Saturday Evening, June 9th

Well ht eday started slow but finished with amazing breakthrough - fun, laughter and dancing.

As you know, Allie has been progressing beautifully every day and today she needed a break so we just kind of hung out waiting. I got here at 7:30 am and Allie decided to wake up at 4:30 pm. Quite unusual but obviously necessary, so we let her sleep on (and on and on and on).

About 2:30 our good friends Pam and Clyde showed up for a visit and brought with them a gift called Band in a Bucket - an assortment of musical instruments in a plastic bucket. Inside were a harmonica, castanettes, a tamborine, morocca and so on. Well when Allie woke up we each grabbed an instrument ans started playing. This brought Allie to life and she played the cymbals and then began blowing on the harmonica. It was awesome to see everyone dancing and playing instruments and to see Allie smiling and being back in her element. MUSIC!!!!!!

After they left it quited down and we left Allie with her great friend Rachael while we went downstairs for some delicious hospitla cafe food. Yum. When we got back the two girls were laughing and Allie was abeam. She loves Rachael who brings out the best in Allie. Throughout this process, when Allies friends have been allowed to be with her alone, she has made huge strides. Thanks all of you guys and Pam, I'm waiting for a peanutbutter cookie.

Whilw aitting in the room just awhile ago Matt was playing on the computer and put on youtube and started playing Rascal Flatts (My wish for you) one of Allies favorite songs so I set the laptop on her lap (how appropriate) and she began watching the video and bopping her head to the beat - now were on to something, Rachael, myself, Nancy and Matt, we all began singing and dancing around the room and Allie was loving it and responding to it snapping her ringers and then in a huge gesture moved both of her arms and snapped both hands. Oh my God she began mouthing some words. Now she wasing using her voice but ws moving her lips so watch out Ashley Simpson, her comes Allie Cagen - at least for today because who knows where tomorrow will bring us.

When that song was over we played a few more and then Allie took over and began moving the mouse and putting on some of her own music now we had visitors and guests and nurses in the room seeing what was going on and we were all dancing and laughing. This was truly a breakthrough as we knew Allies window to recovery would come through what she loves most - MUSIC.

Tomorrow is Allies High School Graduation and we are so proud of here. We decorated her room with some graduation things and as you know I will walk the stage for her, pick up her diploma and then rush back here to present it to her. I will be wearing slacks with a T-shirt I had made up in her High School Colors that says Allie Cagen on the Front and Full Recovery on the back. Pretty Awesome I can't wait. I probably will not stay for the whole ceremony as I have a hard time staying away from her and want to spend as much time here before heading home again for work.

ANother thing allie did was to say the word yes today which is so cool. Pretty soon she will be talking and singing again. And all of this in just the last three and a half hours. Never a doubt.

I love you guys, have a great night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Allie's Dad