Luke's Vitalstim

Vitalstim has been going well for Luke, but he is still aspirating. At least he is becoming less averse to having things in his mouth, and most of the time actually likes the games his Vitalstim therapists play with him. The plan at this point is to do another swallow study after 30 therapy sessions which should be around the beginning of December and see if he has made any improvement in coordinating his swallow. Then we are going to take a little break and go back to Vitalstim after Luke has had a few more surgeries, probably sometime in Spring. We have a lot coming up and I owe you all a big post about Luke's last ENT surgery and visit.

Here are a few photos of Luke having Vitalstim. I am amazed at the stuff they can get him to tolerate orally that I haven't been able to. Patience, patience, patience seems to be the key.

Halloween photos

We had a fun Halloween this year and even got to go to a party at Lara & Daniel's house.

Sam as the Pokemon Marill, Luke the pumpkin, Oona, a little witch,
& Gus as Pharoah from Yu-Gi-Oh

The pumpkin was a good choice for Luke because it was so warm.

Quite an honor

Sorry it has been so long between posts. We have a lot of things to update about and pictures to post, so I will try to get to it soon.

I wanted to start with a surprising honor we received last night. We were invited to The ARC of Shelby County's annual awards banquet, where our family was given the "Inspirational Family of the Year Award". We felt so honored to be chosen for this award mainly because it means that people and an organization that we respect so much, think highly of us too. I was especially glad for Sam & Gus, because they were so proud. There are a lot of things that Rob and I don't get to do with them and for them and so many times when Luke's needs come first because they are medical and more pressing. So this award was like a recognition of the sacrifices Sam & Gus make and the good-natured way in which they make them.


One of the most wonderful things we have found on our journey since having Luke is his therapists and the other members of his Early Intervention team. Between The ARC, The Bell Center and Children's Hospital over 2 dozen therapists have worked with Luke and we have not had a bad experience with any of them. Each of them is special to us for different reasons. One of the things that I love about Luke's ARC team is how accessible they are. I don't hesitate to call any of them if I have a question or need help. We never have to feel like we are in this alone - we always have backup. We know too Luke isn't just another patient to them. They care about him and us, and I am sure they feel the same about the other kids they see. It can be easy to get discouraged about how long it sometimes takes for Luke to reach milestones or achieve goals. But his therapists are always so encouraging and help keep us focused on all the progress Luke has made and is making every day. If any of you read this, I hope you know how deeply we appreciate the contribution you make to Luke's life and to our whole family.