Merry Christmas

Hello everyone-

Since coming back from Sikeston therapy in Nov. we have been hitting the walking hard. He's really progressing in that department. His PT here has done a lot of treadmill walking with him so that he gets that repetitive walking motion.

He also got glasses. I know what your thinking-glasses? I thought he was blind? Well we can tell he doesn't track anything. The deal is that besides his brain damage that is making him not able to see he also is nearsighted in one eye and farsighted in the other. So even without the brain damage he would need glasses. We decided it was worth a try to get glasses and see if it helps him any. So far there's no major change. But he couldn't tell us even if there was so we are just going off of observation. On a not so fun note of updates-he is having more seizures. Not the big ones but still more. Please continue to pray for those to stop.

Christmas was great. Food, family, and just relaxing. Christian loved to hear the paper tearing off of his presents. We also visited Santa at Silver Dollar City. The santa was great!!! He loved the jingle bell sounds!

Video-One video is of him walking in Sikeston. I was pushing the walker but he was doing all of the leg work. The other is of me helping him walk by himself. He seems to enjoy not being strapped in to anything to walk.

last day

Today was our last day at therapy in Sikeston. 3 weeks seems to really fly by when your on an all day schedule everyday. I wanted to take this time to say thank you again to all who are involved with making these types of trips for therapy possible. I hesitate to even list the people but I will try--thanks to family, friends, strangers, dodgeball players/volunteers/donators, cookie makers, garage sale buyers, therapists, and many more who I probably am not aware of!!! You are all making a difference in Christian's life.

I hope that the words, pictures, and videos can convey the message that therapy like this (along with others) is helping Christian get stronger which in turn helps with his progression to sit, stand, walk on his own. Our goal is for him to become more independent in every area. When we come to new places like this one it is also opening the door to learn more about equipment, techniques, and ideas to take home. I have seen a huge change in Christian's strength which is allowing him to stand longer with little assistance, walk farther and more correctly (is that a phrase?), sit up taller. . . We appreciate all of the work and love that you all put in to our son!

THANK YOU -THANK YOU
The Russells

The video is of walking he did this week. Also there is a wide angle of the big room that we worked in.

Wow!

Today was a great day at therapy! I would say today and yesterday have been his best days. But of course he should be able to do more and improving the last week due to all of the work he has done up until this point.

I would say he was either standing or walking in his walker the last 2 hours. He had some small breaks but not much. And of course worked on sit to stands but that's still hard work. He did the most walking he's done in a good while. His trunk control while sitting and standing is great. He's able to stand longer with very little support from the therapist. Longer meaning 10-15 seconds maybe. I was very pleased with him today!

Videos: Christian walked in his walker (with us pushing, him stepping) to the tactile wall. He liked playing with the stuff on it today.

just my thoughts

As we've been here doing therapy I've found myself thinking in my head "man if Christian could just see he would probably be able to do so much more". Of course, we learn most of what we know by using our vision. Most of our motivation is what we can see-crawl towards the toy, walk towards mommy, see the food -pick it up , see me move my mouth to talk and copy that. . .
I usually don't get hung up on his lack of vision and the role it plays in his life but for some reason this last week it has been on my mind more. Christian does a great job of using his ears and hands to tell him different things and somewhat motivate himself. I am still amazed at what he can do and will be able to do even with lack of vision. The thing that struck me last night was that last January when we were in Kansas City doing therapy and Christian was having 5 to 7 grand mal seizures a day I said to myself "man if Christian just didn't have seizures he could do so much more". Hmmm and today Christian has been grand mal seizure free for 6 months. It's like God reminded me of what He's already done and what He will do. I'm reminded that nothing is impossible for God-not brain damage, not seizures and certainly not cortical blindness! I anticipate every tomorrow and what it holds!

videos and pics on the previous posts.

it's monday

Well today was ok considering Christian has touched by the southest mo allergy season. The cotton and soybean and other farmland is being uhh (i did not grow up on the farm, just close by)--well they are taking it from the farm soo the dust is a flyin. So he was a little puny today. Although daddy got to watch him work for a little bit. Here are videos from last week.

Christian is proving that you can sit or stand on a horse to get a workout. No animals were harmed in the filming of this video:)

week 2 is over-pics and vids

Thisweek Christian tried out a couple of new walkers just to say how he would work with them. We also moved around some parts on his walker to try to help his position for walking. It's nice to try out some other walkers because you normally don't get to try any out unless a facility happens to have one. I feel like it's like buying a car before test driving any. You just see one in a magazine or test drive one and then have to go with it.

He did some great walking on weds and thursday but i was helping so don't have pics or videos. sorry!

The picture above with his head down is in a room where it is dark and they use a black light to for kids with visual impairments. She was trying to see if he would respond to any of the objects that were lit up under the black light. Unfortunately we didn't see much of a difference from him. But thanks for trying Brandy!

Volunteers make it happen. .

Thank you to everyone who donated their time and energy to donate or work for the tournament! We are so blessed to have family and friends who truly care and want to make a difference in Christian's life!