Hello everyone,
We have had a lot of inquiries as to when the Emmett Benefit is going to be this year. Taking up the task of planning the event was too much for Mommy and Daddy to take on this year. Ian is quite a respectable handful at two and a half, and Mom has only recently recovered from some serious morning (plus all day and all night) sickness. That’s right, we’re expecting another addition to our family in December!! The ultrasound technician tells us that Emmett and Ian can expect a little sister this time. Though we know it won’t be easy, especially on Emmett who cries every time he even hears a baby make any kind of sound, we are really excited and looking forward to meeting a new member of our family. So, with that in mind, we are taking a break from planning an Emmett Benefit this year. We also thought that all of our many friends and family who help us put on the event and donate their creative output could use a break too. It is always a lot to ask and we sincerely appreciate all of the help we have received in the past years.
Instead, here is an update on what’s been going on with Emmett in the last year. Emmett turned four in January. He is as beautiful as ever. He has started using a communication device that is a pretty cool computer system with infinite screens of pictures that he can either touch or point his head towards. He has a long way to go still before using it accurately, but we are starting the process, and he really seems to enjoy using it.
Emmett continues to attend the Conductive Learning Center of Greater Cincinnati, but now he goes FIVE days a week for five and a half hours a day! He loves being at school and does really well. He is very attentive in class and tries his hardest to accomplish his tasks. Among many other accomplishments at school, he now happily uses his walker with support in the back and help with his legs from a conductor. He smiles proudly the whole time now instead of crying and we can tell he feels like such a big boy. It is really a wonderful site to see. He has moved his legs independently while holding onto the walker or a chair for eleven steps in a row. We’re so proud.
Also, thanks to a dreadful two months of literally not sleeping for more than ten minutes at a time while sitting up on Mom or Dad’s lap, we finally were able to determine that the reason for his miserable irritability was due to him having painful spasms in his back/legs and reflux problems. Once he was put on some new medications, he came back to being his old happy self again. (Our apologies to anyone who may have tried to communicate with Mom or Dad during the months of March or April — it was a huge, awful blur of sleep deprivation, and we luckily don’t remember most of it…) So, in our panic and need for sleep, we pressed hard to get night nursing in place for him. He qualified for the nursing, and is now able to have a day nurse help out at the house about five days a week. It is really wonderful. Really wonderful — and having a nurse to help with Emmett’s needs makes the idea of having another baby a whole lot more doable.
This summer, a little neighbor friend, Emily, fell in love with Emmett and told me that she “knew that if Emmett could walk and talk, that he would marry” her. They were so cute together. She would sit next to him and play on his communication device with him. It was just about the sweetest thing ever. She moved away not too long ago though. Emmett’s gotta have his freedom….there is a long line of girls waiting for him.
Thanks to a special needs life jacket from Canada, Emmett was able to swim in the pool without anyone holding onto him. It was thrilling for him – kicking and laughing, but also shivering after only about 10 or 15 minutes in the water. Emmett also enjoyed seeing much of his extended family this summer, relishing tons of attention.
Emmett has had a growth spurt and has gained some much needed weight. Unfortunately though, he has had a couple of big seizures recently and had to be taken to the emergency room in an ambulance. It goes with the territory of a brain injury, but it is still pretty scary when you’re not used to seeing them. He had been seizure free for a couple of years.
His ability to say “huh” for “uh-huh” (or yes) has improved greatly. He has become much quicker to respond to a yes/no question and is very clear. He will also vocalize when asked to give an apology if he has been rude to someone (such as screaming at us or his nurse)! He still doesn’t have a clear word for “no” but he’s working on it I think — at least he’s very good at letting you know when he doesn’t want something! And of course he still loves to say “hi”, especially on the phone.
So, we are sorry to disappoint anyone about not having the benefit this year. We know many of you look forward to it every year. Hopefully, we will have one again next year. We will certainly need to if he continues to attend his school. Of course, anyone is always welcome to donate online at http://emmettbenefit.com or by sending a check to us or to his nonprofit school (http://clcgc.org ) – be sure to state on the check that it is for Emmett if that is your intention. We thank you for your support and interest in Emmett and all that he represents in the world.
With love enough to move mountains and more,
James, Dara, Emmett, and Ian…
Dara and James O’Loughlin
1620 Peaslee Ave.
Cincinnati, OH 45224
Conductive Learning Center of Greater Cincinnati
P.O. Box 54396
Cincinnati, Ohio 45254-0396
Click the button below if you’d like to donate via Paypal:
—- older info —
The Emmett Art Show is scheduled for Saturday May 13th, 2006 and will be held at The York Street Cafe in downtown Newport, KY (10 minutes from Cincinnati Ohio) on the 3rd floor.
The show will take place from 6:00pm-9:00pm and will include art work from Emmett as well as other artists from around the country.
All proceeds will go towards The Emmett O’Loughlin Fund. This is an open event, so bring a friend and tell a buddy. There will be hors d’oeuvres compliments of Wild Oats Market.
Jason Lytle from Grandaddy will be playing to a small crowd on the 2nd floor after the art show. Additional bands will be entertaining during and after the auction. Seating is limited for the live music. Tickets available for pre-purchase online. click here for tickets
If you can’t make it to the show but would still like to help out, click the Make a Donation button below or send a check to:
Emmett Fund
c/o Primax Group
650 Northland Blvd. Suite 425
Forest Park, OH 45240
