WOW!

I am just amazed by that girl. I cannot believe what a day she had. She had her gait training again. She went with her gramma and mommy missed it, but I got a great report! I did talk to the PT after the appointment to hear about it. Apparently they spent smoe time swinging again. Sam saw the swing and just lit up she was so excited (this is good news...). Then they did some stand up/sit down exercised with the ladder. Sam was having a lot of difficulty grasping the bar with her right hand, as usual. That hand just wants to stay a fist. We have been working on it and getting some progress, but it still has a long way to come. So my mom (gramma) asked the PT if there was something they could put on her hand to help keep it open. Being a nurse, gammy was familiar with stroke patients and the accommodations that they had for them, so she thought there might be something similar for Sam. The PT perked up and sai d"Oh! She doesn't have a splint?!" And she ran and got a splint for Sam's hand. Immediately Sam hand opened up and grabbed the bar herself. This splint is really cool...it is a little neoprene strap that goes around her thumb and palm. I read a little about it (when I was ordering one!) and learned that they were made by an OT who wanted to help her patients grasp things better. She got it patented, and earned her Master's degree with it! It is amazing. (For more info, feel free to visit www.mckiesplints.com)

So, after playing a bit, they headed to the treadmill. Now, typically the PT will get Sam on the treadmill and then do some assisted steps with her to "warm her up" and remind her what they are doing. This time Arlene decided to just put her on and see what happens. She grabbed the bar in front of her, with BOTH hands, and when Arlene turned on the treadmill she started walking all by herself! She took 30 steps! With no prompting! And she held on the bar and kept her head in the center. It is just amazing. These 2 contraptions (the swing and the splint) have made such a difference. Arlene could not get over how much progress she had made in 2 weeks.

Then, after the session, Arlene was taking her off the treadmill and put her on the mat, and this is when mom showed up. I saw Sam being placed on her belly, and then she rolled and rolled and rolled until she would've fallen off the mat. IT was amazing. She has never done that before. I didn't even know that was my daughter. I moved her over to the center of the mat and she started rolling some more! I can't even describe what this did for me.

So, when we got home, she ate a BIG lunch and took a good nap, and mom ordered not only a splint but also a swing! The swings are a bit on the spendy side, but the benefits cannot be beat! I am so impressed. This will surely make the single biggest difference in her therapy. And it's fun.

A lot fo the research on the vestibular system and vestibular therapy is quite impressive and started with work with astronauts. The vestibular system regulates how your body responds to gravity, so it makes sense that astronauts would need vestibular training to be able to function in different gravitational atmospheres. It has been widely used for balance therapy for a variety of issues. It is just mind-blowing. And the most amazing thing is how much the vestibular system can be changed and developed with some simple therapies (like swinging!). So, I am really hopeful for how this will help Sam.

I always knew that Sam would do great things and amaze us all. Now it feels like it will happen sooner than I thought! Not that she does't amaze me every day with what she can already do, but I suspect we will be seeing new levels of progress now!

Love to you all.