The end of our second week

As we come to the end of our second week of intensive therapy I feel the need to take stock in what we've accomplished. We have filled our days with gait training, superman swinging, tall kneeling to standing... the list goes on. But in the grand scheme of things what does it all mean?

For us it means that today my son showed his Uncle Chris that he could stand himself up and (almost) sit himself back down again safely. It means that today my son decided where he wanted to go, and was able to steer his gait trainer without running into walls, chairs, etc. Grant it, today was a day that required some video assistance, but it still was a day of accomplishment for Aiden. (He's watching Curious George the movie.)

I attended a ladies' retreat several weeks ago. The theme was "Having a Mary heart in a Martha world". I am learning to have more of a Mary heart as a result of our time here in Richmond. Yes, I am still rushing about to get people to their assigned places. Yes, I am still feeling pulled in many directions, and wonder if anyone notices. Sure, I want to be acknowledged for my contributions to the family (not much feed back in the domestic engineer field!). But, for three hours each day I focus on the important thing. Like Mary I can hear my heavenly Father's voice as He beckons me to wait; as He entreats me to rest in Him; to allow Him to do the work that I would take on myself. I hear the still small voice reminding me that Aiden is safely in the palm of his hand.

Instead of worrying about how Aiden will learn to read, or where he'll get a job (or who will care for him if anything happens to Dave or me), I watch in wonder as he scoots across the room with "the greatest of ease". I believe that this is what I was supposed to see today so that I would remember to choose the things in life that are "better" (see luke 10:38-42).

Aiden is pro gress ing. He may not be run ning any mara thons tomorrow (that is saved for next week) but I have hope that some day he may run. This is more than I could say when we began this adventure. And only time will tell where this one will end up!

Many thanks to all who continue to pray. Aiden has been a little more fussy this week. Please pray that he is able to maintain the schedule for our remaining week. It is very rigorous and he is tired. Praise God for the work that I feel He is doing in me. I am grateful for a change of perspective. I would continue to ask on behalf of Shannon and her family. They need good restful sleep.

Blessings and peace to all,

Christa

PS. Thanks to our friends at Pufferbellies in Staunton. Aiden is sitting on an orange Rody that was generously donated by Pufferbellies to replace one that was lost in the Hope Therapy Center fire. THANK YOU!!

Standing in the gap

Over the last two weeks I have seen many parents like me; they are doing all that they can to improve the quality of their children's' lives. They are in essence
"standing in the gap" for their kids. This phrase comes from Ezekiel 22:30 and references God's search for "a good man" to intercede for the nation of Israel. This is what I have seen over and over again at Hope Therapy; parents, grandparents, friends, other family members, therapists and staff "standing in the gap" for children who are unable to do so for themselves.

I know that for me the idea of standing in the gap meant that I would take the place of someone who couldn't do whatever it was that they were to do. But after some searching I realize that perhaps it is more the act of interceding for another person. I believe that as the parent of a differently abled child I do that everyday (and not just on a spiritual level). I am right there arguing with his little muscles while he learns to use them. "Come on little hamstring. You know what to do. We're not taking that half way move. Give it to us!!" I am standing in front of him as he uses his walker pleading with him to "come to Mama". And on a spiritual level I beg the Lord for an even playing field, for accepting friends, for an independent future.

The parents and care givers that I have had the privilege to meet or even to just observe over the last 2 weeks have been a blessing. It would be my prayer that as we work with Aiden others would see and be encouraged also. I do not know everyone who has been chosen as parents to children with such extraordinary needs, but there are a few things that I do know: You were chosen for a reason. Your child was chosen for a reason. You can stand in the gap. The God of the universe knew what He was doing!!

Maybe Aiden will never be able to do everything that I would want him to do, or maybe the timing isn't my choice, but I will believe that he will do what God has gifted him to do. Until the time comes when he can do that on his own, I will stand in the gap!

