On Monday, I received a call from our therapy center that DD's SLP, GiGi, passed away that morning. She had been on medical leave since February for treatment of colon cancer. The center is hosting the memorial service tomorrow afternoon, and I have been asked to say a few words as the parent of one of her clients.
I am struggling on how to adequately praise the woman who coaxed DD's voice out of her. I can't remember how much I shared about DD's speech delay, but at age 4 she spoke only 2 to 3 word phrases or rote phrases which she picked up from movies. She would not even tell you her name when asked. She didn't comment on anything or ask questions.
Today, she speech is a bit stilted and she sometime has a bit of a stutter at the end of her words, but she talks! She tells stories, comments on what is going on around her, argues with her brother, rails about the injustices that we reign down upon her, and is able to carry on a short conversation. It is hard to believe how far she has come in the 2.5 yrs she had speech therapy. Amazing, when it comes right down to it.
To have the opportunity to tell the world how much DD's SLP has meant to us is overwhelming, I just wish I was going to be saying these words at GiGi's retirement party instead.
