TheraSuit Australia- Day Eleven

 

 

Warming up. My third week is starting... I am not really too happy about it.

 

 

 I do the weights on my right arm and leg

 

And I push down as hard as I can with my legs against the elastic bungee.

 

A whopping 3kgs were on my arms today! This must be a record!!

 

This is a new exercise to start my third week. I need to move my arm down on my own with the elasic bungee attached

 

I did some four piont on the rocker board. Rocking will help me learn to balance better.

 

I didn't do any walking today.

 

 

TheraSuit Australia - Day Ten

 I started today like every other day... Being warmed up and stretched.

 I did weights on my arms and legs. Nico took it easy on my right arm today. Mummy thought my right hand was a bit swollen and sore, she had strapped it the night before. I have never ever used it for anything so doing weights for 9 days before is a very new experience for me.

Even after just an hour or so in I am ready for a cat nap. Mummy stopped for a cuddle and I snuggled in for a little snooze while Nico strapped me into my next exercise.

I am moving on to using my muscles with out the 5.5kgs of weights attached to me. There is an elastic bungee attached to my knees that I am pushing against (the one attached to my feet is to make sure that my feet are straight). The tension and difficulty changes depending on where it is attached to on the cage above me.

 This exercise is still hard. The weight attached was 4.5kgs and I did have a bit of trouble lifting it off the floor today. I have done 5.5 kgs previously... perhaps the other exercises are taking it out of me... or maybe I am just tired... It is Friday after all, and I have been working hard all week!

This photo is actually very special. It might not look like much, but I am starting to put all my weight on my right leg instead of my left. I am starting to compensate for my left leg with my right... Something very good! I need to be able to shift my weight to alternate legs to be able to walk on my own.

 It's a little blurry, but I have my head up in four point too!!

I did some arm exercises and practiced my kicking in a corner before moving onto my walker to finish the day.

I took some very good steps. My best yet! Nico held me up around my ribs and I swung my legs all on my own.

I am the champion of the world!!! But very tired after it all...

TheraSuit Australia - Day Nine

When I was warming up and stretching this morning there were brief moments when I didn't cry.

Releasing my left arm is something I have never really had done before. Using my triceps all together is something very different to what I am used to.

 All this weight lifting is starting to hep me develop some pretty big calf and thigh muscles too. Not that they are huge by any means, but you can definitely feel that they are growing.

The weights on my arms are still a struggle, but I must confess that I am starting to get used to this one too.

As the exercises from the past week and a half get easier, Nico introduces new exercises for me. By putting pressure on my left side he gets me to use my strength to kick my right leg. You can see how hard this is for me, but I am completely capable of doing it.

 In this exercise today my legs weren't strapped together. This made kicking down a little bit harder because I had to be conscious of using both my legs together to have the strength to push the weights down.

 My sit to stand exercises are coming along nicely too.

Reach for the stars!! Corey is supporting me by my side.

More spinning to stimulate my vestibular system.

I finished the day with a few good steps in my walker, with Corey proudly beside me.

TheraSuit Australia - Day Eight

Warming up makes me a little nervous... I know full well now what comes after...

Stretching and weights..  3.5kgs on my leg and 1.5kgs on my arm...

2.5 kgs on my arms today!

 

There was a new exercise for me today. It was like making snow angels with my arms.

 

 Arms out to the side and back to the centre.

When Corey walked near me to say hello today I grabbed at him and pulled him close for a cuddle!

 

I think I even had a little snooze while Nico was strapping my leg splints on.

 I pumped 5.5kgs with my legs - that's over HALF my body weight!!

Lifting my bottom off the bed will strengthen my muscles so I can...

Balance in four point! Head up and weight bearing on one arm!!

By the time the last hour rolls around, I am absolutely exhausted.. I just don't feel like I could possibly do any more. I wasn't happy about standing in the corner... I don't know how I even mustered the energy to kick the ball... but I did!

Spinning in the chair was a brief little rest off my feet. I did get a little bit dizzy though and I let out a little scared squeal... Mummy can't say if I have ever been dizzy before. So that was a new experience for me.

I took some pretty good steps today and I spent a reasonable portion of today with my eyes open and looking around. It is a change to see what is going on around me. I normally have my eyes scrunched shut and crying. I think I am starting to get used to the work I need to do during my time with Nico.

TheraSuit Australia - Day Seven

The thought of starting therapy is enough to start me off crying in the mornings now. Just getting within range of the cage is enough - even when Nico came to say good morning I cried!

Nico spends time stretching and moving my right arm, because I never use it. I compensate with my left side for everything.

The weights on my right side are getting heavier as I am getting used to the exercise - gotta build up those red muscle fibres!!

3.5kgs on my right leg and 1kg on my right arm!

The weights on my arms have also increased to 3.5kg!

I had a quick energy boost before moving on to my next exercise...

4.5kgs are attached to my legs now!!

 

New exercise right here! Nico is working my building the red and white muscle fibres. The red muscle fibres are used when you are using your muscles in a statained manner, like standing or holding something heavy like the weights I am doing on my arms and legs. The white muscle fibres are used for quick movements.
 

By holding on to my left side, Nico is making me fight him with my right in an attempt to get away. My right arm and leg move across to the midline which is what I will need to do on my own to walk independently.

My standing posture has gotten so much better in the last week and a half too! My legs are straight and stronger on my own

And today I rocked backwards and forwards on my hands and knees, shifting my weight from my legs to my arms! A step in the right direction for crawling!

We have been finishing the day with the walker and practicing taking steps. I was pretty tired today, but still managed to get a few good steps in!