Day 24

[Guest guest]

Day 24

I really thought I was going to wait and blog after the New Year but I

thought today was a day worth sharing. Today was our big day trip

that we had planned. For most people driving two and a half hours to

visit friends is not an issue; but in our house we have NEVER been

able to do that since received the abuse from her school

system 14 years ago from the ABA therapy she received for her

misdiagnosis of autism.

I went out this morning and ran a few errands before we left for

Tennessee. I left Mel and her sisters Mindy, and Tomi home so Mindy

and Tomi could get dressed and ready for the trip as Mel had already

gotten dressed. What I saw when I came home was so very unexpected

that it brought tears to my eyes. Mel actually had makeup on and her

hair straightened and a completely different outfit on. Mel never

wanted her hair straightened or makeup on!! Mel wanted the help of

her sisters this morning to get ready but waited until I left. She

looked so beautiful! This was such a great time for the three sisters

to share as her sisters have been asking her for a long time if they

could fix her hair or do her make up and Mel never wanted any part of

that. The girls are still talking about how much fun they had this

morning. They were so excited to give Mel a makeover and the most

shocking is that Mel really enjoyed it!

We made sure that Mel chose some magazines for the 2.5 hour drive as I

was sure she would want to read them during the car ride. Mel never

opened a magazine, not even one! Mel was too busy either trying to

communicate, tease her sisters, or look out the window at the places

she has never seen before. Unlike the past trips which were difficult

for Mel and all of us, we all enjoyed the car ride to and from

Tennessee today as a family. Another first!

At lunch I again underestimated how improved Mel is since being on the

Nutriiveda the past few weeks. Again it's just hard to comprehend

after all the years of therapies and attempts including medications to

help Mel that something so delicious, easy, and good for her could

make such a profound difference. I really thought lunch would be an

issue as I thought Mel would as usual from before order something but

not eat it due to her post traumatic stress dysfunction or PTSD as

that has been an issue in the past that she would not like to eat when

not real close to home. Mel ate her entire lunch and didn't even

appear to care we were so far from home. Mel had a few hand tremors

but with the help of the Nutriiveda she was able to push thru her PTSD

behavior and eat her entire lunch. Again strange that something so

simple could make such a difference.

After lunch we went to purchase some fireworks for New Years Eve. We

were in a very large fireworks shop and I pretended to be busy on my

phone just to see what Mel would do as I know a situation like that

would typically have thrown Mel into a panic. Mel walked the entire

time without holding onto me. She was able to really stay with all of

us and really seemed to enjoy the independence she felt without having

to hold onto me. I don't know exactly how Mel felt, but I know it was

an extremely strange feeling for me too to not have Mel holding on to

me!

After a wonderful day, the ride home went very well with more teasing,

looking out the car window with amazement, and trying to chat with the

rest of us. Mel is continuing to become more and more of a " talker "

Tomorrow Mel is going shopping with her dad and sisters to get the

groceries needed for New Years Eve and New Years Day as I have a day

planned with a friend to go to lunch and shopping. Normally I would

have had to turn my friend's invitation down and stay with Mel while

the rest of my family went out to purchase the food but tomorrow I

will actually have a day to myself! Wow I have not had that for so

long!

New Years Eve we are invited to two family parties one starts at 8:00

and the other one starts at 11:00. We are planning on taking the

entire family to both parties. Last year or even last month we would

have had to decline both invitations. New Years Day we are also going

to dinner with the family to another house. Wow three parties in two

days! All this change for Mel has actually changed our entire

family. I will be sure to post photos of Mel as I'm sure she's going

to want to get dressed up for the first time to celebrate New Years.

2010 is going to be a night to celebrate as in the past few weeks we

have so much to be thankful for and we look forward to a new world

this coming year. We finally feel we do not have to live in our

little bubble that we have lived in for the past 14 years! What a

great feeling it is to be able to be out and enjoying what life has to

offer instead of being inside watching Mel suffer so much. We have

been to so many doctors and therapists for over 20 years and no one

has been able to do what Nutriiveda has done. I know I probably sound

like a broken record but what an amazing product and I am so thankful

for it!!!

I would like to once again thank