you why. . .

I think we were about 45 minutes from New Orleans when Erik received a call from a man who was assessing Mom for admittance into a long term acute care facility. He informed Erik that she had moved her toes on command for him.

What?????!!!!!!????

For the first time, my husband lit up with hope! She had responded to a verbal command. This was huge. HUGE.

We got a little further down the road ~ actually we were on that really long bridge that goes from Slidell to New Orleans ~ when Jason called. He and Erik had previously decided that we would meet at the Praline Connection to eat before Jason had to fly home. But, Jason was suggesting that we meet at the hospital instead. Erik was afraid that going to the hospital first would take too much time and that Jason would miss his flight. But, then, Jason explained. . .

Mom opened her eyes!!!!!!!

She looked at Jason and mouthed the words, "I love you," to him!!!!!!!

Erik said, "Okay, yes, then we will meet you at the hospital!"

It was a miracle weekend. She didn't open her eyes again that day, but the next morning she opened her eyes for Erik and mouthed his name. Unfortunately I wasn't with him!!!! But, later that night I got to see those brown eyes myself!!!!

We went to visit her, and Erik is ruthless, I tell you. He rubs her shoulder and talks loudly in her ear, "Mom, it is Erik. I love you. Erin is here with me. She wants to see your brown eyes. Show her your pretty brown eyes, Mama. Show them to her. Open your eyes, Mama. Open your eyes and look at Erin. She is standing right in front of you. She wants to see your pretty brown eyes. Hey! Hey! Hey, brown eyes, open your pretty brown eyes, Mama. We love you. We're praying for you. Now, open those pretty brown eyes and look at Erin." And, finally after the one millionth time he asked her, a little miracle happened, and she ever so slowly, as if her eyelids weighed a ton, with great concentration and inner strength, she opened up her pretty brown eyes and looked at me.

And, I couldn't help but cheer for her! "Good job, Mom. Good job! You did so good! Thank you for letting me see your eyes! You are so strong! You are getting better every day! Good job, Mom! I love you."

I can't tell you the pride that welled up in me when I saw her open her sweet eyes!!!

And, because I need to go to bed, I am going to come full circle and end this post. We went back to see her today. She is in a new hospital, and I didn't know the rules about babies. So, rather than ask, we just decided to take Erik Daniel and see what would happen.

No one said anything to us. We walked right by several staff members and into Mom's room.

Erik did his little number where he asks her over and over again to open her pretty brown eyes while he rubs her shoulder with gentle force. He told her that Erik Daniel was with us, so she should open those pretty brown eyes and look at him. Erik Daniel cooed and giggled in my arms. And, I knew she could hear him, and I know what those sounds do to me, and I prayed that they would have the same effect on her. After several minutes of trying so hard to open her eyes, she finally got them about halfway open. So, I held Erik Daniel like superman in the air, so he would be in her line of vision. After that she mouthed a sentence or two that we couldn't make out for sure, and then, once again, she drifted back into a peaceful sleeping state.

Baby Therapy.

It is a good thing, just ask Pop!

And, speaking of Pop I must throw this picture in. . .

Erik and I bought him this shirt because we think he is Superman, and we love him sooooooo much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!