A week and a half ago, I took Acorn to his PMR (phsyical medicine and rehab) doctor for a follow-up. We've seen this gentleman twice before, and he's been great with Acorn, even with all the medical anxiety issues. He's patient, engaging, and he pays attention to Acorn's cues.
At our last appointment, reading through Acorn's MRI report half out loud, he stopped mid sentence and said, "unremarkable? Acorn, they called you unremarkable! How rude - they don't even know you!"
Acorn would not shake hands today, but that was ok.
He asked how things were going with the AFO, and I explained that while he walks much better with it on....he's recently gotten considerably faster than before with it off. Before the AFO he tripped every time he started going fast, because his foot turned out. Dr D had been watching Acorn wander around the room, and asked us to take his shoes and AFO off - and then get him to walk around the room.
Dr D stood there, mouth agape. He went back and re-read his notes from 2 previous appointments. He picked Acorn up by the armpits to check his shoulder tone. He again looked confused and re-read his notes again.
Finally he turned to me and said, "whatever you're doing, it's working, because I can't believe this is the same kid that was here last summer. Most kids I see here don't make that kind of progress."
Score one for the home team!
We'd gotten a second x-ray to check for scoliosis - the first said he had a 10 degree curve, which Dr D said was within the measurement error, which was why he wanted another check. He wanted to make sure Acorn wasn't getting any worse, because the low tone issues he's had, particularly the mis-match between right and left, make him at high risk.
He read the new report, and again came to a screeching halt.
This time, the curvature measured only 1.5 degrees.
He said, "I don't know what you did. I was just hoping it was no worse. This though...This is phenomenal"
I told him that we've worked hard on strengthening trunk muscles, we've been seeing a chiropractor weekly, and that I really think walking better now that he has the AFO has been a big help too.
He said that was all good....and to keep doing what we're doing.
This made me smile so big! Yay! Go Acorn Go! My T-Lo (The Little One) has serious muscle tone issues in his upper girdle, shoulders and such. He also, at 4, doesn't cross the midline so well. He's getting better, though, as time goes by. If Acorn can do all that, T-Lo can too!!! Your blog is a pleasure for me to read. So many similar feelings and issues. You rock!
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