Summer Fun

From all accounts, summer school was a huge success.  Caden says it was FUN and loves to tell us stories about pool time, music class, whiffle ball at recess, walks with the high school volunteers, pizza day and the carnival on the last day of school (I'm sure they did some work in there as well!).  He seemed to be able to handle the half day schedule, and tolerated the bus ride too.  All good signs for resuming school in September.

Prior to the bout of rain that we have had the last week or so, Caden has spent a lot of time in the pool.  He is not quite the "fish" that he was last summer, but he has improved dramatically this last month.  He now remembers how to hold his breath and go under; loves to jump in with and without a board; tries to do handstands better than his brothers, and will "swim" for a few yards.

Gait training is still his therapy theme.  His PT has reintroduced him to the treadmill:  back in December/January Caden used the treadmill a little to remember how to walk; now he is using it to remind his brain and body of the natural, fluid movement he had pre-injury.  He has worked up from 5 to 10 minutes (going over 2 mph) with a goal of 15 to 20 minutes, and we noticed improvements in his gait immediately.  Weight/balance shifting is another focus, and his PT has him using a scale to shift his weight from one leg to the other -- clever!  Still, Caden most enjoys therapy when it doesn't seem like therapy :) so we've incorporated walks along the stream and even a hike in the Sourlands (great balance practice on the shifty, rock strewn path).

Many of the teachers and therapists who worked with Caden this summer mentioned his sense of humor.  We had to smile this week when Caden told his older brother, who had just suffered a soccer injury, that it would be o.k.:  he has some cool therapy tools he would let him borrow, and he could recommend a great Physical Therapist.  As Caden said, "She really knows her stuff!"