We are Here, We are Here, We are HERE!

Sorry for the Horton Hears a Who reference in the title... We've been watching a lot of Grinch and Horton lately. It's been a while so I thought I'd catch everyone up. Since our disaster of an illness, we've been managing. Cavan isn't back to his normal self recently. He is having major gagging issues when it comes to eating. I literally have to force feed him most meals. It kind of looks like this....

Me: Cavan, you have to eat. You can't go to school without eating.

Cavan: I don't want to eat!! (Insert thrashing, kicking and gagging)

Me: (trying really hard not to cry or strangle him or both) okay! Let's play a game...

And this is when I have to come up with a zillion different ways for him to eat. The iPad normally works. He plays and I sneak bites in when he doesn't realize it. But God forbid if he does notice! He gags it all up. I don't know what the deal is. But it's really annoying to be honest. My immediate thought is- I ain't got time for this shit. 

Thanksgiving was wonderful! We had it at our house. I don't cook- my mom does! It just makes it easy to watch what Cavan is eating when he is under our roof. I let him pick his own meal. He got turkey, celery, strawberries and corn. He ate everything on his plate! (Don't be fooled it took about 40 minutes for him to get everything down). But it was great and I was grateful. 

  With Christmas around the corner I am doing a lot of looking back on where we were last year. He is a completely different kid. He is aware and more- alive- if that makes any sense? He is into it and I feel like a lot more with it in understanding what is going on. He is excited and mindful of how he is behaving. Just all around better. He has his moments. But I was looking back at some videos of him from last year and holy hell! How did we put up with that for so long?? He was all meds. And it was obvious. Little by little we are seeing Cavan. Sweet, loving Cavan that fills people's buckets (a saying that he does good for others) and brings joy to others. So yeah, I have to force feed him most meals. That'll pass. I hope! As long as I continue to get this Cavan. The one we have all been waiting to meet again!