TheraSuit Australia - Day Twenty Seven

Today I was a bit more relaxed and happy

I even had a few smiles to give out!

Nico worked me hard with my reciprical exercises

One leg pushing down, then the other.

I worked hard on my adductors. Nico added an extre 500g to each leg that I needed to pull as I shifted my legs apart.

Nico worked me hard with the weights again.



And I had some pretty good balance while I was standing.

I worked on neck strengthening exercises on the ball

And some four point. Look at my open flat hands!!!

Working on sit to stand exercises

I tried my balance out again in the suit....

And Nico helped me to walk in a whole new way!!! No walker and extra weights on my legs!!!

Go Me!!

TheraSuit Australia - Day Twenty Six

One of the first things Nico told us was that Mondays are the hardest. It is like starting a new batch of therapy again.

The reciprical exercises we hard today.

The adductor exercises were hard too. Nico has added 500g weight to my foot that I need to shift to kick the ball off. There is also 1kg strapped to my ankle. He is really working my adductors hard so I can control them enough to take good strong steps.

I worked on using my glutes to push down weights.

And then we worked on stretching my adductors some more.

Look how tall I am when I am standing straight!!

 

We worked on crawling in four point. Look at my nice flat hands!

I am working hard with my muscles. Nico is helping me all he can to help me to learn to shift my body weight on to my weaker right leg. I have 1.5kgs on my right leg and 500g on my left leg. There can be no mistaking that I have 2 legs and that I can shift them.

Time to stimulate my vestibular system - my "super highway" to transport all my new knowledge so I can process all I have learned.

My legs were really tired and all I wanted to do is sit down. It took all my strength to get up and walking - which of course I did!

TheraSuit Australia - Day Twenty Five

Today is the last day of my fifth week

Nico is still working on loosening my adductors on the inside of my thigh

But then he surprised me... he let me show him what I had learned. I can lift and hold my own head up off the ball. I even had a few smiles to give out. I was pretty proud of myself!

And I did some pretty good standing up. I had good balance.

Nico was very pleased and so was I! I had big smiles and kisses for Nico!

I couldn't do what I wanted all day though, so it wasn't long before Nico had me back working.

My right arm is starting to come along nicely. I have been using it to help propel me forward when I am trying to sit up - I even reached for my Nanna with my right arm when she stopped in to visit today!

Every day Nico spends some time to help stimulate my vestibular system.

Today I walked to Daddy. Good fast steps - Getting better every day!

TheraSuit Australia - Day Twenty Four

 

 

Warming up with hot water bottles before I start my hard work for the day.

Nico is going to spend a little bit of extra time on my legs today. He has noticed that I am starting to cross the midline a little bit too much when I step

This is working on reciprocation. Pushing down with one leg, then the other in a stepping motion.

Kicking the ball on the table helps me use my adductors. These are the muscles that are pulling my legs too far over my midline when I walk

My neck muscles are starting to get lots stronger!

I did some wonderful standing today! Nico was helping me practice taking steps with my left leg. It is harder for me to step with my left foot because I need to put all my weight on my weaker right leg.

I am doing sit to stand exercises using only my right arm. My left one is strapped to my side so I can't use it.

As well as spinning in the chair today, Nico also pushed me backwards and forwards.

My walking is getting faster now too. I take lots more steps than I used to and I cover a larger distance, which is good!

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TheraSuit Australia - Day Twenty Three

 

Nico is warming up my right arm. He has massaged it with arnica oil and is not stretching it getting ready for the hard work ahead today.

The weights on my arms and legs are helping me to gain muscle mass. You can feel my muscles in my arms and legs now!

Nico is getting me to lift my right leg off the bed by stimulating my left arm. This is similar to what I would be doing if I was walking.

 

I am getting some good lift off the ball with my head and shoulders

 

And I am pleased that I can have a moment to rest while Nico straps me in the TheraSuit

Up in the air I fly - in the spider!

 I am walking AND I have my eyes open! Progress!!

TheraSuit Australia - Day Twenty Two

Getting warmed up and strapped in. My days with this therapy run pretty much the same and I am starting to dread what comes next.

Pushing 2.5kgs on my arms is a mean feat in itself!

Let alone having to think of and push with my arms and legs at the same time!

Then I practice using my own muscles to lift my own bottom off the bed.

Strengthening my core muscles by using the triceps in my right arm is super hard work!

But you can see that all my hard work is starting to pay off. My muscles are getting stronger and I am able to control them better on my own.

The amount of concentration needed to be able to crawl is tremendous. I need to think about my arms, legs, head and neck, while I try to remember the order to move them in and to keep my balance. I am slowly starting to get a bit faster and sometimes more accepting of this exercise. Don't get me wrong - I still hate it!

 

I practice my sit to stand exercises with only my right arm. I use it to help me push up into a standing position.

After spinning to stimulate my vestibular system to help me process all my new input, Nico checks my eyes to watch how long it takes me to stop being dizzy. They we spin back  the other way.

Today I walked the longest and the fastest I have ever walked. I walked straight across the hall and in to the next room where Daddy was cheering me on!