Kaufman Center - Day 13

 Jessica and I started our session in the swing. I love the swing!

 We worked on chewing frozen blueberries with my back molars. I wasn't as cooperative as I was the other day, but I still managed to do a couple of good chews.

 Each afternoon when I go in there is a table full of goodies for me to try. In the bowl there are frozen strawberries and frozen blueberries.

 There were crispy chicken nuggets, waffle, veggie sticks (like chips) carrot, celery, cucumber and apple sticks.

 I didn't care much for trying the new food today. I wanted to stick with my Z-Vibe.

 We are also starting to work on verbal communication. I really love to swing and Jess is prompting me to say "Oh" as in "Go" I did this a few times!!!

 I wasn't too interested when Jess tried to get me to blow into the recorder. I tried to push her away BUT when she didn't give it back I sat bolt upright and reached for her. I reached so hard I fell out of the swing! She had to race forward and catch me!

And look what I wanted to do! I put that recorder right to my mouth. I didn't blow, I just wanted it in there. Another really great day of therapy.

TheraSuit September 2013 - Day 14

We were back to doing the ETPS acupuncture. Nico thinks it helps a lot. If he had the time he would do a whole extra session of just this.

He does up and down my right arm and leg.

And then he works them hard.

The reciprocal exercises are becoming a daily exercise. 6 kgs on each leg.

 This exercise is for hip stabilisation. It will help me to control my hips and be able to correct them when I sway from side to side when I stand up.

 And although I still hate doing four point  - especially on the vibration machine, look how strong I am getting.  I can hold my head up high!

 Standing on the vibration machine, I can feel my muscles right up my body.

 My weak right arm is not as weak as it was when we started. I still don't like to use it, but I am starting to when Nico wants me to. Look at my push up on my sleepy arm!!

 We moved away from four point today and concentrated more on the walking.

I can take some pretty good and controlled deliberate steps. With out the suit, or splints on my legs, I can support my own body weight.

HBOT (Block 3) Sessions 33 and 34

This is me after my 33rd session of hyperbaric oxygen. I was sitting up all happy when I came out. I have been making lots of beautiful sounds and my eyes are like big, clear, blue saucers. I am drinking everything around me in. Mummy's session I slept for most of it and woke up not long before we came out. I was happy after this too.

Kaufman Center - Day 12

 Today Jessica was away and I had Sandra for a half hour session. She has popped in to see me from time to time so she knew a little about my skills and what I have been up to.

 We worked on eating and listening to the head phones. I ate up all my lunch for her.

 I chewed up and swallowed some frozen blueberries.

I even managed to squeeze some apple sauce into my own mouth. This will even help me learn to suck!
The half hour went much faster than the hour session. We spent the whole time eating.

TheraSuit September 2013 - Day 13

It is Wednesday and I am back to the PFC to do some morning stretches.

I am working on building up the strength in my right arm. This also helps me with purposeful movement, because I am well aware that my right arm is there right now.

Sometimes during the reciprocal movement exercises I am lifting my leg up early and pushing back down before Mummy has a chance to put pressure on my hand.

I am working on my abductor exercises. I need to open up my legs and try to hold them

This exercise works on my glutes. I need to lift up my legs and bottom so I am lying almost flat.

I am getting good head lift in this exercise now. I am also doing a good job lifting my bottom up so I don't sag in the middle.

More and more of my time is being spent with my eyes open now. Some of the exercises I am starting to discover are not worth crying about. Just like this one.

Check out this lift I am getting! I am doing this fairly easily too. Such a big change from January.

Nico sure is working me hard on my arms and weight bearing!

Every spare second he has me doing this. I am never idle.

I am working on my right side elbow propping and learning how to push up into a sitting position.

Here I am in the spider. I am standing on a rocker board which helps me shift my weight from foot to foot. Just like I would have to do when I walk on my own.

Nico is having me work on kicking the ball. It is the same movement as taking a step. Moving my leg to the front from behind.

Working on some stepping. I'm not doing too badly considering that I have no support on my legs and I need to hold up and move my own body weight.

More Ugallop to finish the day. The last little bit of core activation.

HBOT (Block 3) Sessions 31 and 32

Sessions 31 and 32  were restful sessions. Nothing much to report with these. I mostly relax for a good chunk of it and sit up towards the end. I made some sounds on the way out too. I had to tell everyone what I have been up to for that last hour!

TheraSuit September 2013 - Day 12

I am back to doing some warm up stretches with Nico and being warmed up and rubbed with arnica oil

Nico is really pushing my right side. This exercise is all about my right arm. He is getting me to push 0.5 kilo down with my sleepy arm. This is something a little new. Usually Nico gets me to push my leg down by putting pressure on my right arm, now he puts pressure on my right leg so I will push my right arm down.

The reciprocal exercises are still a daily thing. I am starting to get really solid quad muscles and my calves are getting so big that Mummy can't reach to close her fingers around them now.

I am doing some "snow angel" exercises too. When my arms are down I need to open my legs and when my arms are up I close them.

Lately I have been becoming much more alert during therapy. Today I didn't even close my eyes when the suit was being put on me. Normally I use this time for a bit of a power nap, but not today!

And even though I am crying in this photo, I have good neck strength. Look how high I can hold my head up!

Even when I stand on the vibration plate I am not crying so much. By standing with my arms strapped to my side, it makes me very aware of my legs and bottom.

I am learning to sit up using my right side too. Normally I use my left arm only  - for everything, but Nico is showing me how I can use both.

I did some work today in the spider too. I did ball exercises and worked on kicking the soccer ball while standing up.

I finished up the session on the Ugallop. This helps me to stabilise myself by using my core muscles and helping me learn balance

HBOT (Block 3) Sessions 29 and 30

This  morning I was moving all over Daddy. I didn't know if I wanted to be on his right side or his left side. I was really active! I also had lots to say when we got out. I was very talkative!
In the afternoon with Mummy I was sort of the same. I spent a little time resting before sitting up.