Thursday, December 4, 2008

Not so bad after all....

I decided not to let December get me down.
So we are on the fourth day of the month, and I am attempting to maintain an even keel.
So good things...not holiday related is what I'm writing about.

Lonnie is finally back to work from being sick. And the "sick couch" is now for everyone!

Daniel went to therapy yesterday with Lonnie while I was at home "illin'".
This was very nice because Lonnie got to see how well Daniel does with Ms. Linda & Ms. Carol.

We have gotten three hours of ABR in each day of the month so far,
which is quite an accomplishment if I do say so myself.

Daniel is walking ALL over the house in his Pony walker.
I believe the ABR is doing some good things. He just seems generally stronger. Before last month there was no way Daniel could walk in the rooms with carpet. Now he pushes himself up over the lip between wood flooring and carpet. Granted it isn't as smooth sailing on the carpet but it definitely gives his legs a really good workout!

My niece had her 4th child on the 1st of the month.
So we welcome a new little niece (she now has 4 girls!) She takes after me!

Now for the really cool news.

We will be getting Daniel's new manual wheelchair this month.
Nervous and anxious to get it. We will no longer in the Kimba seating system. The Kimba looks like a high tech stroller. Now he'll have a chair that people hopefully won't stare at him thinking, "Why is a big kid sitting in a baby stroller?". Don't get me wrong I LOVE our Kimba, we just need to make it better for Daniel, and because he is growing up so quickly....

This chair is very cool. And when we were looking for a chair we were looking for something that when he is in it, people see Daniel first and not the chair. The chair is very lightweight (titanium) so it is very easy for him to propel. We will be working on him learning to propel himself. I believe it will weigh about 20 lbs total, and comparing that to the Kimba, much easier. But we have also got the handles on it for us to push him until he does learn to do it himself. This is kind of what it will look like but again with different seating, more support for his trunk and a removable headrest.

I am hoping that everything goes well and we have it by the end of the month. The chair is a Ti-Lite base but he needed just a tad bit more support than the typical seating that comes with the Ti-Lite. But that can always be switched out when he gets stronger in his core with the ABR.
The Ti-Lite is very cool because Daniel will be at the same level as his classmates. I think this is going to be good. Although I am sure we will find some things we don't like about it too. But all in all, I can't wait to get it. And as you can tell....Daniel loves it.

5 comments:

Ellen Seidman said...

Oh, look at that smile!
That is one cool-looking wheelchair. Max used to use the Pony, too, he ruined a lot of furniture with it, but we could have cared less because it was so cool that he was getting around. He loved that thing.

Melanie said...

Believe me that Pony walker has caught me in the back of the ankle or rolled over my bare toes more than once! I absolutely love it because it gives him so much independence. Isn't it funny that keeping the furniture nice use to be a big concern of mine, now if he scratched it up with the walker or his power wheelchair, I'm like "Oh well! But hey did you see how well he did that?!?!"

Katy said...

Gosh he's beautiful!(can you say that about boys?

Way to go on the ABR. I really do have the time, but Charlie is NOT having it. He's just figuring out independence and he wants to wiggle and roll and get away from me. I'm relegated to the sleeping time. We get in about 90 minutes a day. Even so, we are seeing good things and I cannot wait to get some more exercises.

Anonymous said...

NICE chair! I love it!

I seriously hope he loves the light weight and self-propelling...

i have to recommend the sparkly wheels and also, hokeyspokes. I have them both on my quickie ti.

The light-up front casters come in a couple of different sizes

http://www.sportaid.com/product.php?brand=sa&prdID=42882

and the hokeyspokes are expensive but, oh, so awesome.

http://hokeyspokes.com

Jacolyn said...

I'm so behind on....well, everything ;) Love the new photo and look of the blog. Daniel looks great in his new wheelchair!