The first picture is of Ellie working hard on her standing and building up the strength in her legs ever since recovering from her October 30 PERC lengthening and posterior tibial recession. Here you can see her at her school in her knee immobilizers standing. Her awesome PT, Maryann, even let go for a few seconds and Ellie was able to balance upright, standing, on her own.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Go Ellie!
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The second and third pictures are of Ellie in her Pony Gait Trainer.
She goes in it everyday and more and more needs no coaxing to take steps on her own. Our floor is like the high seas so we always start her up at the top of the 5% grade so that her first steps pack a big wallop. She is really enjoying it. I still need to order this and that should help her even more with staying upright. It's exciting to see how much she really loves to "walk". In the last picture you can see her making her way to the TV. she loves to see all around the TV and will ask us what various parts are. A gadget girl all the way.
I hope we are doing the right thing encouraging her. It's always a double edged sword. The surgery we did helped especially with the pointing downward of her toes and on the left side. But her right foot still toes in quite a bit.
The good news is it seems like her feet are adjusting to her AFO's allowing her to wear them for longer stretches of time before we need to check her feet and let the redness die down. It makes me sad sometimes though that she wears those all day, a diaper all day, and bivalves on her legs and feet at night. Even so we are seeing her pulling her feet inward less and that has got to be some new wiring in the brain - which is good.
9 comments:
GOOOO Ellie,
Put one foot in front of the other
and soon you'll be walkin cross the floooooor
Put one foot in front of the other
and soon you'll be walkin out the dooooor
watch out mom and dad, now the fun really begins
Lots of love,
Rick
Ellie is an inspiration!
Wooo!! :) I bet momma is glad to have those big clunky casts off now too.
And I had to click on the pics to make them bigger so I could check out her shoes. Or are they socks? Slippers? They are SO cute!!!!
Kathryn, lose the quotes on the word walk - that's walking! Yay! And I love Ellie's purple pony. I've never used one myself but literally everyone I know who has had a yellow one. So yay for Purple which is just right for Ellie!
Hi Everyone. Emma you are so right - she is walking! no quotes necessary.
Danielle - they are Hello Kitty mocasins. They have a leather bottom which gives Ellie some grip because the AFO plastic is really slippery and they are a sock top - very warm and comfy and easily slip over the AFOs without adding extra pressure. We gottem from Auntie Rie in Ireland and have the next size up too. I love em too. Wish they made Hello Kitty adult mocs!
And yes - the afos are WAY lighter than the casts.
oh - and Rick - That is so funny that you wrote that song because Ellie and I walk together all over the house. I hold her up from behind and stand her on my feet and I sing that very song as we go along! Great minds!!! ha ha ha. That made me LOL that you remembered that song!
wow, great pics Kathryn. Ellie is standing straighter than I do :) Will have to get Emily over there to chase her around :)
Hugs and kisses xxxxxx Aunty Rie
Kathryn,
It is great to hear that she is tolerating standing more since her surgery. Being in her walker gives her so much freedom and also encourages her trunk muscles maintain an upright posture. It is so important for Ellie to explore on her own and weight bearing is so important for bone growth.
As for AFO's Elizabeth does not have high tone so I can't say if it would be uncomfortable but I do know for her she wants her AFO's on she asks for them all the time.
Glad to see Ellie is doing so well.
oh wow! look at her!
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