So we’re knee deep in the Spelling program. It’s early 2023 and we’ve discovered that the Duke likes history. We’re online with our biggest advocate and support person, Angela Knight, and she decides to take the questioning a step further: “People or Places?” Both start with a “P” but Luke definitely spelled “People”. I, of course, want more. And I follow up with the most vague of questions: “Any particular person?” And stalteringly he begins to spell I N G … my mind jumps to Ingrid, and he proceeds to spell Ingrid Bergman. Incredible, and very specific! And how on earth did he know about her? I mean, she’s a classy actress but a blast from the past? A day goes by, and I want to help him learn more about Ingrid Bergman so I queue up a documentary on an obscure streaming channel on TV. And I watch. Luke is in the basement (in his room) and I know he can hear with his “whale ears”, but he doesn’t come upstairs. Hmmm. I’m perplexed and a wee bit disappointed. But it’s actually somewhat interesting, and maybe he prefers to listen from afar. About three-quarters of the way in, he comes upstairs and sits on the couch next to me. And I look at him… look at the tv… look at him… and he’s rapt. And then my light bulb goes on!!! He came up when they mentioned IngMAR Bergman. Wowza. So I ask… “Did you mean Ingmar Bergman?” and he nodded “Yes.” Luke’s nods and gestures are sometimes inaccurate, but I felt pretty solid about this one. Just a lesson once again for me to learn about how to stop talking/thinking for him—the most difficult habit to break after 19 years of speaking for him. We’re getting there though. Must be so tough to be misunderstood for so long. It makes my heart ache for him; his frustration, his patience.
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