The Goodbye Boy

(Rob writing) You haven't really had a proper goodbye wave until you've had one of Aaron's.

Aaron's disability makes it difficult for him to raise his arms. His shoulder muscles are thin and weak from disuse, and I've read that the tendons in his shoulders may be malformed or misplaced. Both arms usually hang limp in front of him. When he can, he uses his feet to manage things.

He is able, however, to raise his arms a bit and manipulate things with his hands. He can turn the pages of a book with his arms-- it's best to hold the book low for him-- and he can click the button on a computer mouse. It costs him a great deal of effort to raise an arm. When he does, he arches his back, puffs out his chest and sort of tosses his arm into the air. This move is almost always accompanied by a toothy grimace. I think the grimace is one of effort, not of pain. He grimaces each time he turns the page of a book, but he's never reluctant to turn a page.

All of this makes for the best goodbye wave you've ever seen. He thrusts his arm into the air, and the grimace transforms into his trademark smile as he cheerfully waves goodbye. Ever since we left him, I haven't been able to get that picture out of my head.