'Be who you are and say what you feel because, those who mind don't matter and, those who matter don't mind.' ~Dr. Seuss

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Lokomat

We started the Lokomat on Monday at Children's Hospital in Novi...we will go Mon, Wed, Fri for the next 8 weeks. I am bringing my camera on Friday to take and post some pics. Drew, of course, did wonderfully. Terri, his therapist, said 'we can try him for a few minutes' ( Monday was the first visit...a lot of measuring, talking, and testing) to have him get a feel for it. He wound up doing 20 minutes! They work up to the 45 minute mark. We had to restart several times...he got so excited it shut the machine down!!! It is really cool--he is suspended by an unweighting mechanism, with a belt/harness, and his legs are connected to a pair of 'robotic' legs that move in the proper heel-toe strike pattern on the treadmill. Monday, he was about supporting about 50% of his own body weight. That will increase, as will the speed of the treadmill. Hopefully, the end result will be that he will have learned to pattern his leg movements and coordinate balance with weight bearing to walk or stand better.

I will post pics once I get them. Hope all is well with everyone!!!! Oh, and I wanna shout out to Jen Johnson and Abby, who just completed Abby's stem cell therapy in China and will be home on Tuesday!!!! Jen left her boys at home to take Abby to China...it will be worth it!!! :)
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2 comments:

Terri said...

God bless the scientists who dream up new technologies. Without their foresight, where would we be, I wonder? Give those a chance, who need the chance. And let the rest of us support those things that will work, for the betterment and quality of life, for those we love, who really need these technologies.

April 17, 2009 at 7:34 PM
Terri said...

Oh, and I forgot to give a massive and most respectful shout out to those who are the recipients of these new technologies. Without their brave endeavors, the world would not understand how well things could work!!! Kudos Drew, for your boundless energy and freedom to just run for the sake of running for fun. It gives the techs the best idea for how this stuff can work for others in the future. You are my hero, Little M'Andrew. You always have been. Can't wait to share the spa with you again, and take you to the music, which I KNOW you feel from the depth of your soul. You are the BEST!!! My deepest love, Aunt Terri

April 17, 2009 at 7:38 PM

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