Blueberries for Sal

After Audrey's headcold had me discouraged and worried the past week over her refusal of food and seeming to be getting food stuck in her throat, some rough nights digesting, I was thinking oh my goodness, please no, not again with the stricturing. But she's been feeling much better and then, today, she got really excited in the store when I went to buy some blueberries for her, I know how much she loves them (we've been enjoying some classic children's stories she was given for Christmas by my mother, and Audrey really loves the one called "Blueberries for Sal") and so she's been particularly enthusastic about blueberries lately, but imagine my joy when we got home and she ate about 30 of them. I need to say that again in big bold capital letters.  SHE ATE ABOUT THIRTY WHOLE BLUEBERRIES JUST NOW, YIPPEEE!!!  It's the most by far she has eaten before of something that chunky. She is still very cautious and chews a long time, as she should, but oh my word, that is just huge exciting news for me to share with you guys!!

My heart had been sinking more and more every time I offered her food and she shook her head. This change is so exciting! I think she must swell or have spasms in her esophagus when she is sick, when she gagged on the tiny bits of cookie she ate last week I thought it might be all over for the home track. I didn't want to tell anyone after the wonderful respite of good news we've had, but now I am so so relieved to report the change!

I'm also excited to report that I will be traveling a lot in the next few weeks... this weekend I travel to Oregon to see my grandmother who is recovering after a massive stroke, plus my parents, paternal grandmother, aunt and cousins.  I am really looking forward to seeing everyone.  It will be a little strange to fly from Massachusetts across the country, right over Utah where my children and husband will wave at the sky, and back again to Massachusetts where we've now passed the six month mark since we have been here for Audrey's specialized treatment.  ANNNND  I've been afraid of something going wrong, (it always seems to!) but we actually have tickets to return to my family in Utah on February 11th!!!  We are going to try traveling out and back again for her dilations as needed, but for the moment she is doing well enough that her doctors think she can travel home.  Uh oh, I said the h word.  (Remember,  in the NICU the nurses believed that was bad luck, and used the word picnic instead!)  OKAY OKAY, so I don't really believe in the superstition, but just the same, I think it's healthy not to count on it too hard until we are actually on that plane touching down in Utah.