Dog Therapy

Today was a very good day. I left early and spent most of the day with Clare and Kris. Clare worked well with her therapists and showed a sense of humor many times. She likes to smile and to make others smile.


Something new today was when the therapist and I took Clare to the piano to see what she would do. She put her hands on the keys and started playing. It sounded a little like Jonah when he plays our piano. She moved her hands along the keys and felt them as they made sound. I played a cord and asked her if it was major or minor. She correctly answered major. Then I changed the cord and she said "minor". I asked her if she could play a scale and she tried to play cords starting with C. C, D, E, F, G, . . . she was able to find most of them and even sharped some of the notes to make them correct. Pretty impressive. I turned to Silent Night in the Hymn book and asked her if she could play it. Her mind was willing but her hands are not. They just don't work well together yet. I changed keys and played the tune in the key of C to make it easier for her and then put her thumb on C and helped her play it. She fumbled a little then picked out Silent Night by ear all by her self. The therapist was impressed as she used the fingers on her RIGHT hand in a more deliberate and controlled way then she has ever shown them. He said that she needed to spend time at the piano every day.


This afternoon Amber and Victor came to visit (Kris's sister and husband) and brought Clare's dog Scout for a visit. Kris wheeled Clare outside in the sun and she held Scout for quite a long time. She loved it. Scout cleaned Clare's face several times. It was really a lot of fun.

Today Clare was OK with not being able to remember everything. When she said "I don't remember" we would say that it is a good thing not to remember because there has been a lot of pain. She said at least once today that it is a good thing she doesn't remember. I hope she will remember this tomorrow.

Kris and Clare posed for a family picture (less Marley).

I took time to pause today and soak in the beautiful miracle unfolding right in front of us. I have heard of Priesthood healings all my life and have witnessed some, but never anything as magnificent or steady as the healing of these two love birds. It has been constant and comforting. Through all of the difficult times there has been an undertow of peace that has helped me know that it is going to work out. We don't know how it will eventually end, but that doesn't matter so much right now. We are enjoying the journey. There is so much to be thankful and grateful for.