Monday, March 31, 2014

feeling empowered

Smiling he simply asked me to put him in his stander.  Out of the blue without hesitant my Cody asked to stand. I was thrilled and excited this was his own thought this time and not an act of diligent persuasion on my part.  After securely and comfortably  fitting him in his Easy Stand 5000 I began cranking  him up.  Stopping just past the 50 percent mark, hoping, I could raise him just a bit more. He looked down at the straps that I had been adjusting and as though he read my mind, "put me higher mom" he said with confidence.

 At almost 21 years Cody could still tolerate some body weight on his feet.  I was so over joyed  that Duchenne had not yet defeated us in getting Cody to stand. I stopped just shy of a 70 degree angle and looked at Cody's face for an indicator of how much stress he was feeling.  He looked up at me smiling telling me he was good.

Cody stayed in his stander for 2 hours that day.  Standing for several  brief intervals of  20 minute periods  and asking to be lowered for short rest in between.  Not once was a complaint uttered as he stayed engaged in his new Ps4 game.  A small price for  an investment that gave him pleasure during serious vital stretching therapy.   I felt proud and very happy for him,  for us.    More than that Cody had given back to me the feeling that determination could still give DMD a fight and today Cody had a triumph. His smile as he stood let me now he too understood just what he had truly accomplished.

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