After a CT scan done last Wednesday, Dr. Black decided to lower Ella’s shunt setting again. The pressure, even after lowering, is still way above normal. It will take one more adjustment to bring it down to normal levels. It seems to have been successful. Everyone has noticed that Ella is more alert and connected and that she is (if this is at all possible) in better mood. The acupressure treatment continues weekly. It doesn’t seem to have a dramatic effect on her use of her left arm and hand but, there seems to be some change (related or not) in the way she uses her left. We need to address something else as well, the minimal use of her left arm leaves her neck muscles tight (maybe shortened) on her left side and she needs stretching to help with that. We haven’t been too successful in convincing her that anything else besides crackers is in fact food. She examines things briefly, but intently and if they are not crackers they are tossed aside. ‘Bring on the real stuff’.