This is the toughest, most determined person I have ever known. Just 5' tall and 115 pounds. 22 years old last Thursday.
After weeks of walking her daily on a walker, holding onto her left arm and her waistband and balancing her because she couldn't balance herself, I decided to push the envelope today. I had her standing up with the walker, and I asked her to take a step without me touching her at all. She shook her head no. I asked her what she thought God wanted her to do. She considered this and nodded that she would try. (This is my ace in the hole. Every time she just refuses to do something in therapy, I ask her whether she thinks God wants her to try or not. She invariably ponders this and then agrees to proceed.)
She started to fall and I caught her. Over and over we repeated this,
me catching her every time. I finally sat her down in the wheelchair and told her how proud I was of her for trying. Then she insisted on getting up and trying again. Step, fall, catch. Over and over. Sat her down again to rest. She insisted on getting up again. Started achieving one step at a time before falling.
She would not stop until, seeing that she was totally exhausted, I insisted we had done enough for today. I took her back to her room.
She kept indicating that she wanted another try, although the previous effort had been so taxing that her head was trembling. I finally gave in, stood her up on the walker again and let go.
She finally started to fall on the forth step. I caught her, sat her down and gave her a big hug. She looked at me, held up four fingers then pointed at me and then upward - 4 you and God, daddy.
After weeks of walking her daily on a walker, holding onto her left arm and her waistband and balancing her because she couldn't balance herself, I decided to push the envelope today. I had her standing up with the walker, and I asked her to take a step without me touching her at all. She shook her head no. I asked her what she thought God wanted her to do. She considered this and nodded that she would try. (This is my ace in the hole. Every time she just refuses to do something in therapy, I ask her whether she thinks God wants her to try or not. She invariably ponders this and then agrees to proceed.)
She started to fall and I caught her. Over and over we repeated this,
me catching her every time. I finally sat her down in the wheelchair and told her how proud I was of her for trying. Then she insisted on getting up and trying again. Step, fall, catch. Over and over. Sat her down again to rest. She insisted on getting up again. Started achieving one step at a time before falling.
She would not stop until, seeing that she was totally exhausted, I insisted we had done enough for today. I took her back to her room.
She kept indicating that she wanted another try, although the previous effort had been so taxing that her head was trembling. I finally gave in, stood her up on the walker again and let go.
She finally started to fall on the forth step. I caught her, sat her down and gave her a big hug. She looked at me, held up four fingers then pointed at me and then upward - 4 you and God, daddy.
