Now, some time before his spasms returned, we sought second opinions and scheduled some appointments with Neurologists and other pediatricians. The Neurological Specialist was such a specialized practice that it took over a month to see David. Once they examined David, when he was 11 months, they agreed that he should be scheduled/admitted for an overnight neurological examination. This involved having electrodes glued to the head and heart, and basically hooked up to a machine bedside that recorded all neurological/cerebral activity. Again, this practice is so specialized that only two of these machines are available for children at any given time. So David was scheduled for his overnight stay in 6 weeks. Mabel was persistent with the specialists and due to a cancellation, they were able to see David a few weeks early. 1 day after his first birthday.

Now we'd rather not get too much into David's medical history, but this is when he would face the most difficult year of his young life and hardest that his parents have come to know.

NOW FOR THESE FOLLOWING REASONS HE IS SIMPLY AN AMAZIN' WITTLE BOY. This overnight stay raised other questions for David's health, which involved other specialists across several different practices and cities. Now each of these specialists needed blood work at some point. Each of these doctors needed blood from David's frail 12, 13 pound body. Sometimes the lab had to redo a test and required new a new sample, sometimes a doctor wanted a second opinion from a colleague. So you can imagine the horror with four different specialists, including a new pediatrician, and everyone needed to poke at david more than a few times each.

And the short term goal agreed on by ALL, was that David had to start putting on weight. A difficult task when he is giving blood every other week. Not to mention that the medications he was started on were known to reduce one's appetite. Now besides David's first three newborn months he was never a great eater. So at this point, even if he did have a slight appetite he was unable to chew/swallow effectively. His muscle tone became so low that he had to relearn everything-including swallowing and sucking.

David's low muscle tone was a side effect of his seizures-medically labeled Infantile Spasms. Looking back, his body began to deteriorate at that 10 1/2 month mark. In that 1 1/2 month stretch leading up to his first birthday, he regressed significantly unlearning everything before that point.

A month after his first birthday, he began Connecticut's Birth To Three program. Through countless physical therapy sessions and exercises, David slowly built his stamina and began his climb up hill.

By his 2 year birthday, he was making tremendous progress. Nearly able to sit up on his own and drink through a straw. A few of the specialists were even satisfied with his health and out of the picture. The medication doses came down. His appetite robbing anti-seizure medication was changed to something less potent. His communication skills increased and personality began to come through.

At his 2 1/2 year mark, he was fitted for leg braces and began standing and bearing his own weight. Holds his sippy cup when he drinks, and sits on the potty unassisted doing his manly chores. He also has begun to learn and use sign language for different gestures and feelings; "GIVE ME", "MORE", "ALL DONE".

His appetite is strong now, evening lunging desperately at the first few spoonfuls. Through some assistant, he is now holding his fork and beginning to feed himself.

Hence... SIMPLY AN AMAZIN' WITTLE BOY.

David has four therapy sessions a week; Physical, Speech, and Occupational through Connecticut's Birth To Three Program (LEFT; working with Leslie).

When we first entered the program David was labeled as a 'wet noodle'. He had/has low muscle tone, so it takes a little longer for his body and muscles to respond.

As adults we sometimes take the simplest things for granted. The simple act of sitting requires hundreds of simultaneous motions contracting and extracting against one another.

In David's case, he had to first develop a strong neck, followed by square round shoulders, which work closely withthe upper back muscles, then the essential arms that anchor the balance, at that point came his waist, followed by the abdomin (also his ribs had to fall-usually part of the laying to sitting transition), and finally the lower back. Whew! Work, work, work.

In August of 2008, David got a chance to meet one of his great grandfathers - Don Augustine.

The two of them hit it off very well; with similar day schedules. Both were up by 6:30 am and tucked in bed by 8:30 pm. Only difference being that David liked to watch Curious George in the mornings, while Don Augustine preferred to read the newspaper.

They spent the day together chit chatting and then had dinner at the lonely dining establishment La Mandas in Greenburgh, New York.

At the time of this writing, David was his second great grand child.