Here’s how it is going with Ella… Great! Ella is making progress daily. It is slow but it is constant. Her sitting abilities have improved dramatically, she can sit for prolonged periods of time on her own with no support. This works best when there is something to fascinate her, a movie or a new toy. She is discovering a new type of toy now. Up until now her toys were cause and effect toys, you touch them, they beep. This is endlessly exciting. Now she is slowly learning sorting toys, and putting things in places. Jackie, Ella’s physical therapists reports that Ella has be seen using her left hand to perform a willful action. She placed a toy with beads on Ella’s left side and more than once, Ella grabbed at the beads with her left hand. This is very encouraging. Here is the best news though. On Friday we had our periodic visit with Dr. Duffy. It was the first time he saw her at her awake, aware, post surgery state. He was amazed! He said she has made tremendous progress and was very encouraging. This is just the beginning, he claimed. He said there is a period of about two years where kids (post hemispherectomy) make up their deficit. She has no traces of seizure activity, she is on no medication so our next appointment with him is (get this) …. In one year! Major milestones lay ahead. Ella needs to bear weight on her arms and legs so she can start crawling. (we’ve actually heard of hemisperectomy kids that skipped crawling altogether and started walking. The crawling can be too difficult with the weak side not bearing the weight well), Lots progress needs to be done in vocalizing. And then there is chemistry and creative writing… Beth (Ella’s Nanny) is doing a wonderful job keeping Ella active, interested and challenged throughout the day. Ella is as happy as ever. I worry a lot about Ella’s future, and the hardships that lay ahead of her (and us). Still, it’s nice to get some encouragement from time to time.