Saturday, October 11, 2014

Thanksgiving 2014

It's Thanksgiving weekend in Canada and we have an abundance of reasons to give thanks. I'm thankful to be able to see our extended families often and enjoy their love and support. I'm thankful to live in a safe and free and peaceful country with publicly-funded health care and excellent doctors, nurses, and clinicians. I'm thankful to live in a place where free education is available for all kids, regardless of gender or ability. I'm thankful for books and knowing how to read and learn. I'm thankful for technology and the engineers who designed and continue to improve eye-gaze technology. I'm thankful for my husband and kids, the sunshine and the harvest. I'm thankful for sleep.

The past six months have been difficult for Abby, with crazy-nervous-system symptoms and accompanying medical problems. Her orthopaedic surgery went well, but recovery was really rough. Things are looking up, though. She has been feeling much more like herself lately and she is walking around on her own. Her cast (hopefully) will come off soon! We are seeing smiles every day. And Abby's learning to do more with her eye-gaze device to communicate and show us what she can learn.

Heartfelt thanks to those of you who have once again given generously to support this year’s Run4Rett! Your donations make a difference in Abby's life and directly help others with Rett syndrome, too.

It was 10 years ago that my sister, Judy started the first Run4Rett in Milton. Great strides have been made since then, much of it due to funds raised by people like you. Your donations fund conferences, clinics, research and education for families and clinicians. This year, O.R.S.A. established a nation-wide patient registry so our girls can soon be part of clinical trials for treatments for Rett syndrome. Next month, I'll go to the Rett Syndrome Communication Workshops, thanks to a large donation from the Edwards Charitable Foundation, given to help more people access and learn to use communication technology. We continue to make use of your fund-raising dollars to access the Rett Syndrome Clinic in London, ON. This has been a big help as we have worked to figure out many of Abby's recent medical challenges. Every dollar makes a difference!

I'm thankful for Team Abby! Happy Thanksgiving!