Thank you all for your praises and prayers. I am in awe that you continue to stand with us in this endeavor. Pray for Dave as he finishes up his 2nd week separated from us. Pray for Aiden's stamina. As you can see in the 2nd picture, he got a little fussy about having to work today. Lastly, praise the Lord for Aaron and Addison. They have been awesome kids through this. Continue to lift Shannon and her family. Restful sleep is a real need. :)

I thank God for you all daily. Blessings to all,
Christa

I am exhausted!!!

It hit me like a ton of bricks, and maybe it's because I had to go clothes shopping, but I am tired. I thought about using the word exhausted. So, in the spirit of keeping this interesting and improving my vocabulary, I decided to use a thesaurus. The entry for exhaust reads; drain, tire, empty, wear out, use, finish, fatigue. Yeah, that sounds like me, but I really don't have a reason for such feelings. I am not doing the hard work. Aiden is.

Each day my little guy joyfully gets up, eats breakfast, watches Curious George in the car on the way to the center and then lets us poke, prod and push him. I look at his little face, and see a contentment that I so often do not have. Today I saw much of that as we went along through his daily work. Despite the work, he seems to be happy and rested most of the time. I have no excuse for being exhausted (except maybe staying up late to write).
But the word exhaust is right above a word which really does apply to our situation. That word is exhaustive. Exhaustive means comprehensive, thorough, extensive, complete. That is truly what this experience is for us. It is a comprehensive look at what might be possible for the future. Aiden will be thoroughly evaluated and will undergo an extensive physical therapy program. When it is complete we should be able to have an exhaustive plan set for his return home.

As I make my comprehensive plans, I think that the Lord listens, and chuckles to Himself. "Funny girl," He says. "Don't you know that my plans are better than the best thing that you can imagine?" "Just wait and see. I'll surprise you with exactly what you need, exactly when you need it."

This program is just like that. I would never have imagined that it would be this good for Aiden. I think that had we known about it, we would have brought him earlier, but the truth of the matter is that he may not have been ready earlier. Or maybe we would not have been ready earlier. We are seeing Aiden do all sorts of things that he was not doing a week ago; lift himself up and down on his tip toes, cruise around the living room, clap his hands instead of patting his lap when excited, making lots of eye contact, steering his gait trainer, trying to get up on the furniture. To those of you with typical children these things seem rather mundane. For us these accomplishments are steps towards God's exhaustive plan for Aiden, and we are thank God for these little steps.

Thank you all so much for your prayers. I believe that you are a special part in this process.

Praise God for His faithfulness to us. We are grateful for progress. Also for Aiden's toleration of the process. Pray for our continued good health and strength. I also thank you for your continued prayers for Shannon. Pray for sleep!

Blessings to you all,

Christa

PS. Thanks to those of you who have been leaving comments. It really is very encouraging :)

Taking the stairs

Today we worked on stairs again.

I don't think many of us think

about all of the coordination that is

required to actually keep your body

upright and then to move it forward.

The fact that babies learn to walk so early says something for the amazing creativity that went into humans. Well, today we worked on helping this little creation take another step forward in his quest for more independence.

When you look at the pictures that I've included today you can see the amount of concentration that Aiden puts into his work. His little tongue gets to going and he forgets to swallow (that's a nice way to say that he drools:). But stepping up doesn't just take concentration, it takes preparation. Firstly, Aiden had to get himself up. Shannon had him coming to stand from a platform that was about 6 inches high.

We have been working on patterning over the last week, and today some of that seemed to kick in. Aiden, once his hands were planted (and sometimes held in place) he seemed to understand that he needed to get his feet under him in a deep squat. At that point he was able to push to stand. I make it sound so easy and quick, but sometimes he has to really work to get his feet in place, and often he struggles to get his second foot on the ground. That having been said, once he was up he was ready to step. Hooray for repetition!!


A couple of times today Aiden was ready to step before any of us were ready for him to step. He really wants to move and to be more independent. Dave and I both believe that through the work we're doing now Aiden will be able to achieve some of that independence.

As we worked today, my little man showed great patience and great perserverance. He keeps on most of the time with little to no complaining, and he does so with a sweet spirit. I am really proud of him.

