It's been about 7 months since our second session at camp and Ryan now has mastered climbing stairs :) Way to go Ryan. He also is eating fruit, meat and drinking water.......thanks hyperbarics!!! Ryan has improved dramatically.....not only can he walk and run with a Kay walker but also walk 20 plus steps unassisted. Yes I said WALK!!!! These new accomplishments have been life changing for Ryan and us as well. Ryan takes pride in walking into stores just holding my one hand and takes the time to greet everyone one he meets. Ryans had entered into a new daycare before our seond session and as fitted in really nicely thanks to the wonderful caregivers at St.Dominics. They made him feel welcome since day one and the other children enjoy Ryan's company. He is truly a blessing and we hope to raise enough money to return for a third session this coming Fall of 2012.

Ryan's First Steps

When Ryan was first diagnosed my first thought was he wasn't going to walk. After I researched all the different severities of Cerebra Palsy I than realized he may walk it will just take time. I've been waiting to see my baby take his first steps since the day I delivered him. Ryan will be three years old this coming January and last night Ryan took his first steps. The happiness and gratefulness I feel right now is so overwhelming. I just wanted to share this video with everyone.

Fourth week

It's the end of the fourth week. I've been home this week working while Cary continues to work with Ryan at the ability camp. Last week Ryan had stood up from the center of the floor all by himself for the very first time. He was able to hold it for about 5 seconds before he would fall back onto his bottom.
I was just about to come on here to up load the pictures that Patti was able to get of Ryan standing but than I received a phone call to check my e-mail and this is what Cary had sent me :)

This is such a huge moment for us and our entire family. I can't even put into words how happy I feel right now. This camp has done wonders for our little Ryan. During these four weeks Ryan also has started to drink cold milk. To some people reading this may say "So?" Well let's put it this way....I've been trying to get Ryan to drink cold milk for about a year and a half. Just after the first sip he would refuse the drink because of the sensitivity of his mouth so this to me is incredible. This second trip to camp Ryan has been practicing with quad canes and my goal for the next few months is to get him to use them more and more until he can hold his balance better and to be able to get around without any assistance from me. All this in just four weeks!!! How can any doctor or specialist seriously look me in the face and tell me that they don't believe? Or that I am wasting my money? They obviously do not have a child with a disability because who if given the chance wouldn't do this for their child? After all it's just money right and who wouldn't pay to have their child walk?
With that said because of my wonderful brother in law Bill, Mario and the people of GMP for giving us such a generous donation we are looking into having Ryan attend a third session hopefully next summer. We have so many people to thank that I'm unable to list them all. You know who you are and be proud of how much of a difference you have made in our little boy's life it's because of you that we were able to have this opportunity not once but twice and possibly a third to come.
I now will post a few cute pics of Ry and the other boys he is attending camp with this time around.

Ryan in the kitchen

Ryan standing

Ryan standing concentrating on balancing

The kiddies playing in the hall

Kaley showing off her beautiful smile

Kingston show off with his walker



I have falling in love with each and everyone one of these kids that it will be so hard to say good bye to them in a week. It's so amazing to watch them get stronger and accomplish so much over such a short period of time. Well that's all I have for tonight I will keep you posted when something else happens......cause I know there will be :) Night for now!

Third week

We are coming up to the end of the third week. This second session is going by so quickly it makes me actually sad. I have met such wonderful families and become so close to the parents and children here it breaks my heart to think that in two weeks I will no longer see them every morning. It's amazing to meet so many families that are either experiencing the same challenges or ones you have been thru and you are able to help. You become one be happy family here and always have someone to talk to so you know you aren't going thru this alone.
The children impress me every day Ryan is starting to practice with quad canes and though he fights I know that he can do i. Kayley is using quad canes all by herself and her legs are becoming straighter and she walks further and further each day with them. Kingston is an incredible little guy that was born three months early but is one of the brightess kids I have met so far. He walks with a walker indepently and is starting to side step. Hudson has grown so much since the last time I saw him he is walking all over the place. Leilani is another little girl that is doing hyperbaric she is a sweetie I wish we'd see more of her.
Cary and I have been doing alternate weeks and it's been hard to be away at work while Ryan is here with Cary :) but I'm managing. Cary called me last week to tell me that Ryan had purple gums and a fat lip when he woke up. I asked what from but he didn't know of anything. I return the following week and still he had bruising of the gums but Ryan wouldn't let me take a good look. Today at lunch time I was watching him chat and I realize one tooth is pushed in I was like OMG. I just hope it comes back into place. It isn't that noticable but now that I see it I notice it all the time. At least it is still there I guess.
I am away this coming week but will be returning to finish the last week with Ryan so I will keep you posted good night for now.


