On Your Mark, Get Set, ABR

So, a bad start to the day, get into the car and the GPS system that we relied on to get to Montreal, Canada is NOT finding the map/directions to the ABR site. Now, I know many of you are probably thinking "why didn't you check for that before?" Well we did, last night and today....nothing! FREAKIN' OUT!! ABR starts in 45 minutes and it takes 25 minutes to get there WHEN you have directions and the GPS telling you "turn left, start in the far left lane..." zilch, nada, nothing coming up. Almost ready to throw the darn thing out the window and drive over it. Shake it a couple times and jiggle the cord to the power.....voila', we have directions, Lonnie and I apologize to each other for the screaming match because we were both panicking, and that's just what we both do when were stressed. YELL!

The day continues on.....with a much better flow! Its funny I was nervous this morning, not just about ABR but also meeting the moms of the kids whose blogs I've been reading!! And all the kids are super cute in person too!! We first ran into Katy (Charlie's mom) and her parents. It was very nice meeting them, for the brief amount of time we talked. Lonnie enjoyed talking to Katy's dad also (of course about sports!). Then as we sat in the little room with a ton of people, as they walked in, I'd lean over to Lonnie, "I bet that is Paxson down there, and that little boy over there is Tyse, ooooh and I bet that one there is Fletcher.....and there is Nathan!" No I am not some cyber nut case, I just know who these people are because they have exceptionally cute kids! :) It was funny I'd say "ooh that must be Fletcher" and Lonnie would say "I can't remember the kids names, what is the name of their blog" and I'd tell him and he'd be , oh ok.......now I know what you're talkin' about!

I didn't get to talk to everyone and I'm sure there are people there that I have written back and forth through email or on the yahoo ABR support group, but just didn't figure out who they were in the over crowded little room. I am bummed that we left right after the presentation pretty much, but Lonnie had a banger of a headache from lack of proper foodage this morning! Daniel was ready for a nap, so off we dashed. So, hopefully no one thinks we are rude. (Like many of the people we have encountered here...natives) I also wanted to get some photos of the group we know, but there were tons of people in a small place and at the end of the presentation I think everyone was just ready to stretch their legs and go feed their babies as Jennifer can relate too! Also spoke with Todd a bit when we were out in the hall way quieting children. He was joking about us wives bring the computers along to "blog". Yes, we brought ours too (or else I wouldn't be able to post!) but Lonnie gets on it faster than me to check his fantasy sports! So, woman blog and guys play fantasy sports....seems like an even deal! ;)

Now to the ABR presentation. Gavin (one of the guys who will be doing Daniel's evaluation) gave the presentation. I think Daniel started to freak out (I wonder who he takes after?) when they turned the lights down. So most of the time one of us was standing over on the side holding Daniel to calm him. Then they started demonstrating with the skeleton and that sent him into his boo-boo lip huffin' and puffin'.

To sum up what ABR is, from what we took away from the meeting. ABR is fixing the smooth muscles and the body structure. The idea is to fix the foundation of the body structure and focus on that. Forget about trying to fix the brain which is not the source of the problem. That might be the initial source of what caused the CP, but you can't fix the problem (the injury) you focus on the smooth muscle, whereas traditional therapies focus on the skeletal muscles. Gavin explains it much better! LOL. I understand the concept, just don't ask me to teach about it! ;)

Basically, we will not see Daniel walk or sit up until we correct his foundation, and to correct his foundation we must start with the smooth muscles and when we strengthen those, we will see a stronger Daniel structurally. I am geeked and so happy to be here. I can't wait (nervous, hesitant and excited) to have the two evaluations with Gavin and Leonid. Excited because then we can really start ABR, hesitant because I always get nervous when someone new meets Daniel and is giving their opinion of where Daniel falls in the "scale" of severity of CP, and their expectations or lack of expectations for Daniel. I don't like when people put limitations on Daniel, or I feel that they do. No one from ABR has done this, but this is just what I am use to.

Ok, off to find something to eat where I can actually read the menu and know exactly what I am eating. Last night Lonnie orders loaded fries.....which are not the cheese, bacon and fries that we know. These came with fresh mozzarella chunks, I believe corn beef pieces and some brown type gravy over the top. Yikes....that was scary! I'm looking for something safe like a salad....can't mess that one up!

Holy crow.....here is a warning to anyone who is not use to Wal-Mart in Laval....what the heck, it was packed. I have NEVER seen a store (let alone Wal-Mart) so crowded. Now if you were to have told me that they were giving away $200 free to every customer I might be able to understand, or if it was Dec. 24th, I could understand. But it is frickin' sunday afternoon WTH??!?! And people, stop and check yourselves, you are being rude and crappy over stuff at WAL-MART. Relax will ya!?!?! EH? Oui'?