Beginning the long walk…to nowhere

March 14, 2010

There are times that we’ve felt like we’ve poured our heart, time (and many times money) towards different therapies, equipment, trials and such and wondered if Nathan got anything out of it. I’ve written before how Annette has spent many sleepless nights wondering if we’re doing enough or doing the right things, and many times it’s seemed like we’re running on a big hamster wheel, expending a lot of energy and but yet ending up right where we started.

Now - it’s Nathan’s turn to work hard and go nowhere.

Beginning Monday, Nathan will be participating in a study for CP kids through Children’s Hospital working with the LiteGait over a treadmill improving his walking/stepping skills and his endurance. For anyone not familiar with the LiteGait, it’s the same apparatus used in the beginning of the 3rd birthday video. It will support a person (most of the time a child) via a large arm that will allow the subject to bear as much or little weight as deemed appropriate.

This is not the first study they’ve done. They did one in the fall of last year (about the same time that Annette was doing all the research for intensive therapy and deciding between Cincinnati and Detroit.) During that time, I was the one taking Nathan to therapy (while Annette works) and I didn’t share with Annette the flyers they had posted in the lobby until all of the spots were filled. Once it came around again, Annette made sure we were on the list.

Nathan will be attending the study (extra PT sessions) three days a week, an hour each day, for eight weeks. From the results we’ve heard of the first study, some kiddos went from enduring only about 10 minutes at the start, but ended up with over 45-50 minutes. When you take into consideration the time that it normally takes to get the kiddo stretched and into the wrap/machine, they were going for basically the full hour session.

We’ve been practicing for a few weeks during our normal PT session. We'd try for about 10 minutes or so, and then go back to his walker to see how he does there. We could compare whether he’s having an all-around good/bad day or if he likes/dislikes the treadmill and more/less than walking around the gym. Abbi’s has had some success with Nathan starting to take some steps on his own on the treadmill, not making her do all the work pushing one leg and then the other like we started out 16 months ago.

Monday will be the big test, as for two days each week, it won’t be Abbi working with Nathan. He’ll have a different PT while Abbi, quite possibly, will be working with another kiddo within sight. It will be a flashback to the last couple of weeks when Abbi was pregnant and not able to deal with the handful which is Nathan. He would occasionally glance over and try to get her attention. Sometimes he would work better than normal to try to “win her back” sometimes being droopy or depressed thinking that Abbi didn’t like him any more. As I said in one of our other videos, Abbi has never given up on Nathan, and I know Nathan still feels the same way about her.

Motivation will still be the final determining factor. We know that when Nathan wants to go—he goes; but when he doesn’t, he can be a 30-pound dead weight. We’re hoping that being able to watch videos on the treadmill will be motivating, and we’re banking on The Backyardigains to help that cause. After all this DVD has racing day, (his favorite) and we just want him to Go, go, go!

Just like everything else, our hopes are high, our intensions strong. We know how he can Rise Above and continue to make us proud. We have faith that he can do well, and if he shows what he can do, we’ll be strides ahead. He'll show that doctor who said he’d never do anything, just what dedication, determination and divine intervention can do.

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