Wehad the wheelchair assessment. It is amazing! We were there for 3 hours. The rep from the wheelchair company and the therapist were there. They measure and weigh William. From head to toe and chest and legs and arms. This chair is going to fit. We tried 3 different backs and 2 different types of cushions. We are going to have a seatbelt. William says that this makes him feel safer. We got to choose a color. William was opting for black. I said try again. He chose copper. Their is just a little color. This chair has the tip wheels in the back but not the things that I usually push on to elevate the chair over a bump. We shall see how this goes. I may have to rethink that and have the chair with the things that I can use to move over a hight threshhold.

I did learn a trick from the therapist to help improve posture. William has a tendency to hunch forward. Well...take you fist as if you are going to hit him on the chin. His instinct is to pull back and straighten up. Amazing!! The problem is the chin it juts out and he needs to pull the chin back and that in turn brings the chest and back into alignment.

The wheelchair may not need the back assist things. They can align the wheels and have the center of gravity moved so that it is easier to push up and back to lift over a threshold.

We are excited ...but this a 3 to 4 month process. Insurance needs to authorize then it needs to be made.

I called about the tread on the bottom of William's tennis shoe. The orthotist said that he could replace the tread with something smoother and he is also going to make the adjustments on the AFO. Change the dorsiflexion.

The Lokomat has only 2 more sessions. The value of the lokomat has been that I have run into new idea from different therapists and doctors.

I made an appointment to have a resting arm splint made at the TIRR. This is scheduled for after his last lokomat session.

1. The wheelchair clinic. I did not know how to go about getting a wheelchair that fit William. The therapist who did the initial evaluation told me that we needed to do this. I ran into her again at TIRR. She told me that she was wondering if we took her advice. I thanked her and yes we did.

2. The PTINR home monitor machine. The doctor that initially evaluated us. told us that she her patients use this and writes orders for it. I had the company get in contact with my physician. We later had an appointment with the physician...he said that he would be in favor of it. I have since re-faxed the info to the company. i am still waiting for a reply.

3. The lokomat therapist is Ph.D. She told me about the adjustments on the AFO and the tread idea.

4. the wheelchair therapist told me about the ...aim for the chin exercise. We need to work on better posture.

5. The lokomat trial ...prompted me to prod his doctor into getting the blood pressure in the very normal range. It had been running on the high side of normal. Now, after many visits and med changes it is very normal.. i need to monitor it to make sure that we do not get too low.

6. William has more movement and better confidence.

7. The wheelchair assessment tech. told us about a pump...that releases meds to relax the muscles in addition to botox. Baclofen pump. I need to look into that.

8. I have learned that it is better to go the best place for Therapy.. The drive may be inconvenient...but it is worth the trouble. you can learn and benefit alot more.

yes I have learned alot. from the lokomat clinical trial.