Hi All, and welcome to my big adventure in St Louis, this is only possible because of all of you and the support and generosity of lots of people. Our journey began with a bang as after snow, being diverted to an airfield in the middle of nowhere, an aeroplane with technical difficulties and two cancelled flights we eventually arrived in St Louis on Saturday Feb 11th, a day later than planned, but I didnt care as I slept through it all, but Daddy, Mammy and Ava were very frazzled looking. We arrived at the hotel and it was just great and then we slept a lot. On Sunday I got to go to the Disney Store (thats all I came for you know) and bought my favourite Lion King characters.
On Mon 13th Feb I went to see Dr Park and he was just great, he thinks I have excellent chances of walking on my own with some hard work and everyone seems to be really pleased about that.
On Valentines Day I had my big operation and it all went according to plan the doctors said, I then had to lie in bed flat on my back for the next three days watching movies and eating ice-cream (lifes not all bad) and on the Friday I was allowed out of bed for the first time. Beth (the physio) showed my Mam and Dad the proper way to lift me so as not to hurt my back and I was allowed to go to the playroom in my wheelchair for an hour. That afternoon Mad Mike arrived (and they dont call him Mad for nothing) to take me to the gym for my first physion session, I was a little sore but not too bad, and then I continued to have physio twice a day until I was discharged back to the hotel on Sunday.
On Feb 22nd I had my second operation and only had to stay in hospital for the day, this was to legthen my heel cords and hamstrings and was performed by Dr Dobbs, it too went really well but I was really sore afterwards and that lasted for a week really, but I am now back on form and really trying hard at physio.
I am doing a lot better this week and am back to my own cheeky self, I have been working really hard practising standing on my new crutches and attempting the climbing wall with the help of Jackie. We had our final assessment with Dr ...Park today and he predicts that I will walk very well unaided, so we are thrilled with that cos that was the aim all along. So lots of hard work ahead but the pay back will be so worth it. Thanks for all the lovely messages we have received while we were here they really kept us going, its hard to believe that its nearly time to leave St Louis it has been one hell of a rollercoaster, and even though we have met some fantastic people here we are more than ready to go home and for me to be surrounded and spoilt rotten by those who truly love me, after all my efforts of the last month Mam and Dad think I really deserve it. Thanks to all who have helped to give me this fantastic opportuniity I will continue to keep you updated on my progress until Orans Wish to Walk becomes a reality.