Walking

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Look who got herself a new set of wheels today! We had Oksana's OT and PT evaluation this morning. She will be getting a speech evaluation soon. We started with PT. She was very nice but Oksana got scared and cried when she tried to touch her feet. This fear stems from the surgery she had done in Ukraine. She's been hurt a lot and she doesn't trust anyone to touch her feet except us. The PT was very respectful and ended up earning her trust by the end of the session. The problem we have is that in order to get fitted for AFOs (Ankle foot orthotics, otherwise known as leg braces) you have to have your foot and calf casted in plaster and that will send Oksana into a panic. Instead she went to their donations and found a pair that fit her, and a pair of tennis shoes to go with them. It's not perfect but it will have to work for now. Then she came around the corner with a walker and next thing I knew Oksana was up and taking her first independent steps! She said that she wouldn't be surprised at all if Oksana walked without a walker soon. The walker slows her down :) but she loved the independence! It will be a few weeks before all of the reports are written, signed off, and therapy scheduled so she sent us home with the AFO's and the walker to be praciticing.

OT was next and she was also very encouraging. Oksana did qualify for services but she really felt that her fine motor delays were only because of the orphanage and she would catch up quick. Besides basic fine motor skills, she will be working on self help skills, and she will eventually be tested to see what kind of sensory issues she might have from the lack of stimulation in the orphanage.

Both OT and PT said she would come twice a week for an hour each. The speech therapist had originally wanted to wait to evaluate her until she had more English but after meeting her today she decided that she wants to evaluate her now. We don't have that scheduled yet but hope to soon. I might as well just set up a cot at Easter Seals because it sounds like we're going to be spending a lot of time there! When we left she had a fit because she liked their ball. Even now when she sees her walker she tells me that they had a ball and goldfish! I'm glad she had a good experience but hopefully she won't have a fit every time we leave!