Walking update

This is a post simply to attempt to satisfy many of you who want to know how Bobbi's walking is coming along! No real writing, just a bit commentary on the videos.

The pool is amazing. When you're up to your armpits in water, you only weigh about 20% of your normal weight, AND have the benefit of the water itself slowing down the effects of gravity. It's ideal for learning. Bobbi's therapist said to me once (when she was working in the pool with Krassi) that every child that she's gotten walking independently in the pool she has also been able to help do at least some independent walking on land. Krassi didn't get to the point. Bogomila, however, appears to be in the other category:



Bobbi gets down to the treadmill almost every day that she doesn't have physical therapy. I took this video a little over a week ago. She walks at .6 mph, which is the slowest the treadmill goes. This summer, that was too fast for her. She's since worked herself up to 5, 10, and sometimes even 15 or 20 minutes at a time. Since this video was taken, she's been pushing herself, and usually walking at .8 mph, and twice now pushing for all she's worth at 1.0 mph! That's a big increase! Her time isn't as long (yet) at those speeds, but it's exciting to see her strength and endurance increasing, and her comfort level with the motor planning involved in walking becoming more natural.



She does therapy in the pool once a week, and twice a week on land at the therapy center (also known as my second home.) They do a wide range of things there: lots of stretching, muscle isolation (she can now make tiny wiggles with the toes on her right foot!!!) and a variety of strengthening and balancing exercises.

The following are a few from today. I was especially proud of the one where she takes a few steps with minimal support from Lori and sits down in her chair.