The CP Connection #2- Progress

Any time I need a reminder of how far Alina has come in the last year, I just have to watch video's of her in Ukraine, and after we came home. Video's like this, taken October 2010 in Ukraine.



Or these...

Taken 3 months after coming home, and after getting AFO's and de rotational bands.



Taking a few tentative steps in May.



And getting so good she can walk without AFO's in August.



And able to walk long distances in October.



The progress is astounding. She is a hard working little girl. The last couple video's she's not wearing the de rotational bands. She has torosion on her legs because the spasticity is on the inside muscles of her legs, which pulls her feet in. The de rotational bands work great, but they stress her out big time. Its a large piece of velcro foam around her waist and then stretchy bands wrapped around and down her legs, connecting to her AFO's and they keep her feet somewhat straight. I will say that she is doing great without them, the muscles on the outsides of her legs are really coming around, and she's able to keep them fairly straight if she's not tired.

I'm so proud of her. It has not been easy for her, she's had to work really hard, put up with therapy and stretching, trying to give up while everyone is telling her YOU CAN DO IT! She amazes me, and everyone around her.

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