First, is that Arwen has done physical therapy in the pool this year and has loved it! She was able to strengthen her legs and core while the water took some of the weight bearing load off of her to do so. Her favorite thing her and Ms Andria do together is play with Dora puzzles...go figure :) Her therapist is on maternity leave till December but we plan on going back since Arwen likes it so much and has benefited from it these past few months.
Another fun thing Arwen has done this year is hippotherapy (physical therapy on a horse) She was only able to ride her horse Rosie for a couple sessions due to the ranch closing down but Arwen adored it. She still talks about her horse Rosie and how much she loves her. We hope to be able to get her involved in it again next spring.
Arwen's walking, running, speech, drinking on her own, and personality has improved by leaps and bounds over these past few months and we give God all the glory for that. She wears her black Afo dynamics and ankle sure steps for bracing about 4-6 hours a day and let me tell you how much they have helped her...WOW! She is able to walk without them of course, but she can do so much more with them on. She walks so much straighter without crouching down, doesn't rotate her foot internally as much, has learned to walk longer without getting as tired, has strengthen her ankles and feeling just to say a few. We are super duper excited to be getting new hatchback shoes in a couple weeks to fit all of her bracing without the Velcro on her shoes falling off lol! I hope they are as good as everyone talks about.
One big thing that Arwen has learned to do on her own in the last month or so is walk down stairs all by herself. She can only go down a few..but that's a few more than she could do just a couple months back. Her pt Ms Jennifer has been working hard with her to teach her that and we are so proud of her. She still doesn't have good balance and leg strength to walk up stairs alone or jump but we will get there before you know it I am sure.
Can I tell you that I think she is the funniest little kid to walk this planet? I could listen to her for hours..oh wait I do hahaha! The things that come out of that girls mouth is just hysterical. I love her bubbly, bossy, brilliant personality and am thankful for this blooming personality she has.
We have been teaching her about her Spina Bifida and all the terminology and it is so cute to hear her talk about it. Watch out sb clinic doctors she is going to out smart you before you know it :)
We pray that she will use her disability to bring God glory and show others that it doesn't define who you are.
She is at the age where she is starting to ask questions and noticing that her siblings and friends do not do things the same as her and as a mother it just breaks my heart, but thankfully we serve a gracious, loving, and Holy God who is still sovereign even over Spina Bifida. And I can fully lean on what He did on the cross for us and not depend on my fearful heart to get through tough times and questions.
Life with Spina Bifida is not always an easy one even when you're doing as "well" as Arwen is right now, but we thank God for her and her Spina Bifida and love the life we have been given with our children.
Last but not least Arwen loves loves loves being a big sister to Willow. She loves to help care for her every step of the way. She has such a sweet and sassy spirit and am so very thankful for her.
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