I have been amazed at the progress Gracyn has made in the last few months.  She is walking most of the time with her heels down, which is a HUGE accomplishment (GO GRACYN!!).  There are many activities that Gracyn has been able to do for the first time like:  jumping in place without falling, jumping forward, jumping down from a step and landing with two feet WITHOUT falling, standing still to play a game of catch (before Gracyn was always moving and unable to maintain her balance because she was on her toes).  One of her biggest accomplishments with Physical Therapy is that she is able to get on a balance beam by herself, walk across with heel toe, and get off the balance beam.  She is getting better at walking across uneven terrain, which will be very useful to her as the weather gets warmer and she is outside more.  She seems to enjoy therapy and we are having to make new goals for her to keep challenging her.  Way to go my sweet Gracyn!!  I am so proud of all her hard work.  
Susan Cook

physical therapist /active kidz inc.

Gracyn has now fully recovered from surgery and I am starting to see changes in her. There is improvement in her balance and flexibility. Her gait is smoother and she falls much less than before surgery. She can also stand up straight with her feet flat and jump from a step to the ground with both feet. Last week, she walked along a curb with one foot in front of the other, perfectly flat! This is something she has worked on for a long time.

One major improvement is in how she wears shoes. It was always so frustrating to find shoes that did not slip off of Gracyn’s heels. Well, her shoes now stay on her feet! Yay! This may seem like nothing, but it was one of the things that broke my heart – all of those pretty, girly shoes and Gracyn was stuck with clunky tennis shoes, braces, or high tops. Well, look out cute girl shoes, here she comes!

She still has some weakness in her muscles, especially on her right side, but we are working on strengthening her. She is also still walking on her toes. We are trying to figure out if this is mostly just habit and what we can do to change that. I am confident that working with her therapist and doctors will help her to overcome this.

People keep asking what they can do to help now. Please keep us in your prayers. Pray for wisdom, strength, and energy for Jeff and me. Pray for strength, endurance, and continued healing for Gracyn.

Blessing to all!

As I pondered over Thanksgiving this year, I was once again overwhelmed with gratitude. We have so much to be thankful this year. My mind immediately began to race with thoughts of everything that has been given to us this year, and I worry, “Did I thank everyone? Did anyone sneak by without being properly thanked?” I know there were many, but I also know the blessing will not come from me or my family, but from God. I can rest knowing that God will bless each of those who helped Gracyn. When asked at school what she was most thankful for, Gracyn said, “my back surgery”. Even she, in her way, appreciates the gift that she has been given.

Gracyn started back to school half days this week and is doing very well. She was excited to see her teachers and friends. She is no longer having back pain and seems to be back to her normal energy level. She’s still working hard at PT and improving daily.

We have made it through one week at home. Things are getting easier. Gracyn works hard every day. Either she has PT with her therapist or we work out at home. Yes, it is a work out. I have realized the things she does in PT are just as difficult as anything I have done at the gym. I am, once again, amazed at her strength and determination. She is now walking on her own.Yay, Gracyn! We have to cue her to put her heels down, but her gait improves every day. The challenge for her now is learning to walk correctly and not the way she has always walked. It is difficult to break the habit. She has a great attitude though, and is getting used to this new routine. We are able to manage her pain with Tylenol. This keeps her comfortable unless she tries to do too much. She is looking forward to dressing up as Sleeping Beauty tonight and getting candy. Have a fun and safe night!

We are so happy to be back home. You just never appreciate home until you leave it. The flight home was pleasant and uneventful. Gracyn had plenty of time to lie down and rest. Now comes the tough part. Gracyn is struggling to regain her strength and mobility. In addition to physical therapy 3-4 times each week, we are stretching her and trying to get her to walk again. She is easily fatigued and not always cooperative, but we are getting there one step at a time. I am so proud of how hard she is working. She is one strong little girl.

Today has been a big day for Gracyn. She is only taking regular Tylenol now – no IV, no Valium, and no Fentanyl. She also had 2 sessions of physical therapy. PT was tough for her. She was very anxious and scared. She is afraid of hurting her back even though they assure us she is fine and able to move around safely. She cried through both sessions and wasn’t very cooperative. They promise it will get better. She was sitting up in bed and in the stroller for a short time. Tonight she gets to go with us to the cafeteria to eat dinner – our first meal together all week. Tomorrow we will have more PT. Hopefully she will relax and move around more.

The last 2 days have been a bit of a roller coaster. She is either sleeping, resting, or crying from the pain in her back. It’s so hard to see her in pain and not be able to do anything for her. For the most part, the nurses have been good about trying to make her comfortable (just not as quickly as I would like!). The worst part is waiting for her pain medicine to kick in. She is eating a little now and watching TV. This afternoon they will discontinue the Fentanyl and she should be more awake. Tomorrow we start therapy.

Dr. Park said the surgery went well, no complications. We made it through the scary part! she is sleeping soundly right now in ICU. she looks like an angel. I wanted to get a picture, but I did not want to disturb her with the flash. tomorrow she will move to her own room, but she will be on bedrest until Friday.