Walk the Line. No really, get up and WALK IT!

We have been now working with Physical Therapy for over a month. We have chosen to go with the Birth-3 PT for a few reasons. One, is that it's the most cost effective. I feel horribly guilty for even admitting that. I know when it comes to the health and well-being of your child, money should never be an object, but realistically, because he's needs run on the less-severe side, I thought we should start here. Another reason is that our PT comes to our house. Not only is this overwhelmingly convenient, it's also very helpful for Will. He doesn't cry at all for Lee, and he was giving Jessica (our first PT at the hospital) the riot act every week. It's also helpful because she can look around our house and show us how to use the toys and furniture that we actually own in ways that are helpful for him. She can show me how to weigh down his push toys so that he has to use his legs more, and to put a stool in front of his Fridge Phonics magnets so that he can practice sitting-to-standing.

There are a number of issues that Will's working through, but both PT's are very impressed with how he really does work through them-they both say that the physical issues that he has don't seem to hold him back, but that the therapy should help strengthen him and expedite the next-pardon the pun-STEPS.

The first of his issues is that his Achilles tendons kind of curve inward--kind of in a bowed shape. This causes him to try and find balance on the outside of his food. He also has weak hip muscles, a common side effect of the "splayed open" look that preemies have during those first days. He also has very tight hamstrings so he has trouble straightening his leg and placing his heel down to the floor.

So they have us doing a number of exercises including stretching, reaching, practicing sitting-to-standing, pulling up to stand using one leg at a time (he generally just uses his arms and core and kind of drags his legs behind him) and strengthening his hips and planting his heels using ankle weights.

She swears she's seeing improvement in him. She says he's using his legs more independently of each other, planting his foot better, and bending and squatting with more ease. Thank god for her expert eyes, because it isn't as obvious to me.

I will admit that hate every millisecond of physical therapy. I struggle with being patient. I hate being reminded that he does, indeed have issues that need to be corrected and that he isn't scarless from his preemie days. PT days remind me that Will is a child with special needs and my denial and refusal to see him as anything less that perfect, stunning and exceptional is not only not helping him, it could be hurting him. Will seems to really like Lee, he is happy and cooperative when she's here, and seems to be learning a lot. He's willing to learn and willing to do the work...just another of the million lessons this little miracle has taught me.