On being in Cedar Park, Texas.

We rented our Air BnB in Cedar Park, Texas.

Greetings from Cedar Park, Texas! Missy, John, Maddie, and I arrived a littler after 7 pm on Sunday evening. We were loaded into my parents’ RV and hit the road! It was a long trip, but it was definitely worth it.

Writing

I haven’t done any writing on this trip. It’s been a while since I was in touch with my Dissertation Support Group or Write Club, filled with my classmates and best friends from Ireland. Luckily, word count is not an issue for me. I know I’ve written about this in previous posts, but all that’s left for me to do is edit the work, format it for submission, and complete the reflection piece. And then my dissertation will be finished.

I’m excited and looking forward to submitting it because then I’ll channel all my energy into completing a manuscript and submitting it to literary agents. I need to get out of the small presses and I think completing my MFA and getting an agent will help me do just that.

Reading

I’ve been blazing through Blacktop Wasteland by S.A. Cosby. It’s true what critics have said; once the action starts, it DOES NOT let up. There’s beautiful descriptive language paired with intriguing and charismatic characters and a twisting, engaging plot. I plan on exploring other titles by S.A. Cosby, including Razorblade Tears. That novel made Barack Obama’s must-read list and was at the center of a great piece by the New York Times about Cosby and his Southern noirs.

S.A. Cosby knows how to write a page-turner!Miracle Maddie

Maddie has been killing it in Austin, Texas at the Austin Center for Developing Minds! I cannot praise Dr. Brandon Crawford and his team enough; they are saving lives every single day and giving families hope!

I should have known this trip would be amazing because we left under a very, very good sign. During her physical and occupational therapy sessions, ALL of her therapists noticed better tracking and decreased tone, so they felt good about having Maddie try out using an eye gaze device to play a game. She had to focus on a particular area of the screen to start the game and to punch the fruit (which was the object of the game ), she had to focus on the fruit when it appeared … AND SHE DID IT! She was kicking ass and taking names!

On Maddie’s first day of treatment, we met with Dr. Crawford first and we talked about goals for Maddie that included better tone in her lower extremities and getting her to smile. Crawford added some goals of his own, which included: swallowing, breathing, gut work (bowel movements), and eventual trach removal! Maddie Girl got to wear a funny hat during an attempt at a QEEG—but we’re not sure if we got a good read. Maddie received all sorts of laser treatments and we used a machine that repairs proteins to help with breathing. Everyone—absolutely everyone—who walked in and had met Maddie last year said, “She’s like a different kid!” These treatments are working!

On the second day, we learned that *everyone* was impressed that we’ve been capping her trach! Dr. Crawford says that’s proof she’s healing and he is so impressed with the improvements in her facial tone!

Today, the third day, Maddie Girl did HARD WORK! The knowledgeable and compassionate team at Austin Center for Developing Minds pushed her and supported her, and we’re ALREADY seeing results! Maddie made some new noises and one of her specialists told us smiling was on the horizon! Dr. Crawford and his team have done just as much for us as they have for Maddie! We are so incredibly thankful and blessed.

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