I have this mantra that I use, today will be 3% better than yesterday.

Over the years, being a 3-percenter has helped me by keeping expectations in check while celebrating the wins of the day.

Up until Bridget was about 7 years old, each day was a fight to survive. Either for her medically, therapeutic wise or myself mentally. We would spend our time either in the hospital or the PT / OT / SPT center. There were the early days when she was on the champagne of formula where the win was just that she did not vomit it all over me within 3.2 seconds of drinking it.

There were days that the 3% better meant I brushed my teeth. Other days the 3% was that I showered. There was one 3% day that meant I did not cry during the IEP meeting.

As Bridget’s health issues became more on a 12 to 24-month schedule, we found our groove and routine. For about 8 years, finding the 3% better became less of an exercise to find my smile. Instead I was able to save that 3% mantra for when PAC1 threw her a curve ball, like when she needed surgery on her Achile’s tendon or a closure device in her heart. Those became not random, but more of a what is going to happen at some point in the next year.

Well, okay COVID shutdown, there were a lot of I hope tomorrow is 3% better than today.

But other than Covid, that messed with every freaking body, the needing today to be 3% better than yesterday stopped being the norm.

Then in true Bridget / PACS1 fashion, 18m after her last health struggle here comes catatonia!

Spring & Summer of 2025 became the days of I hope tomorrow is 3% better than today.

Any you know what?

It worked. Yes, there were moments that brought me to tears.

There were moments when I thought I could not do this anymore. That I could not fight one more day. That I (honestly) wanted to give up and just let Bridget be. Then I put my big girl panties on and fought to get my girl back.

It is not easy; there are still days when I think what the actual fuck can go wrong now. There are still moments, like last weekend, when I wished for Bridget to just be happy and not so rigid. That I did not want to force her to shower, or to eat. That I wish tomorrow will be 3% easier than today.

But those days are getting more spread about. She is not in crisis mode any longer. We are instead fighting for normalcy and not letting her slack because she is cute. Okay, not because it is cute but because it is sometimes easier to give into the IPad than to make her put away the dishes.

Today was 3% better than yesterday and 81% better than August when she sobbed nonstop for 2 days.

I know that tomorrow may be difficult. I know that Bridget will never be typical, she will always have peaks of awesomeness and valleys of holy fuck moments.

I also know that I only need to find 3% improvement over yesterday, while hoping for 50%.

That goal is attainable, and that hope is realistic.

I hope your tomorrow is 3% better than your yesterday.