Pleased with Herself at Last!

The morning started with a little body snuggling into our bed. She went back to sleep, I however did not! The first exciting thing that happened today was Abigail's last steri strip falling off. This pleased her so much as it meant she will finally get her wish of getting in the hotel pool again. It also revealed just how good her back is looking after major invasive surgery......it looks amazing! I just can't get over how the evidence of such a tiny, tiny scar is going to change her life so dramatically.

Physio today was scheduled for a little later, at 1pm. After breakfast, and after bumping into the new family from Leeds, with their daughter Annabel, who will be operated on Thursday, Abigail,with great reluctance walked back to the hotel room where she had her stretches performed. This was followed by a quick trip to Walmart to get a T-shirt that can be written on with pens, grab a Subway to eat en-route in the car and off to the hospital for physio with Nicole.

Nicole performed Abi's stretches, followed by a session on the treadmill, her longest yet of 8 minutes, 20 seconds, then she played a game of cards all the while high kneeling. James Lee, the international co-ordinator re arranged our booking with Dr Park to be next Monday at 8.15am. I'm going to need an early night in order to be bright eyed and bushy tailed for that! James told us that the other family from London, whose son, Ben will undergo SDR in a few days were in clinic awaiting their first meeting with Dr Park so we quickly introduced ourselves to them and had a brief chat before rushing off in the car to see Lydia, Lance, and their three children again. We enjoyed the afternoon there and headed back, a little late for our social evening.

Abigail has complained slightly less today of her feet hurting but still moaned everytime we have made her walk in her walker. This is because it is hard work! James says Dr Park has a new slogan and it's one I'm going to be using at drill time "Off your Bum and on your Feet" another famous one is "walk, walk' walk"

At the Social Evening It was great to meet and chat to Annabel's family, her mum Louise, dad Ben and older sister Amelia. They had also come with moral support from grandparents. So now there are 4 walkers in the walker park at the restaurant! After supper Abigail got in her walker and after that the evening just got better and better. Abigail tonight, with Dorita's (Pola's mummy) encouragement, has performed unaided balancing, and attempted tentative steps, unaided as well.

She has also walked holding just one of her Daddy's hands.

This is huge progress. You must remember it was only a few days ago she could not even weight bare because her legs were so very, very weak. You should have seen her face tonight, she was so delighted with herself. For me it was the first time I've truly seen her pleased with herself. The noise this created from our families was deafening as we all celebrated with her. A big moment and progress at last. For the first time Abigail gave the thumbs up, rather than thumbs down or half mast. Finally she has allowed herself to be proud. Her hard work of battling through the pain and our ranting at her to keep going, has paid off. It has been a very, very good day and I am so relieved she is at last showing signs she is happy with herself.