Order to Go – More Voicing
I was coming home from doing some measurements at a house where I will be building a wheelchair ramp. My phone cell phone rang but at first I did not hear anyone on the other end.
Ashleigh’s voicing has continued to follow a pattern where she might speak for a few minutes at a time for a period of a week or so. Then we may go a couple of weeks where there is very little voicing. The voicing mainly occurs after she has been asleep.
Then, I heard a whispery voice say “Hi Dad”. It was Ashleigh on the other end. I asked if she felt OK and she said she had a headache. Her Mom then came on the phone and said Ashleigh wanted to ask me something. Ashleigh asked me for a cheeseburger and fries. After I got done laughing I told her of course and made a turn to head to McDonalds. We exchanged “I love you’s” and then I headed to get her to-go order.
Ashleigh has been able to voice more lately without being asleep first. The other night she talked for a very long period, probably 20-30 minutes. As she got tired it got much more breathy or whisperery but we could still understand her. A few days before Ashleigh was awake after midnight and my wife came into the room and Ashleigh was saying her prayers out loud.
That was the same night she told my wife she wanted peach cobbler. My wife said she did not have all of the ingredients but was there anything else she wanted. Ashleigh said “Yes, peach cobbler”. My wife asked if she wanted her to wake me up and have me go buy the ingredients. Luckily, Ashleigh said no since it was two o’clock in the morning. Needless to say, the next day we got the stuff and Ashleigh enjoyed her cobbler.
We are just so thrilled every time she talks that we would get her anything she wants since she can so rarely voice her needs. As long as it is cheeseburgers or cobblers we are OK, if she starts asking for new cars I could be in trouble.
We are no closer to understanding this phenomenon but we sure do enjoy it every time it happens. Her mother and I believe things would be so much better for her if she could just speak to us all of the time.
My 4 year old daughter also suffered a brain injury in January of 2007, and seems to vocalize more upon waking in the morning. I’m wondering why that happens?
I do appreciate your blog–to share your experiences with newbies like us is very helpful.
Jean
My sister’s accident was one year ago. She has been doing some vocalizing too. Then she won’t for a week or so. She is very physically disabled as yet. She says things like: Hi Mom, I love you, bye, bed. She seems to have a memory lapse of a couple years before the accident and can only hold short term memories for a week or so at this point. It is sad because her baby was 3 mo. at the time of the accident and my sis. doesn’t remember her pregnancy or daughter. How wierd to wake up and be told you are a mom and have no memory of it.
Our daughter (Sarah 21) was in a horrible car accident on May 8th, 2007. Your blog has helped me to go through the situations we go every day. Please read my Husband’s blog about Sarah at http://www.myspace.com/purduemax. I am sure he would like to hear from you.
My daughter’s best friend was just recently on may 27, 2007 in a tragic accident that killed her boyfriend but she is surviing…with bad head trauma and in a coma…but responsive…after 3 days…thank you for sharing all of your information about your special daughter ashleigh it has helped tremendously for someone on the outside to understand.