Daniel is doing just great at the moment. We recently went on holiday with our friends Lizzie and Simon to Cornwall. Daniel walked his way around Cornwall with his sticks and amazed us by walking a couple of short coastal walks of 2-3km. We had been on these walks a few years ago - with the wheelchair - and so it was fantastic to banish that memory and watch Daniel really enjoying himself.

At the moment we are back to a week of intensive physio, which although he certainly doesn't enjoy it he does admit that he feels it does him good now. This week he is concentrating on walking a step independently and stopping, taking control of his balance and then stepping again. It is a long road for him but he couldn't walk very far with his sticks a year ago so we will watch and wait. He is a determined boy and Dr Park thinks that Daniel has more to come. The photo is taken overlooking Padstow harbour on one of the coast walks.

New Year

Happy New Year to everyone, sorry we have been a while updating the blog, Daniel's been very busy!

Daniel is still progressing well and working very hard. He finds the physio and treadmill frustating at times and it is sometimes better to let him rest than try to persuade him otherwise.

His strength and endurance have continued to get much better to the extent that he can now walk to school with his sticks and then walk home at the end of the day.

He is now beginning to take the scarier option of cruising around the house and taking steps between doorways, rather than using his sticks. We seem to be moving on with his balance a little more and he can now walk around with just a hand on a wall - depending on how tired he is!

We recieved a reply from St Louis regarding a progress dvd we sent. This has spurred us on and given us a great lift that we are moving in the right direction. They were "amazed" at the progress he has made and realise the hard work and juggling Daniel is putting into physio and school work on top.

It is important for us to review where Daniel would be now without the SDR. He would now be firmly confined to a wheelchair and the frame would probably be a distant memory. He was struggling to walk 100 metres with his frame, there was no chance of walking with sticks. He was in pain and couldn't straighten his legs at all - this has been cured.

This day last year Daniel could only do 20 steps with his sticks, now he walks as far as he wants, hopefully we get the same improvement this year.

Another Thank You

We would just like to say thankyou to whoever donated 2 different sums of money since the end of March. They are significant amounts and the bank cannot give us details of who has transferred the money to Daniel. Every penny will continue to be ploughed into Daniel's intensive physio, as he will require this for many years to come. Thankyou again the photos show how much you have helped so far.

Thankyou to Hampton Church

We have received a cheque from Hampton Church for Daniel's fund whose followers have generously donated £400. Thank you all very much it was a complete surprise, the money will be used to continue with Daniel's on going physio which currently costs us £48 an hour.

We have at last had a family holiday and spent a lovely week in Denmark. Previous holidays have had the car virtually full before we started packing, with Daniel's wheelchair, so it was lovely to be able to just throw his sticks in the back!

The frame was taken along too in case he got tired. He didn't get tired and insisted on walking everywhere with his sticks which has shown us how much strength and stamina he has built up since using them first time in January.

Things people take for granted like walking on a beach were a nightmare before SDR, the sand used to get stuck in the frame wheels and we had to carry him, now he just walks on like anyone else. Daniel also reached another milestone and swam his first length!!

It was good to see him experimenting - without us nagging - trying to walk with one stick.

Carrying on doing what he's doing

Daniel is continuing to do his weekly regime of physio and has just finished another week of intensive physio. He is working very hard building up those muscles. Whilst at physio he has now been trying to walk just with one stick. This will eventually be much better for him and more functional as he will also be able to carry things! He managed very well until he got carried away and tried to go very fast! Now with the summer holidays here it has been lovely to see Daniel and his big brother going out to play, he has used his frame on these occasions to be safe away from grown ups. We couldn't let him out to play alone before the SDR as he couldn't walk very far and couldn't get up to standing himself - lovely to see him being independent.

One Year On......

Daniel had his operation one year ago today, and he has put in a lot of hard work and made huge gains in that time.
His posture has been permanently improved, he can get his legs straight and his feet flat on the floor, and he tells us he doesn't have pain any more.
He will have to continue his intensive physiotherapy to carry on improving and building strength.
As a family we are thrilled with Daniel's progress and we are pleased to have had the opportunity and support to go ahead with the surgery.
Well done Dan!

No wheels required!

Daniel continues to work very hard and is really enjoying using his walking sticks rather than his frame.