Primary's, Food and Math

Best News First: The recommendation of the Doctors are that Maddi should move back to Primary Children's on Friday! This marks the beginning of the end of the hospital stays! That means be could be home before Maddi's Birthday! That will be such a happy day! It doesn't mean the work part is over but the leaving her alone every night will be over. We won't be torn between two worlds. We will have the option to just hang out together watching "The Big Bang Theory", "Bones" and "NCIS" in our own living room. Hopefully we still have new episodes by that time.

She has started crying when we leave. It tears my heart out to leave her but the balance must be levied to keep the family intact and strong. Brooke and Mason are every bit as important as Maddi. Their needs just don't scream at us. It doesn't make them less of a need.

Maddi understands and knows that we have to leave just like Brooke and Mason understand that life is crazy right now. We have asked her about it and she understands but it doesn't make it an easier. We read the Book Of Mormon and pray with her every night before we leave and in every prayer is included the petition for Maddi to be comforted, to feel loved and not alone.

Today started out with Key Lime Pie! Yogurt that is. When we got to the hospital early this morning Maddi was already out of bed and sitting up just waiting for us. She looked so good. We had stopped at the market to get a few foods for her. We picked up Key Lime Pie Yogurt and Spaghettios.

She was really excited about the yogurt. We didn't show her the spaghetti until lunch time or that is all she would have wanted. She ate the entire container of yogurt and did a great job with it! At lunch time she ate the entire amount of spaghettios without any trouble. She was so happy!!!

After the morning food happiness, we went on to coloring. That skill is coming back so quickly! She gets bored easily but we just move from one activity to another. We turned the paper over and she used gel pens to write and draw. She, of course drew smiley faces and hearts. She then wrote the word Math. I asked her if she wanted to do some math and she indicated yes.

Not knowing where to start I chose basic addition. She was amazing with no hesitation, she answered all the doubles 1-10. I wrote the problem she wrote the answer. She seemed a little insulted by my early first grade math so I tried an early algebra equation; x+4=9 and asked her to solve for x. She immediately wrote 5.

I was impressed with the amount of logic going on in her brain. We tried an equation with division and she didn't attempt it but we had been doing the math skills for a while. So we moved to writing words. I asked her if she had any other words in her brain. She wrote Hell, hello, smile and math. That is pretty amazing. This was all before lunch!

PT and OT are both working on lots of different skills. Maddi zipped up her coat today and learned to drop a ball from a two handed, arm extended grip. That sounds easy but it is actually quite advanced in terms of skills. She also lifted weights with her arms and tried some running. She is basically walking unassisted but she is a little unpredictable. You never know where she might go.

One of the things I have been working on with her is washing her hands and brushing her teeth. She is doing great in both ways! Obviously, brushing her teeth is more of a challenge for her.

Today, she spent a great deal of time going over the sign language alphabet with her hands. She also was repeating all the signs we have been using over and over again too. We are still having a little trouble with the directionality and I am not fluent with signing "Maddisized" so I am missing some cues but time will work that out. I am just amazed at how much she remembers and can tell us. We couldn't remember the sign for her name and we asked her and she didn't hesitate to show us.

Maddi went to music therapy with the rest of the kids on the floor. It was kind of fun but part way through she was done and let me know about that for sure! They played drums, shakers and worked on making sounds with her mouth. She made the sign for friend to one of the girls named Laura. Laura is a remarkable young girl! She takes care of those kids on the floor. I have watched her ask about the other kids and try to help them. She may be disabled but she knows how to "bloom where she is planted". She is serving in her little world. I am so awestruck by the brilliance of her spirit! I have talked about how sad it is for these kids not to have people to love them. Well, they do and her name is Laura. I know that isn't the same as family but what a testament to the pervading need to love and be loved and the strength of the soul to shine through the disabilities of mortality!

Laura is always asking about Maddi and comes to visit her. She really is interested in Maddi getting better. Laura lives full time at South Davis but she is pretty verbal. When Maddi came into Music, Laura and Caroline had to move to sit by her. Both Laura and Caroline were so excited that Maddi was there! Laura asked me to ask if Maddi could be her roommate. She was so sad to know that Maddi would be leaving and not staying at South Davis.

Her direct quote was: "I don't want her to go. She is my friend. I want her to be my roommate."

After I told her Maddi was going to be leaving she asked why and I told her so Maddi could get strong enough to go home.

Laura said; "Home is better. She is doing good. Maddi needs to be home".

Now, I know that Maddi is still learning and so our Laura and Caroline but it is interesting to note that when the "Spirit" of the person is in charge kindness is the result. Contrast that to when the "Natural Man" takes over.

I call the following event the "In and Out Burger" based on where it took place. So if you ever hear me say they just pulled an "In and Out Burger" you will know what I mean. We have all made a bad choice at one time or another and I am not attempting to pass judgement on these specific girls but it illustrates well the point that though Laura will never achieve the things or have the life that these girls will but she has learned and implements naturally an eternal skill that esteems her in the eyes of her Savior.

Here is the story:

John and I were at a fast food place right before Christmas and a youth group was there either coming from or going to Temple Square to see the lights. I was appalled at the mean, unbecoming nature of the behavior of some of those girls. A particular group was intentionally leaving out and mistreating this one girl. They were really good at it. They were all syrup and sugar when the adults were around but were vinegar and brine when out of earshot.

They were whispering and talking badly about this one young lady. They made sure she didn't have any way to sit by "them". I am sure those girls either didn't care if anyone noticed or felt completely justified in their behavior. I am sure that this other girl had her quirks but.......... really........... does that make it OK?

This is not to say that we have to like and hang out with everyone but honestly would it have killed those girls to be kind. I have seen this same experience recreated with first graders over an over again. It isn't that parents haven't taught civility, teaching has been there but the long term practice in every setting hasn't happened. The Natural Man is a strong willed and difficult to tame. I have always had little toleration for that type of pettiness and have always policed this stringently, but this experience has given me a new perspective.

Maddi is still in there! She is the same as she has always been. Her spirit hasn't dimmed in any way. Mortality has given her a ride she would never have chosen but she is standing tall and doing her best! How many times do we feel like we should be more or better. Maybe that is our spirit trying to call the shots and asking the "natural man" to take the second chair. Maybe we should listen to that call a bit more.

Maybe, when we are irritated beyond belief by that less than favorite person we should look beyond the hair color, designer apparel and achievements and look inward to the soul. The brilliance of a soul can be easily overlooked if you are distracted by the world. Maybe if we can see the brilliance of others, maybe we will be convinced of our own brilliance in the reflection. If we could only see our selves from the eyes of our Savior who loves and knows us more than we know of ourselves. We would see what we are meant to be!

Anyway, I digress again. I have mentioned that this experience has so many more elements than just Maddi's recovery. I am a people watcher by nature, as a way to collect stories and see human behavior at its best! Every now and then, an "In and Out Burger" creeps up on me but for the most part, I see Brilliant Laura-s in many places. This experience has shown me many examples of amazing people doing their best everyday to make a difference in their small little circles. I hope I can do the same.