Last night I decided to give Ryan a Sage bath. What it consists of is you put a bunch of fresh sage into a stocking and soak it in hot water and squeeze it to defuse the sage into the water. You do this until the water turns almost like a tea colour. Next you add cooler water to make it a safe temp and you let them soak in it for 20 plus minutes. This sage bath is suppose to really help relax all their tense muscles making movements easier for them.
After the bath I creamed him all up and got him into his PJ's. I realized that I still hadn't put Ry's sheets on his bed from being freshly cleaned. So while I was trying to put the sheets on and get him ready for bed he took off out of the room and went to the common livingroom because everyone was in there. I went to go grab him and when I entered the room he did his bridge and than pushed into a stand all by himself in the middle of the livingroom. He held this position for about 5 secs than fell on his bottom. We were all so amazed since Ryan has never done anything like that before. Way to go Ry Guy!!!

I'm packing and getting ready to go home for the week. It's hard to belive that when I return it will be our final week here.

Ryan's second session

Ryan has started his second session at the ability camp. Thanks to everyone that has made this second trip possible. Without all the many generous donations this would still be just a dream.
It's been 10 months since his last session and Ryan has improved drastically he has gained some balance therefore is able to walk with a plain walker no longer needing to be strapped in, also he is able to turn it completely around to head in any direction that he wants. It is such a blessing to see my son walk and see the pride in every step he takes. I can't even begin to put into words how appreciative were are to have had so much love and support from not only family and friends but from people that we don't even know. It has not only changed Ryan's life it has changed our entire family. Ryan is a great example how with a lot of love and hard work someone with a disability can do just about anything!

We have almost completed our first week it hasn't been too bad so far. We have meet some incredible families once again....it's just amazing to see these children that want to learn to do knew things. They all have some sort of strength and weakness but it doesn't stop them it just motivates them which is just incredible. I'm lucky to have such a wonderful group to share stories with and give hope to parents that need it. It's a long journey but I have faith in all these kids here with me that they will all walk independently one day. They are all doing so well and it's just the first week......
Here are some pictures of Ryan out for a walk with just a Kaye walker.......truly amazing.

Updates

Sorry it's been a while since I've posted but I just wanted to do an update on how well Ryan is doing. It's been 7 months since we've been back from camp and Ryan continues to show inprovements. His progress has plateaued a little bit now. He is still sleeping in a big boys bed which we are going to upgrade shortly to a set of bunk beds allowing Ryan to have more room. Right now he still sleeps in a toddler bed that uses a crib mattress.....yeah getting a little small.
He continues to feed and drink independently with a little help here and there but as far as his gag reflex it has never returned. Ryan's speach is a slow process with only a few words but his understanding seems to have grown multifolds. He definately has gotten a lot stronger, he hops all over the house on all fours and can even move backwards in the similar motion. He tall kneels holding the position for a great length of time and even while doing tasks. Overall I'm just so proud of him, I couldn't of been more blessed to have him. Here are some updated pictures of Ryan and his little brother.

Ryan and Cam eating daddy's chips

Cam and Ryan Playing together!

Ryan wheel around in his cart

~Ryan walking with his walker ~

Another pic of Ryan in his walker

Ryan having a blast on the swing

Ryan's BIG boy bed :)

Yesterday Cary and I purchased a used toddler bed for Ryan. It's a little tikes race car bed the one that fits the crib mattress. I figure it's low enough that if he were to topple out he wouldn't harm himself. He has been improving so much that I thought well lets try.....if you don't teach them they won't learn right! So we picked it up cleaned it all up and set it up in Ryan's room. We put a bed rail on it so that he wouldn't fall out while sleeping but I still feared he'd start to play around and fall out over the rail. Also we put down foam squares with a big comforter for extra padding. Last night he went to bed no problem with his woody doll....I tucked him in and closed the door. We have a video monitor that we turned on so that we could keep an eye on him to make sure that he was up trying to get out and what not. I went in 10 mins later and he was sleeping and slept the whole night in it. Way to go Ryan!