Life in our house has been busy, but good. Keenan, sometimes Kaylee, and I head to Wesley five days a week for therapy and almost daily his therapist is pleased with a new thing he is able to do, or that he seems a bit stronger. What a praise!!!!!
Two weeks ago I really "turned up the heat" for Keenan. We had Bible School five evenings that week and I told Keenan he would not be able to use the stroller we were given after surgery to help him get from place to place. He would be walking. I did not meet with as much resistance as I originally thought and he had a GREAT time with his friends. He was tired each night, but I was so proud of how he progressed and gained more stamina each night. The week was a boost for me as well because Keenan had not seen too many people to that point and I had several comments about how different his steps looked. WOW!!!!! What encouragement those comments truly were.
Keenan is having a blast in the pool several times a week. He walks around and is building strength and does not even realize it. He has not had swimming lessons yet, but is doing things in the pool now that makes me feel confident that he is ready to learn. :-) Yea.
His new braces seem to be doing well for him. Every now and then he complains of some rubbing on his ankle, but this transition went more smoothly than I thought. His legs have had braces for so many years that muscle groups have not had the chance to work and become strong, but after a few days with his new ones, he looked strong and unaffected by the change.
I would say at this point he is back to his pre-op state. His confidence with the walker is 90%. His balance (especially when sitting) is beyond what he could do before surgery, as is his ability to freely move his legs separately. His stamina is not back yet, and that is a significant concern, with three weeks until he hits the 1st grade. The other place I have concern for him with his return to school is with some personal care issues. While I said his balance is strong while sitting, he still has some work to do to be able to get his pants up and down in the restroom. We are going to make that a major area of focus the next couple of weeks and see if we can get him a bit farther in that area.
Previous summers have tended to drag for me. I so love being a teacher that I almost feel a void when I am not fulfilling that part of my life. So, needless to say, I had some real anxiety at the beginning of this summer!!! The daily therapy sessions and strengthening and stretching at home, chasing a busy toddler and keeping up with the duties of the house seemed overwhelming and I was afraid the summer would drag!!! Well, that DID NOT happen!!! Now that my return to school is two weeks away, my anxiety increases almost daily. There are so many details to work through and keeping all the "balls in the air" looks like a huge task. I am trying to turn that worry and concern over to God and take it one day at a time. He already has every detail running through my mind, and even those that have yet to make it into my mind, under control. Thank goodness for that.
Therefore, prayers for the transition into fall would be appreciated. I need patience and peace as I work to get all the necessary details covered. We will be able to reduce his therapy sessions to 4 days a week when school begins, but working out that schedule with Keenan's school schedule and my school schedule will be tricky. Also pray for Keenan's stamina. I am sure he will we exhausted as he tries to balance all that will be on his plate.
I am so excited and thankful for the way God has worked in his body this summer. He truly does have a new set of legs and opportunities in his future Brad and I never thought possible. Keenan's spirit has not wavered through all of this. He has his days where he does not want to go through the regiment of stretches and strengthening exercises, but for the most part, he has been a real trooper.
That is all for now, and I will try to have some video or pictures next time. My iPhone and my computer don't always agree, so I am going to use another video camera and get some video of him walking soon....I hope. :-)
Blessings,
Tammy
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:-)
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