Another Quick Ethan Update

I just wanted to post a really quick update about our appointment today.

First of all, the staff was great.  We initially met with the Nurse Practitioner who asked great questions and took excellent notes.   We discussed everything about Ethan’s history, trying to determine our next course of action.  I told her that we were not in denial about Ethan’s outlook because we love him just the way that he is.  We, as parents, just want to make sure that we have done everything possible for him.  She looked at me, looked at Ethan, smiled, and said, “He is a happy, healthy, well-adjusted little boy, and I have read all of the notes from all of the appointments that you have had over the years.  I can guarantee you that you have done and are doing everything that you can for him.”  Then, she said, “Is he always like this.  So good,  happily entertaining himself?”  I smiled and said, “Yes, he is an amazing little boy.”  As you can imagine, yes, she has been appointed an honorary member of Team Ethan.

After we talked, she went and discussed everything with the doctor, and then he came in to see us.  He immediately interacted with Ethan, getting him to do basic things like jump, raise his hands, give him a high-give, hop from the window to the door, etc.  Ethan did everything that was asked of him.  The doctor smiled a great big smile and told him that he did a great job.

So, we decided a few things.  First of all, they believe that the verbal apraxia is a very real possibility.  But, they do not make that final diagnosis.  I have already been in touch with a private speech therapy group, and I will contact them again tomorrow to schedule a full evaluation.  In addition, the doctor wants to do an extensive test to rule out any possible seizure activity.  He believes that there is a 90% chance that Ethan does not have any form of seizures because we had an EEG in 2009 that did not show any seizure activity.  However, he wants to be 100% sure by running a 24-hour test that would show Ethan over the course of an actual day, including his brain activity while he sleeps.

I know that many of you have also asked me if we have any results from yesterday’s tests.  We have not heard anything.  I will call the nurse tomorrow morning just to make sure that there is nothing to report and to determine next steps.

Once again, thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers.  I was so busy when I got home that I honestly forgot that there were people…friends, family, even people who we have never met…who wanted to get an update on my sweet Ethan.  It was only when I started receiving missed calls on my phone that I realized that I needed to take a second to update everyone.  We truly appreciate the fact that so many people care, truly care, about our little boy. We are amazed…but then we realize that it truly is just Ethan’s magic that he is able to spread both near and far.