Great Walking Update

Josie has been actively walking this week. Today after we got back from Orange County, I put her on her canes. She had just been in the car for an hour and sitting this morning at my meeting. This scenario usually means stiffness and long warm ups to get into walking mode. However, since we have started using the dynamic stander to get her around everywhere outside of the house, it has seemed to really increase her strength and balance. Anyhow, she walked today like a champ. 3 rounds and I only had to catch her once. We are using the hallway to simulate the runway for the fashion show in March. A few minutes after she walked, I grabbed the camera. I told her I had to tape this for Przemek, Sylwia and Liz. It was so steady and solid. Here is how it went...set up canes, positioned camera on the stand, did a test run with the record button, reset it, pushed record, ran over to get Josie up, and as she started to walk it was like she had never been on her own 2 feet before and the canes were a foreign object, try to get her back to the great rhythm and walking, absolutely no luck, put Josie down, run and turn off camera, shake my head and take her back into the other room. How can you lose the ability so quickly? 15 minutes later I can't believe what has just transpired. Here is how it went next...make sure to put camera in other room far, far away from Josie, get canes set up way down the hallway, bring Josie to the canes, listen to her ask 3 times why she has to walk again and where is the camera?, set her on her canes and off she goes like Wonder Woman..........WHY CAN'T YOU DO THAT FOR THE CAMERA???!!! OK, at least you can do it. We even started a new saying to get her to pick up her canes faster. P and I were using 1,2,3,4 to get her into a rhythm which worked well. Tonight we started saying step, fast cane, step, fast cane. It seemed to prompt the quicker pick up and placement of the cane. I will try this again tomorrow and then with Liz on Monday. When we reached the end of the hall she was actually smiling feeling very proud of herself, which is rare with walking. She liked the quickness that the new rhythm helps with. I made her say, "My walking was great". She never compliments herself or feels that accomplished with her walking. I text back and forth with Liz after the escapades. Funny!! Well Przemek and Sylwia, I will try to sneak the camera in tomorrow. I would like you to see her. She may have regressed some, but overall I think you will be proud of where she is. We'll call you tomorrow too.

Thanks all for checking in. We appreciate all your support always. Jenny and Josie