What to do for Tears?

Today, Sam tried to tell me something, I don't know what. He gestured, he spoke, he became progressively louder and more intense. Then tears started running down his face because I simply did not know and could not respond in the way he desired. What is one to do? Talking and hand use, (manipulating tools) are the two things that really make us human. I truly don't give a £$%£GIB###@# if he ever walks, but if he never uses his hands and mouth well, he is stuck. How can he hope to enjoy being alive? Staying in gratitude with his health or our relative wealth (we have work, we can just about pay our mortgage) is damned difficult sometimes. I feel dried up and wrung out, with most of my joy leached out at these moments. I never used to be this bitter.