Hello again. I know many of you have been anxious to find out how the rehab is going and if Sam is seeing any progress. It has been about 2 ½ months since Sam had surgery in Portugal and 7 weeks since rehab in Detroit started. We were anticipating on seeing some of the first changes occurring sometime after Thanksgiving towards Christmas. It appears to us that some changes are just beginning to happen. NOTE: THIS is only our observation and discussion with his therapists… We have not yet completed any official tests with the Doctor yet.
Sam is defiantly gaining strength in his abs. His ab muscles are getting stronger and he is able to now use his lower abs to help bring his leg towards his chest. One way he is working his abs out is on a “total gym” like the kind sold on the info-commercials. He has greatly improved his trunk control. The second new development is that his “glutes” or butt muscles have started to make some connection with his brain. Earlier testing showed that he had absolutely nothing there. So what does that mean? Well, 2 ½ weeks ago they placed Sam on his hands and knees. He balanced for a little bit then would flop over.
Early on in Detroit, they tried to get him to make some kind of crawling motion forward but nothing happened. The next week they noticed some fast improvements in his abs, and put him on his hands and knees again. This time he not only balanced much much better, he was able to pull (with much effort) each leg forward. He did it a few times then collapsed. 3 days later, he was crawling forward the length of a mat (about 15 feet) unassisted and was able to “kick” his leg back (with weight taken off of his foot) and crawl backwards. Another 5 days later he was crawling unassisted back and forth from one end of the mat to the other 9 times in a row. We are very impressed and excited. Now, as to what extent is due to his intensive rehab and what is due to surgery we have not done official testing to be clear. It appears to us that it is a mixture of each. Either way, it is great to see some new functionality in Sam. We tried the hands and knees / crawling position thing last year, before surgery, and again after surgery all with the same results until a couple of weeks ago.
Sam’s schedule is still tough. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday he is up at 5:30am, out the door at 6am, beginning rehab at 9am, completing rehab at Noon, and then home at 3pm. He is a trooper at rehab. Kris, Randy, and his Grandparents have joyfully taken him each day. He can walk around the entire track with his leg braces and walker using his abs (and possibly hip flexors) one leg at a time. He has outgrown his leg braces and we are currently battling with Priority Health to get some new adjustable ones.
The drive to Detroit is much more fun when you anticipate new developments each time he goes.
I am not a Doctor, and I don’t even play one on TV, but I do see some really cool improvements in Sam over the last couple of weeks. He is working very hard and has maintained his positive attitude. He also gets to see some who have had the same surgery before him doing things that he hopes to be doing in the future.
We will try to get some rehab pictures out on the web soon.
