1. Hit by train (when dx established)- because as much as you suspect it, you still secretly hope that he is actually a deaf-mute
2. Hope springs because you read all that stuff about kids who recover
3. Work like a mule, hoping that you will change outcomes
4. Hit by train - take 2: no, he is not "one of those kids", he is not a recovery case, lifelong really means lifelong.
5. Acceptance and experimenting with philosophy-less focus on test scores and skills and more talk about love and happiness, God's plan, special moms and all that stuff- here is where you start to enjoy the "send to 10 special moms that you know" kind of mass e-mails etc.
6. Graceful recovery and scar management - it doesn't hurt any more, but it still sucks, shut up and just keep swimming.
