Oh boy it's been a busy couple of days, and we're sorry we couldn't post sooner but it's been crazy since I've gone back to work. We have had two very good days, and now have a change of scenery. We will get to the details of therapy in a bit, but we want everyone to know we've changed rooms. Since we will be here a bit longer, we were able to get a bigger room, so we are now in 369. Same physical address, just a new room number. So if you come to visit, make sure you look for 369, not 367, or you will make one older man very angry (or very happy, depending on when you come).
Now to the really important info - Jon was able to take some additional steps this week, and move his leg on his own! That is absolutely huge for us. Before, the therapists have been pushing his leg as he put some tentative weight on it. But yesterday, for the first time, he was able to push his leg forward all by himself! Needless to say there were cheers all around. He's still having problems getting his knee to cooperate, it just doesn't want to bend to help give him that additional support, but he can lift his leg at the hip and move it. Yesterday he just kind of dragged it along on the ground, but today he was able to actually pick his leg and foot up so he could take a step! All the therapists had to do was keep him steady and keep his knee from buckling. They didn't have to help him move his leg forward at all! So his brain is sending the right signals, telling his leg to move forward. He walked 16 feet yesterday, and I bet at least doubled that number today, and really was able to pull his leg up off the floor. So we are very encouraged.
Occupational therapy has gone pretty much as usual, just working on strengthening his trunk and core and working on a bit more arm movement. He's had some movement in his shoulder, and we are working on keeping his arm loose and not cramped up against his body. When we leave it that way too long, it's harder to straighten out, and they don't want those muscles to tighten so much that he can't keep his arm extended out
Speech therapy is going very well. He's making great strides there, working a lot on the strength of his voice and the ability to change his pitch. She also has him working on additional facial movements, so ask him to show you his "angry" face, which ends up being more entertaining than "angry" looking.
Jon has developed quite a following in the therapy gym, amongst the patients and all of the therapists, even the ones who don't work with him. They all say he reminds them of Ken, of Ken and Barbie fame. I think that's the first time he's heard that! And apparently I remind them of Skipper (and for those who don't know who Skipper is, which I didn't, she is Barbie's dark-haired little sister). Apparently I'm too short and not blond enough to be Barbie (not to mention other physical attributes that I lack that would be more "barbie-like). When they first told me I looked like Skipper, my mind went to Gilligan's Island, and "The Skipper" isn't exactly someone I was hoping to resemble (no offense to him), so I must offend for about a day I was pretty offended, and pretty humiliated! But now, I'm not sure if I feel better or not, about being compared to a genetically inaccurate doll, but I guess I can live with it!
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