Stand tall, Bottom in, Head Up

Last night the night splints were tolerated until about 1am and Dana was able to sleep the rest of the night with both Knee Immobilizers for the first time. The fear in Dana’s mind is of the strips over the four incisions and she feel safer having something hug her legs for protection. Of course this is not the reason why she has to wear them, but hey if it keeps them on her all night, I’m happy.

We get ready and have breakfast before our appointment with Blaire again at 11am. The taxi is due to pick us up again this morning and agree with Dana to use the shuttle bus again on our return journey.

John greets us as usual with his words and smiles as we enter the childrens hospital and we make a detour to our pit stop for my usual coffee and sit outside in the sunshine. It’s going to be hot again today, predication is temp of 99. I confirm our return flights and will be flying back on the 17th September. Thankfully the flight is a long way off and we head towards the 4th floor for our physio session with Blaire.

Blaire greets us in her usual smiley way and has such a positive nature. She also says ‘can’t is not a word which she accepts children to use’ I am always correcting Dana when she uses ‘can’t ‘ at home . Blaire is tough and firm when she has to be yet does it in such a gentle way. She starts Dana’s physio with a few stretches and then gets her straight on the walker. This part is the most upsetting and really hard to watch. I can’t stop myself telling Dana to ‘stand tall. bottom in, head up. I have said it for so many years now, it’s as natural as saying Good Morning. As yesterday, Dana really struggles, her thighs are really weak and her knees are pulling in. Blaire decides to strap each knee with a roll of stretchy bandage. This seems to be working as she appears to be walking taller and taking wider footing. Dana become tired very quickly and soon the hour finishes. As I watch her attempt to walk each time seems the same as the last yet Blaire says it was good and doing really well. The day splints seem to be doing their job which is a relief. As we wrap up the session Blaire presents Dana with her new sticks, how far in the distance does this feel when Dana will use them. Blaire says Dana will start standing with these tomorrow..

We head to the cafeteria again as we did yesterday and have lunch before calling the shuttle to pick us up. Dana manages to step up onto the shuttle with support, it's the getting down from the shuttle which needs a different technique. Dana needed a lot of support and I practically carry her to the wheelchair. Blaire has given us homework as usual for the afternoon and evening. Before I attempt any further physio I must go grocery shopping and take the shuttle bus to the store. A while later while I am finishing, the hotel manager from our hotel approaches me in the stores and says he will wait for me and gives me a lift back to hotel. I pay at the till and push the second cart outside, expecting the shuttle bus, but no it's a proper car and a very nice one. He loads the boot with my shopping and I sit in the front. We arrive at the hotel and I put all the shopping bags on to the hotel cart to take up to my room.

Dana’s physio continues later in the afternoon. I place the bandages around each knee and she walks with her walker 50 feet, the improvement from the morning is incredible. More of the same I think over the next few days. Towards the end of the evening I do some stretching and strengthening which will build on the thigh muscles. She is exhausted and after dinner wants to go to bed and read.

I am feeling much more reassuranced and the turning point was defiantly the walking Dana did at the hotel in the afternoon with me. Well done girl, keep it up you can do this.