Some day Aiden will be able to stroll down the streets of our hometown, maybe by himself, maybe with his mom on his arm :). Either way, I will look back on this time with fondness. Our experience at Hope Therapy to this point has been wonderful. I feel in many ways like I have come home. That says alot about the quality of the people who are caring for my son. And in many ways they are caring for me, too. What a gift I've been given.

Dave was with us today for therapy, and I believe that he was really surprised at the skills that Aiden has started to grasp. But for him I think the best part was seeing the smiles that lit up Aiden's face. Sometimes they go hand in hand with realizing that he has done what he wants to do; sometimes they come with the cheering that we give him; sometimes it's the pleasure he gets from a good book, but no matter why he flashes them, they melt his dad's heart.

Thank you all for your continued prayers and comments. I really covet them. I believe that we are seeing some of the fruit of that prayer in Aiden's progress. Please continue to pray for stamina and strength; and praise God for His faithfulness in all situations. He is good to us daily. I continue to ask for prayer for Shannon and her family. Good restful sleep is a great need for them. Please pray.

Blessings to all,
Christa

Another Monday at Hope Therapy

Mondays have the bad reputation of being a real drag. People are always really thankful (TGIF) it's Friday, and as the song says "everybody's working for the week-end". Poor, sad Monday gets a raw deal. It is the start of the new week; the opportunity to do better than you did did before, the quintessential fresh start. This having been said, welcome to Monday (a second Monday) in our marathon PT experience.

Honestly, we did have a hard time starting this morning. Aiden had a couple of bad dreams last night and he was really not ready to get up. He was one sleepy-eyed boy. But per his norm, Aiden, once awakened was a smiley boy. Dave is here so he was able to care for Aaron and Addison, and my mom (pictured in maroon) was able to come. She was really excited to visit and watch Aiden doing his stuff.

We started with our usual routine; heat, massage, stretching and exercises. Today Aiden was using 2.5 lbs. weights with his leg exercises. I am surprised at how quickly he has gotten the hang of using the pulleys. He's a pretty smart guy.

After a snack of "pirate booty" , one of Aiden's favorite snack foods (kinda like white cheddar cheese puffs), Shannon strapped him into the suit. In order to keep him happy when loading him in, I usually read to him. Today, Granma got the chance to do it. Aiden really loves books, especially Maisy books. It's a blessing that he likes to be read to and we're taking advantage of that.

Mom was really astonished at the amount of work that goes into this therapy. During our sessions Aiden is moving most of the time. He may not always be moving his whole body, but some part of him is moving. Today, for instance, he was working on deep kneeling and deep squating to stand. And he didn't do 5 reps or even 10 sometimes he did maybe 15. That's on each leg with the kneeling!!! For those of us over 3 years old, consider doing 30 lunges and 15 or 2o deep knee bends when you haven't exercised forever. All I can say is that my glutes and quads would be screaming! That's just a part of his 3 hour work out (or work over depending on how he's feeling about things).

Once the suit is on Aiden is squeezed and pulled by the bungies. In the bottom picture you can see the pile of bungies that go on the suit. They hold it tightly on and provide resistance for muscles that I can' t work. Mostly, Aiden tolerates the suit pretty well. I am not sure that I would be nearly as cooperative.

As well, I think my mom was surprised by the extrodinary amount of work that Shannon puts in to motivating Aiden. She cheers. She sings. She encourages. She hugs. And she does it with love for both Aiden and for the job that she is obviously called to do.

Thank you all so much for reading today. I hope to hear from you soon. It helps me to know that people are reading and praying. Based on what Shannon has told me the 2nd week is often really hard. The kids are usually tired from the prior week. Please pray that Aiden will

"soar on wings like eagles"; that he will "run and not grow weary"; that he will "walk and not be faint" and that HE will "renew his (Aiden's) strength."

Isaiah 40:31 (modified)

Blessings to all,

Christa

A quiet Sunday

We are having a very quiet Sunday. No therapy, no exercises, no work. But tomorrow it's back to Hope Therapy for more suit therapy.

