Jennifer Briggs

We are in the midst of a wonderful in-person, unmasked visit with Grammy and Granddad! This is the first time we have seen them in person since Christmas 2019!!! I am already sad about the visit being over even though it isn’t quite over yet. Yesterday we completed a jigsaw puzzle with many cats, with… Read more »

I have been experimenting with really coming in close to Sarah when she gets upset. I don’t always have the mental or emotional space within myself to do this, but when I do it seems helpful. I verbally acknowledge what Sarah is feeling and say that those feelings are ok. Sometimes she gives a quiet… Read more »

Last Sunday night, Sarah had the first seizure she has had since being on anti-seizure medication. The first seizure in roughly two years. It lasted less than a minute and she was mostly herself afterwards except for having a headache. Her neurologist increased the dose of medication so I’m hopeful things are back under control…. Read more »

I have started reading a book called The Yes Brain by Daniel Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson. It has inspired me to think differently about Sarah and how to help her/us. It has become increasingly obvious that she really has very little capacity to hear “no” without going into full-stress fight mode. We need to figure out… Read more »

The April Fool’s joke for us was a notable amount of snow. We made a huge snow mouse that is taller than the kids, and Sarah enjoyed rubbing noses with it. Carl also got to go cross-country skiing. Yesterday Amy orchestrated a talent show and asked me to be the judge. I hate judging among… Read more »

The week has felt overshadowed by grief and loss. I know there has been an abundance of good, but I have also needed the time to just feel sad and sluggish. A college classmate died from brain cancer. A few months ago she was as well as you or I, and now she is gone…. Read more »

When we began the Great Stuffed Animal Sort of 2021, Sarah wasn’t interested because she wanted to play basketball. Carl had been talking about maybe getting a basketball hoop and she was stuck on that idea. So, Carl propped our hula hoop over Sarah’s radiator and the girls tossed their stuffed animals through the hoop… Read more »

Spring has sprung! New sidewalk chalk has been purchased and used. I got my first Moderna shot! Amazingly, about a minute after I sent last week’s update, a friend who read it sent me a message offering to help me get an appointment. Five minutes later she had an appointment for me for yesterday. I… Read more »

Sarah’s school speech therapist nearly fell over from delighted shock when Sarah began their session by asking, “How are you, Ms. P?” Sarah started asking this of people maybe a week or two ago and it is wonderful. I have been appreciating the ease with which Sarah prompts people to say what she wants them… Read more »

Amy had one day of in-person school and absolutely loved it. She came home beaming, saying it was the best day of her life. Unfortunately, this coming week her school is all virtual again due to covid precautions. I’m glad they are being cautious and following good procedures, but Amy is sad about it. Part… Read more »