I can't tell you how excited I am - my little man ate a whole bowl of cottage pie - eeeekkkk this is HUGE. We have been waiting for 7 years to see our son eat and tonight Bruce and myself sat together at the table with our kids and fed BOTH our children!! It was amazing, it felt so natural yet to foreign if that makes any sense at all. Bruce fed Nicole while I fed Jason. Jason sat there and ate spoon after spoon watching his little sister eating her food and demonstrating how to chew and he did it, he ate his whole bowl!!
The first person that I had to message was Sarah (Jason's speech therapist). She was the first person that came to mind because Sarah has been a HUGE part of Jason's turn around. Sarah has worked so hard with Jason every Wednesday and Friday at feeding therapy and also at his little school twice a week. Jason and Sarah have an amazing bond and the way Sarah works with Jason is absolutely amazing. He trusts her so much and Sarah knows Jason so well. She knows what he is capable of and she has worked so hard to get him there. Bruce and myself have also obviously worked very hard with Jason and never given up but it's the efforts of everyone involved working as a team - all his therapists, his teachers and assistants and volunteers at school. We are blessed to have such a wonderful team of doctors and therapists and such an awesome, amazing special little school looking after Jason and assisting us with his needs.
Then of course at the very top of the list above all is God - Jason and I would not be where we are today without the support, guidance and care from the Lord above. He has never left our side. I have had many bad days, trying to care for a special needs child that doesn't eat and is constantly sick is very tiring, very draining and very taxing but he always gives me the strength, the determination and the courage to carry on. No parent of a special needs child is given special powers or special abilities. Bruce and I are no different from any parent. We are all the same, have the same human abilities but God has given me the strength, the courage and the determination to never give up. Today was a brilliant day and one life event that I will not forget. Today was the first time our 7 year old son ate a meal for the first time!
I know not every day is going to be as good as today. BUT we are getting there, we have turned the corner, we are on the home stretch. We have hope, we have faith and we will take each day one day at a time and continue to keep trying with Jason. This is Jason's journey and Jason's journey was started to help Jason to eat. We are getting there. Jason has had his feeding tube for 6 years and we have been trying to wean him from his tube for 4 years. It's only onwards and upwards from here!!
Today was a good day!!!