Hope to hear from you all soon.
In His care,
Christa

A little light reading for the week end

I realize that I don't have any therapy news today, but I wanted to fill you in on the way we found out about Richmond Hope Therapy Center. So here it goes.....
In July of this year, Hope Therapy's building burned down. My understanding is that renovations for expanding the center at the original building were almost complete when the fire occurred. It was an accidental fire, but I can only imagine the disappointment that the staff felt when they found out. I am sure that it was heartbreaking for them.
Fortunately, they were able to find a new location that was similar to the size that the old building would have been after the renovations. And they were open for business again in early August. I am sure that the therapists and the clients of the center were thrilled.
So here's where our story begins. Needless to say, the fire provided a lot of publicity for the facility. It was the cover story on a magazine that is published for an area Innsbrook. My brother-in-law Chris works in Innsbrook, and for some reason he had a copy of the magazine. He brought the magazine home and my sister who is a physical therapy assistant saw the cover. I did not see the cover, but I think it had a picture of a little one with a gait trainer (walker) similar to Aiden's ( or the one the little girl on the cover of the brochure is using). Jennifer found the picture interesting, and read the article.
I got a call from Jenn and she told me about the center, the fire, the little girl with the gait trainer and urged me to look into the therapy offered. Neither of us had ever heard of "suit therapy" and to be honest it sounded a little strange. But I love my little guy and so I looked.
I looked at Hope Therapy's web site (http://www.richmondhopetherapy.com/) and found a picture of the same little girl wearing this thing that looked like it was from outer space! (You all have seen Aiden in the suit-it's not what you expect to see.) I also looked at the actual "therasuit"web site, and read their information. I was skeptical, but honestly, Jennifer kept bugging me and so I just called RHTC.
I made an appointment to visit the center in early September. The therapist who I spoke with said that someone could evaluate Aiden and let us know if he was a good candidate for the suit. So we went; Aiden, me and Jennifer. (Ironically, the center is 10 minutes from my parents' home in Richmond.)
Shannon did the evaluation and really put me at ease. She was knowledgeable, kind and encouraging. Before we left Shannon gave me some advice concerning community organizations that could help us help Aiden. Then she said something that really surprised me, "Even if you decide not to come here for therapy, please don't hesitate to call if you need help getting benefits for Aiden."
Okay, that may not seem like a big deal to anyone else, but since Aiden aged out of his community program I had been flailling around like I was drowning. I guess I really felt like she cared, not because we might come to the center, but because she knew what I was going through and wanted to help. (As I type this, I'm tearing up.) I felt like someone had thrown me a lifeline.
Jennifer and I discussed the visit on the way home, and then again with my folks and Dave. It was not a decision that we could make immediately. The intensive therapy is very expensive so money had to be available. In order for our insurance to reimburse anything, therapy had to be completed before the end of the year. Finally, we had to work out a plan for Aaron and Addison.
I prayed alot. I am not one to jump too fast. And honestly, I know how people look at parents of children with disabilities. If you choose to do something that is remotely outside the parameters of traditional medicine or therapy, they think that you are desparate. Maybe I am a little. But my time with the Lord yeilded a "go".
After our vacation at the end of September, I called to schedule Aiden's first intensive therapy session. Despite the center being one therapist down (labor and delivery), they were able to fit us in before the end of the year. The Hope Foundation is providing us with a scholarship towards our tuition. My parents have been able to care for Aaron and Addison during treatment, and house all of us. Our insurance will reemburse some of the cost of the treatment. And God provided the finances for this adventure in a the form of a pay out for some stocks that Dave had from Massenutten!!
I know that this has seemed like a long drawn out explanation, but I truly feel that God has had His hand on this whole endeavor. Don't get me wrong, I don't think the center burned down just so Jennifer would see that article. What I do mean is that I know the God of the universe used a seemingly bad situation to bring us (and maybe other families) to this place. We had to be willing to go; to follow His lead, but there is peace in obedience.
I had been praying for God's direction; for Him to show me (actually, I believe that I really wanted Him to answer me out loud!!) what to do for Aiden. My mother's heart was crying out for some small sign of hope. For right now, that has been provided. In this moment I know that I am right where the Lord wants me; in the palm of His hand.
Thank you all for reading this epistle. I wanted you to know that we are not in a place of desparation in our lives. Quite the contrary, we are "standing on the promises of God".
Your prayers are such a blessing. Please continue. And if you can, thank Him for His faithfulness to us and to all of His children.

