Dear Dr. Levinson, My husband and I both took days off from work to give J. a break from school and pressure during this “regression” or whatever this was during the week. He returned to himself – as you said he would …. As a quick note……I wanted to tell you how J. feels about all of this. Thursday night we just had a really great mother/son time with a long visit to the bookstore and a treat run to his health food store. Anyway, he was getting tucked into bed and telling me how much he loved me – I told you he was a smart child. Anyway, I was telling him that I knew he was feeling good and he was going to have more good days – mom kind of reassuring stuff. Anyway, he asked me a rather sad question out of the blue. He said, “Mom, do you remember when I would say that I couldn’t do my life?” Let me tell you, Dr. Levinson, I remember those days in detail with J. in confusion, unable to shift his thinking, maybe striking out at us, rocking him in tears and him sobbing, “I can’t do this life.” That remark from a disoriented six and seven year old would keep us awake late at night worrying about the future for our youngest child. That remark took us to our knees. It makes me worried right now to think of those nights. Anyway, he asked me if I remember and I said that I did but things were so much better now. Then, I think to ask why he thought of that. My son told me Thursday night that he knew he was going to be able to do this life after all. He said, “I have a future, mom.” I asked him then if his tummy felt better lately and he said, “Way Better.” So, Dr. Levinson, my son now knows that he has a future and that even if there are more difficult times, he is strong enough now to still “handle his life.”

Thanks, P.