Miss Katera removed Madalyn's cast on Wednesday. While taking her bath, Madalyn excitedly held up two hands and clapped. Then she showed me all the things she can do with two hands.
My sister and I took her to Alabama Adventure, a huge waterpark that I think costs more than Disney World to enter for 4 hours...but oh well.
We had a good time and left just before it started to rain.
Once the cast came off, her hand immediately became fisted. As expected her tone came back. The older she gets and the more experienced I become about hemiplegia, the clearer spasticity becomes to me. Although I always "knew" what to expect, it's different when the forever part starts becoming a reality. A long time ago I asked her neurologist if her brain compensated so well from the injury, why couldn't it go one step further and heal the motor deficits. Dr. Parker said, "that's just the nature of kids and Cerebral Palsy". I am really starting to understand that.
Like all new parents of kids with hemiplegia, you start off when they are a baby stimulating the affected hand, encouraging them to use it, and it really seems like that could make a difference, but it's just not enough.
So, although simply starting early and stimulating her hand isn't enough, the one thing that has made a difference so far is this program. She enjoyed it, worked hard, and we gave her the very best opportunity I know to gain function in her left arm and hand.
We are leaps ahead on supination. Her confidence and motivation to dress herself are increased. And I know the upcoming year of weekly therapy will be more productive because of the work she did in Birmingham.
Tomorrow before we head home, she will have an evaluation in the clinic to see exactly what skills and strength she has gained this time.
No comments:
Post a Comment