Blessings to all of you,
Christa
PS. If you are interested in more information on RHTC you can find them on the web
at http://www.richmondhopetherapycenter.com/ Please comment if you read-the settings are changed so you don't need a gmail account!! :)

We've done the first week, yeah!!!

Aiden is learning to climb stairs! Most parents are concerned when their babies start climbing, but not me. Today I was ecstatic to see Aiden going up and down in the therapy room. It was a beautiful thing to see.

The pictures don't do justice to the amount of hard work that little guy did today. Not to mention the hard work

Shannon put in to get

Aiden firstly to a point

where his body understands better what to do, and secondly, the work she put in to get him to put it into action. I am exhausted at the end of our 3 hour session. Shannon does this every day. I will continue to be amazed by her energy and ability to get the best out of my son.

By now you all realize that we did not start out taking the stairs. We changed it up a little today and after the heat and massage, Aiden practiced his bouncing. He is belted into a harness and attached to the therapy cage (I'm sure that's not

the correct term for it , but I do my best) with really long bungee cords. These allow him to bend and bounce to strengthen his legs and hips. Aiden did kneeling to stand (kind of like lunges for us grown ups) over and over so that this action will become a pattern that his body remembers.

He also bounced with the trampoline under him. Despite some resistance he is really starting to get the knee bending thing.

I am encouraged today by Aiden's progress. He is not resisting the therapy and seems at times happy to be able to do more independently. At home we are noticing that he is more vocal and more animated. He is clapping his hands together instead of patting his legs when he is excited. He is even trying his luck with climbing on furniture. For some this last would cause much concern, but for us it means that Aiden is learning to balance on one foot while lifting the opposite knee onto the cushion.

I thought that I was doing pretty well learning to "be content in all circumstances", but I am being taught that I can find contentment in the really small things. Even something as seemingly insignificant as learning to bounce can bring excitement into my heart. I can be content with the quality of work that we've done this week. I don't want anyone to think that I am through with learning this concept, but this first week at Hope Therapy Center has helped me to see just how blessed I am.

Thank you all for your prayers. I would continue to ask you to pray for Aiden's progress. The second week of therapy is often the most difficult because of the rigorous schedule and fatigue from the first week. Please also praise the Lord for His faithfulness in allowing us to have such a successful first week. I miss home and look forward to seeing all of you upon our return in November.

In the love of the Lord,

Christa


PS. Since I can't figure out how to line up pictures and captions I'll let you know that the last picture is of Aiden having snack today. So it's not all hard work, we do take some time for eating and reading a good book or two. :)

Our first Thursday at Hope Therapy

This is a happy boy in a therasuit!

When we started our therapy this week I didn't know what to expect; Would the staff work well with Aiden? Would he adapt well to the rigorous schedule? Would he benefit from this therapy
program? It was with trepidation that we walked through the doors on Monday. Today, I have a different view of the whole process. I am amazed at the way Shannan our therapist works
with Aiden. I am amazed by the lengths to which the staff is

willing to go to in order to get the best out of Aiden. Finally, I am amazed at Aiden's ability to persevere through what for some of us would be an overwhelming physical routine. He truly is my hero.


We started our day with Aiden doing some knee walking and walking independently. Shannon used the time to video his movements for evaluation. So today Aiden started his day at the center as the movie star. (I knew he was a star all along.) This was followed by "the routine" (heat,

massage, gym exercises) and the superman swing. Aiden is working on strengthening his arms and upper body strength (in the picture to the left of this paragraph). It will help him in all of his mobility issues and I believe in the long run it may also help to improve his fine motor skills and maybe even some language issues. You don't really think about how interconnected our bodies are until they don't work right. Who knew that having good muscle tone in your trunk would effect your intestinal track, but when you think about it, it makes sense. (I'm glad the job of creating the human body wasn't mine!!)

