Sonnet's summer plans

Do you remember Sonnet from last summer?  The tiny girl who needed a harness to sit in her stroller?

I can hardly comprehend that this same child is now learning to ride a bike!  Look at this!

We are so encouraged by the rapid improvements she has shown since being put on the creatine supplements and feel we are really on the right track towards restoring her health.  I wish I could say her plans for the summer are to ride her bike and do all of the other things that children love to do in the summer time.  But she does still have one giant hurdle to jump. 

Sonnet has severe scoliosis.  As in it has to be corrected or we risk crushing her heart and lungs. She and I have flight reservations in mid June for a consultation in Philadelphia.  Why so far?  Locally all they can offer her is a spinal fusion.  It is a very radical surgery and one that we really don't want for a seven-year-old child.  But she is a good candidate for a spinal tethering surgery that is only done in a dozen or so places in the country.  So, off we go!  We'd appreciate your prayers for wisdom for us and the doctors on how to best treat this health issue.

Jen's New Bike

Jen came home in May of 2013.  Because she had been in a wheelchair (and much of China is just not accessible) it seemed that she wasn't allowed to go to the camps put on by the agencies, or on any of the "field trip" type activities.  One thing that became pretty clear to us early on was that Jen just wanted to be like all the other kids.  She was sick and tired of being held back!

We applied for an Amtryke adapted bicycle through her physical therapy office, and a club in Beavercreek, Ohio took on fundraising for this project. It took about a year, but wow! What a bike they got her!

We went to a little ceremony on Saturday,  September 27.  It was a fundraiser event and they presented bikes to two children that day.  A physical therapist fit her customized features, then they introduced her to the people at the event . She said "Thank you" herself when they gave her the microphone. It was pretty cute! 

 She was so, so thrilled! We are super thankful for good folks who help to make doing something "normal" (like riding a bike with the other kids) possible for her.

 

A Miraculous Find at Goodwill!

I stop in at the local Goodwill store every now and then if I happen to drive by it and have a  few extra minutes.  This happens perhaps (at most) once a month.  Earlier this week I returned some library books and took the "back way" home which took me by the store.  So I wandered in to see what I could see.  The first thing I saw was a big sign that said "50% off on everything".  The next thing I saw was an odd looking wheelchair parked near the sign.

I took a few steps, then suddenly stopped.  What WAS that?  I went back to the odd looking wheelchair and inspected it further.  It had a long section with a third wheel and lots of gears and things.  Hmmmmmm.... very interesting.  I checked the sign again.  Sure enough it said that everything was 50% off.

I quickly walked the rest of the store just in case something else jumped out at me then got out of there in record time.  When I arrived home I told my husband about what I had just seen, and asked him to quick go back and look at it.  I told him the price that I *thought* I saw listed on the thing.

Ethan arrived back home just as I was getting dinner on the table, so I quick stepped out to ask what he thought about this unusual wheelchair thingy.  The first thing he told me was, "You missed a zero on the price."  Oh dear.  That kind of makes a difference.  I commented back, "Well, that still isn't awful, perhaps we should get it anyway."  What I didn't realize was that he was a step ahead of me and had already researched these unusual wheelchairs and knew their (very hefty) pricetag.  He said, "It was actually a VERY good deal and I bought it!"

So then we had to get through dinner with me so excited I could hardly swallow.  As soon as we were finished eating we told Isaac he should go outside to see a surprise.  Now our boy's English is coming along nicely, but that was one word he didn't seem to know.  After explaining the word surprise we got him out of the house and onto the porch where he saw this...

It has hand pedals and brakes.

After we explained how to use it we got out the bike helmets.  Our Prince did not like the helmet, and that is one of the few complaints we have heard from him since he's been home!  Still, like it or not, this family wears helmets when we bike. (NOTE: As I say that I have to giggle to myself, because generally this family also wears SHOES when we bike.  I TOLD you I was excited!  I see photographic evidence that I neglected to tell him he should put his shoes on!)

Our Prince is quite athletic and I've been praying for something he can do to satisfy that "need for speed" in him.  In fact one of the first things he asked was, "Maybe I can race?"  LOL!  I cannot express how excited I was to see Isaac out biking with his sister!  One thing our family has loved to do in the not so distant past is bike on the trails close to our home.  We recently got notice that it is nearly Jen's turn for a modified tricycle sponsored by a local group (very similar to the bike she rides while at therapy - see a few posts back).  So I'm looking forward to lots of fun family times biking this summer! 

Look Who Can Pedal!

A few shorts months ago, she didn't have the coordination to make it happen, but look at this!  Jen is doing so well on her tricycle at physical therapy that the therapist actually had to stand on the back of it to slow her down when she took it outside!  Way to go, Jennifer!