We're home....

Sorry it has taken so long, but with getting settled home again and helping Andrew get around has been a lot of work.

We got home all in one piece after a really long drive. Andrew was pretty uncomfortable in his car seat and didn't want to take his meds. We ended up stopping at a drug store frantically looking for something to mix his meds with. We came across some liquid candy, but not paying attention, it was sour apple.... Big mistake. It was horrible!!! We just did everything possible to make him comfortable with pillows and blankets. We made many stops on the way home to get out, stretch and try to rest.

As soon as we got home, Andrew got busy cruising around the house. Although he was walking before surgery, he now has to learn to walk all over again. He's crawling as his main means of travel or by holding someone's hand. We've sold all the toddler push toys we had, so he needs lots of help getting around. He still gets stiff here and there, but has made an amazing improvement since the time we left the hospital. We are shocked at how fast he is bouncing back.

He started his therapy again here at home on Tuesday and was motivated to work hard. Although the therapy program he is getting may not be the best for him at this point since we are doing all the same things at home. This is his fill in therapist. He will be back on with his regular therapist SOON!! So we talked about the alternate therapist doing cranio sacral therapy or Mayofascial release therapy instead since he will be getting the more intense physical therapy from his regular therapist and at home. We're thankful it is summertime since he is much more active outdoors.

He even climbed his climbing wall on his jungle gym playset and went down the slide by himself. All he needed was a little guidance on where to put his feet since he was OVER correcting on lifitng his legs. Before he would struggle to get his foot to the next step on the climbing wall. Now he over steps and misses. It will take some time for him to get used to his new flexibilty.

Andrew made his first trip to the McDonald's playplace today! I was a little nervous about the strength it would take him to climb to the top to be able to come down the slide, but surprisingly he went right up the platform, through the tunnels and down the slide, all by himself!!! It took him a bit longer to pull himself up onto each platform level, but he did it by himself. Needless to say he was a bit tired and wanted to go home and take a nap after.

His new favorite movie is the Fantastic 4.... He loves to pretend he is "The Rock Guy" as he calls him. He pretends he is him and showed me today how he can jump. He was holding onto the couch and had his feet on a bean bag chair. He then started hopping up and down with BOTH legs at the SAME time. Before the SDR surgery, he could only lift one leg at a time and his left leg rarely cleared the floor. Today, both legs completely cleared the floor and were together the whole time. he was so proud of himself.

He's finally getting the hang of the idea that he can place his feet flat now. He needs lots of reminders and a lot of confidence building that he can do things on his own. He seems a bit apprehensive about letting go out of the fear of falling. The other day he fell on his behind and said it hurt his back... so he is a bit afraid of falling.

At therapy today he worked on side stepping which he could barely do before, now he can side step holding hands with minimal straining. He also worked on going from sit to stand, squat to stand and high kneeling and half kneeling. He did really well and desereved the trip to McDonalds. He still fatigues pretty quickly and after resting has some stiffness in his back and slight pain... but after he gets up and moving he is just fine. We've been getting by with tylenol here and there for the pain. He still tells me that his ankles and legs feel like there is bugs in them, he says. So he is still having some muscle spasms which seem to be subsiding. If we just ignore it or do some deep pressure massage, and change the subject he seems to be just fine.

But, it is late and time to get some rest.... Another therapy filled day before the weekend.

I'm in the process of posting some more photos, so check back tomorrow possibly... if I can fit it in the day