All in all it was another good day. Aiden worked hard. He is beginning to really understand what muscle movements are expected from him. He still needs the prompts and honestly it seems to depend on the day as to whether or not it's the glutey or the quad or the hip flexor that he doesn't want to work. But, hey, he's three. He's suppose to start making some decisions for himself, right?

I am proud of my little boy. He is a sweet, dear child. Yes, he is different than most three year olds, but I am deciding to look at him as an individual and I am not going to compare him to anyone else. This is sometimes a challenge for me. When I was pregnant with Aiden 2 very good friends were also pregnant at the same time. We all delivered within a week of each other. (Aiden was first.) I see these other children either in photos or in person and I cannot help myself. I think of them walking, talking, running. I compare. But this is going to stop. Aiden is Aiden. He is a blessing that I could never have imagined that I needed. The Lord has chosen me to be his mom and He has chosen Aiden to be the softening agent for my heart; the builder of my character, and the one who I believe will teach me about true joy.

For those of you who are praying, continue to pray for Aiden's stamina, his perserverance and his progress. As well, pray for all parents. It is a really hard job. We all need the help.

Thanks,
Christa
PS. Continue to pray for Shannon and her family. She really appreciates it (she told me so!) Also, if any of you are interested, I would love to know that you've been reading (or just looking at the pictures). Please use the comment option. Thanks.

What a great day!

Here we are again, and what a good day we had today. Aiden really turned on his little motor! I tell you, it was like night and day compared with Monday's experience in the therasuit. I was, to be quite honest with you, astonished.

For those of you who don't know me very well, I have difficulties with time management, so when I realized that I had to drop both Aaron and Addison off at different locations. I was afraid that I would be really late to the center. Surprisingly, and through God's grace, EVERYONE was on time. Actually, Aiden was early for his session (only by 5 minutes, but I take victories as they come). This started the day off on a really positive note.

After the routine; heat, massage, exercises with weights, and the superman swing, Aiden and I both took a snack break in preparation for the suit. As I read Aiden a book, Shannon started fitting him into the suit. He was ready to go before he realized what was going on. What a blessing; no screaming or crying. It seems that the shoes really were the issue. I was able to get a pair exactly like the ones you see him wearing in the picture to the right. I cut slits on either side of the heel so that his orthotics (SMOs) would just slip in. It really seemed to do the trick.

So, today not only did Aiden he use his gait trainer, walk on a tred mill, and walk independently, but he took his first shot at riding a tricycle!!! And he did it with a smile on his little face.

I cannot express the feelings that this day has birthed in me. Friends, I guess I never thought that I would see a day when my child, who can't walk independently, was on a trike. Imagine your greatest wish for someone who love, and believing that it would be just that, a wish; one you didn't think would come true. This is how I felt before today. My visions for Aiden were limited by his limitations. (Wow, that is a hard thing for this mom to admit.) My vision should only be limited by God's ability to complete a good work in Aiden.

In reality, I was not only limiting Aiden, I was limiting God. Yes, I put God in a box and I stuck Aiden (and his future) in there with Him. How easy it is to underestimate the Lord because of our own limited vision. Continue to pray that I learn to know what I know: God is good and wants good things for His children; as well, the Lord holds Aiden (and me) in His hands. What a good place to be. Also, our therapist, Shannon, is in need of uplifting prayer. Please remember her. God knows her need.

Thank you all so much,

Christa,

PS. What you see in the pictures is as follows: Aiden on a tricycle!!!Yeah! A view of his shoes attached to the therasuit, and lastly, some of his independent stepping. BYE:)

