America Day 22 - Kaufman Center Session 9

This is my very last session at the Kaufman Children's Center. I have had 9 sessions and Mummy has learned some pretty handy tips. Before we left today, we were given an exercise routine to follow. Something that we can keep going with at home. Jessica was very keen for Mummy to keep in touch and said to let her know if we needed any help and that when I master these techniques to send her a video and she will write me a new programme.

Starting the day with some vestibular stimulation

I ate some banana

And popped some bubbles with my lips

And practiced my sucking from a straw.

America Day 21 - Kaufman Center Session 8

I did some good sitting on this swing today, and some good holding on too.

The reverberating microphone made me realise that sound was coming out of my mouth. It did make me stop suddenly the first time I heard a sound come back at me.

Mummy couldn't believe I ate all this. This mix was mango, carrot and apple puree - it didn't taste bad, BUT it was FROZEN! I have only ever tolerated eating something that was frozen once, so this is a big step for me. Jessica suggested starting all my meals with a little bit of something frozen to make me really aware of my mouth.

This is me crunching a vege tube between my teeth. Just another sensation and another texture so I can get the idea of biting and chewing.

America Day 21 - TheraSuit Session 18

Working on my recipricating exercises, this will help me learn to use each leg independently, so I can learn to walk

Long sitting is always kinda fun. I can rock myself from side to side, it makes it much more enjoyable!

My bottom lip is out, but I am getting so much better at supporting my own weight and balancing. Look no hands!

Chris is trying to make standing up more fun. I am weight bearing on my hands here too.

All this hard work must be good for something....

Like being able to stand at a walker! Don't be fooled... I don't really like this one either...

America Day 21 - HBOT Session 40!!!

It is sad that our time at Oxford Hyperbarics is all finished... There are so many small little changes that have happened! The easiest to see was how much more movement I have in the chamber. I am annoyingly wriggly. I am SO much more vocal too! There are so many more sounds and noises I am making. I would recommend Hyperbaric for anyone, especially if you need a little "boost" or want to amplify results for something you are trying to do - like the Suit Therapy or Speech.

Snoozing

After our 40th Session with Mummy and Sheila

America Day 20 - TheraSuit Session 17

Enjoying a lay down and massage from Chris.

Today was a session of stretches and exercises all one after the other. Mummy was taking photos for Chris so he could make a book of exercises and instructions about how to do them when we get home.

I still don't like doing four point...

I went for a bike ride this afternoon too, but it was so cold and windy that we came straight back in

 

America Day 20 - HBOT Sessions 38 & 39

I am liking to sit up more in the chamber. Sometimes I can pull myself up to sit (depending what there is for me to pull myself up on), other times Mummy will help me. It is good to see some of what is going on outside!

Having a cuddle with Mummy after our session

America Day 19 - HBOT Sessions 36 & 37

I am still such a wriggle worm in the chamber - this is one of the things that has definately changed for my during my time here. That, and I can suck from a pop top bottle if I am thirsty! I just need some help to put it in my mouth... I can reach to swat at it the bottle too! (That is how Mummy knows I want it)

America Day 19 - Kaufman Center Session 7

Swinging helps to get my vestibular system working

I really love the zee vibe! This was used as my reward when I took some really good bites off my spoon. We are working on closing my lips to take the food rather than just biting down with my teeth.

My drinking is coming along ok too!

America Day 19 - TheraSuit Session 16

Mummy hasn't been taking as many photos as usual this week, it is her week to learn all my exercises so she has been working too!

This is me practicing my power kicks. I need to lift up, and push down like I am taking a step. The weight around my ankle is to help my muscles grow big and strong!

I was tired today and being strapped up to do some work in the spider was not what I wanted to do

And to top it all off we worked on four point. Chris mentioned that he has never come across anyone that disliked doing four point as much as me!

Trying to support my own weight all by myself is hard. I need to learn to hold on to a bar and hold myself up independently before I can learn to use a walker and take steps on my own

America Day 18 - HBOT sessions 34 & 35

Today was our last 2 sessions at the South Lyon office of Oxford Hyperbarics. Tami and Bruce are always so happy to see me and have noticed how much I have changed - even in the last week. I am so active in the chamber now and I am vocalising too. I am making so many more sounds!

Yes, I am noisy and wriggly! (and a little poo machine in there lately too - pee yew! lol)

America Day 17 - Kaufman Center Session 6

I started the hour with a swing in the big chair, before moving on to some other things.

We tried going into a darkened room that had apple sauce on a light box. Jessica thought that it might help me to see it better and hoped I might be keen to touch and taste it. I wasn't keen at all, but it was worth a try!

I am trying a few different things to help me with sealing my lips. This spoon has been in the freezer!

I am starting to like the ice too!

And the straw!

I had a really good drink too! I am listening to a cd that has a special beat. One that is supposed to get me in the rhythm of breathe, suck, swallow.

America Day 17 - TheraSuit Session 15

Today's session marks 3 weeks of intensive therapy at the Pediatric Fitness Center. A total of 45 hours of hard work.

This is Chris working on my leg muscles, he is showing me how my legs need to move to walk.

 Lift, pull up and push forward and down.

Then we moved on with reciprical leg exercises, one leg lifts and pushes the weight down, then the other does the same straight after.

I am working on rolling to my right and pushing up to elbow prop. I can do this pretty well already with my left, but my right side is so weak, I barely use it

Everyday I am getting better with my balance. The exercises are getting easier every day for me to do. When I stand up nice and straight I can have a spoon of food - yes that is yoghurt on my face!

The day has been finishing on a high note! I am really loving going out on the bike!

America Day 17 - HBOT Sessions 32 & 33

Rolling right along with HBOT! I have done 33 sessions at 2.0 atmospheres, the equivilant of being 33 feet under water. I had a little bit of a bright yellow runny nose today. It has confirmed for Mummy that it is infection leaving. I had a touch of the sniffles today and it cleared up quickly after my sessions.

America Day 16 - TheraSuit Session 14

Chris is working me hard with these new exercises!

I am starting to get better at them too! This is all me. I did have some help to stablise, but I could mantain it for a bit today - with out arm splints!

I am learning to stand on my own two feet too! No splints in sight! It takes some big muscles to stand tall.

My balance is getting better too. Chris is holding me fairly low on my legs. The rest is me!

This one was hard and I didn't like it at all. Holding myself up while standing up with nothing to help my legs was lots of work!

Before we went home we went for a ride. It was a beautiful day and it was so much fun to peadle! Chris said it was me peadling a bit, because the bike kept moving when really it should have stopped if I wasn't trying.

America Day 16 - HBOT Sessions 30 & 31

I was a bit cranky this morning. I was miserable and irritable and I didn't really know what I wanted to do... After we pressurised a smell started to waft through... I did a whopper of a HBOT poo in the chamber! It was so large it filled my nappy and went on the sheets... Sheila could smell it from the outside... I was very happy after that!

This afternoon I was back to my old wriggly self, tapping on the glass!