Two down and three more this week

Greetings from Richmond,
I'd say "another day another dollar", but the reality is that no one could afford to pay me to do what I do. My current job, Aiden's PT coach, is exciting, exhausting and challenging all at the same time. What other job provides you with all of the above, and the hugs and (sloppy) kisses of one such adorable little guy? Daily, I am amazed at the obstacles that my little one approaches with joy. Sometimes he overcomes sometimes he doesn't but there are few that he won't atleast try.
Today was no different. We arrived at the center at 9:45am ready to get going. (Actually, Aiden was ready to go; I on the other hand was feeling a little bit under the weather. I have a sinus infection, but saw a dr. tonight and got an Rx.) Miss Shannon met us and Aiden got to relax with some heat on his little legs; followed by a foot and leg massage. Sounds nice, huh?
The routine seems to be : heat, massage, gym-type leg exercises and then the superman swing. Aiden did really well with the exercises. He's learning the routine - up, kick, down - pretty quickly and responding to some of the verbal commands. He does seem to have an ornery left glutiusmaximus (known at the center as a "glutey"). Aiden does not want to use that little muscle despite the poking that he gets in his little behind! The superman swing went really well today. He was able to keep his head up for 5-10 seconds at a time. I'm prety sure that this was because of his pt tech helper today. She is a pretty blonde. (My son really loves blondes:) )
Suit therapy went much better today. It is obvious to both me and to Shannon that Aiden's issues yesterday stem directly from the shoes. I am not sure whether or not it is the pressure that is required to get his feet into the shoes, or if it is a feeling of being squeezed in the shoes, but he just was beside himself yesterday. Today we strapped him in with his sandals on, and despite a little complaining at the very beginning, there was no screaming. It was quite a relief.
For those of you who continue to pray for us as we embark on this journey, thank you. I believe that you were a part of the "mercies that are new every morning". I really didn't think that I was going to be successful in getting up. I continue to learn. Today, it was something small, a thought about a friend and brother in Christ who has gone to be with the Lord. I remembered floating with him and his sister in a lake in Maine. I remembered the beautiful day, the cool water, the way the balsa fir smelled in the heat. And I remembered that he took each day as it came, appreciating the gifts of the day. I am remembering right now the gifts of this day, and you all are in my thoughts.

Thank you,
Christa

PS. I'm just learning to use the picture thinggie, so the blog looks a little off balance. I'll work on it! :)

Our first day at Hope Therapy

Hello all,
Our first day at Hope Therapy was relatively exciting. Aiden realy put on the charm for the ladies at the center. His therapist Shannon seems to connect well with him and she was given more than one of Aiden's sparkley smiles. Shannon seems to love her job and the children that she works with.
Aiden started his session today with a full evaluation. His flexibility and joint mobility were checked along with strength levels in his extremities. Although these were not the easiest activities for him to accomplish, Aiden completed the exercises with good humor.
When the evaluation was completed we got out Aiden's gate trainer (a modified orthopedic pediatric walker). He absolutely loves to cruise around. It's funny to watch him go. The look on his face as he takes off is priceless. (It is obvious to both Dave and me that Aiden so wants to go independently. )
Aiden was worked out on a resistance machine. You know those gym machines that work your aductors and abductors, well, they have one just for the little ones. He also got to "fly" today. They use a pulley and rope system with harnesses that suspend Aiden. Let me tell you, hanging from the harnesses really make you hold your head up. I don't think that I realized that his neck and shoulders were quite so weak, but honestly, I don't know if I could hold my big old noggin' up for very long in this fashion either. We will hope that by the time we're through he'll look like superman in the harness.
After about 2 hours of work, Aiden took a break and had a snack. It 's really important to keep him fed during the sessions because he's working so hard. Just so you know, the first 2 hours were the easy part. Once he snacked it was time for the "therasuit". (I won't try to describe it at this time, but I will post pictures tomorrow. ) It is rather binding, and the shoes are tight and uncomfortable, pair that with exhaustion, and you reach maximum overload. The last 40 minutes were difficult at best. That having been said, he still tolerated it.
It was difficult to sit and watch my little one scream and look at me for help. I left the center with a huge headache, and a completely exhausted baby. (Once we took him out of the bouncing harness he fell asleep in less than 30 seconds---no exaggeration!!!)
Please continue to pray that we are in right place and pray for our stamina in therapy. More tomorrow. Thanks for reading. -Christa

PS. I realized after naming this blog how truly appropriate it is..... I am learning to walk daily just like Aiden. My journey is moving me closer and closer to becoming the woman, wife and mother that the Lord desires for me to be. So, your prayers are not only sustaining us as we complete therapy daily, but are also sustaining me in my walk with the Lord. Thank you.