Definately something happening!

That's what Carri, Jadon's physical therapist said. At least half of the bicep seems to be working. She wants to start him in the pool for water therapy, possibly in two weeks. We'll be able to see very small muscle movements easier in the pool. So exciting!

More elbow grease?

During the past few days we've seen hints of Jadon's arm bending at the elbow! We'll have to wait for Tuesday's PT appointment so that we can confirm that it is truly bicept and not some other force (shoulder shrug, gravity, wishfull thinking, etc...). The next few months should prove to be exciting. It has been 4.5 months since surgery and the results are to start showing after 6 to 8 months.

One Step at a Time!

I just wanted to share Jadon's latest accomplishment. On Dec. 30th at the Ronald McDonald House Jadon took his first step. Since then he has been trying to take more and more steps. In the last week he has really been working hard on it. We will look over to see what he is doing and see him slowly working his way from the refrigerator to the table. Yesterday we got him to walk all the way across the living room. His brother and sister are having a lot of fun helping him walk. I don't know who is more excited in this video, Jadon or his siblings.

Back in Philly!

We left home at 4 am Tuesday morning to catch the 6 am flight out of Peoria and landed in Philadelphia a little before noon. The flights went great because the noise from the plane puts Jadon to sleep everytime. He is asleep before the plane is even airborne. He woke up cyring on the descent into Philly, but everyone on the plane was complaining about their ears on that flight. The pilot seemed to be in a hurry to get us on the ground and decended rapidly.

Dr. Kozin saw a little more movement in Jadon's fingers than at the last visit, but no progress on the arm. He reminded us that we really shouldn't expect to see anything for two more months. Jadon's lungs were checked on the moving xray and both are moving semetrically. At the first appointment, his lungs were not equall, with the right not quite breathing as deeply. The phrenic nerve crosses the brachial plexes and was damaged a little at the time of his birth. That damage seems to have healed now. The best news of this visit is that they don't need to see us for 6 months!

The therapy department watched him crawl and listened to our concerns about injuring his right wrist but insisted that he will not injure the brachial plexus (the nerves). A wrist brace could help to keep the hand streached out and to help Jadon to realize the position it should be held in. They made him the brace pictured below. We chose red because it just seemed better than the white or black options. So that this would be clear to the only Cardinal's fan we know, we chose blue straps to make this a Cub's brace. Or, Jadon may want to call it his Superman brace. The new brace is pictured below.



He is napping now at the Ronald McDonald House. We don't have to be back to the airport until 5:30 this evening. The picture below was taken during our layover in Chicago yesterday. He was all over that waiting area. Walking along the chairs, waving and smiling at people, trying to be the center of attention. He really liked standing at the window and watching the trucks drive under.

Another first!

Jadon pulled himself up to stand on Friday. Yes, the same days I posted on the blog that he was trying really hard but had only managed to go to his knees. He must have heard me! LOL!

He was really, really proud of himself. The first time he did it he had a huge grin on his face. I started clapping and cheering. Jadon got excited and starting doing a little dance and fell on his bottom. Ooops!!!

Later in the day he did it again and I was able to take some pictures. When he was still standing after I got a few pictures I decided I would take some video. It was perfect because I captured him standing, falling, then pulling himself up again!



Later in the weekend I took another short video of him standing up at one of his play tables. He is balancing enough here to actually let go with his good hand and play with the toy.

Jadon Scoots!

It is official! Jadon is mobile! He has been mysteriously moving around the living room for about two weeks now. I would put him down in one spot and look back a few minutes later to find him across the room. I would watch him for awhile and he would not do anything. He would just look at me and smile. Now he is moving all over all the time. I captured this video yesterday. Things are a little crazy in the background but you can see how he has figured out his own way of getting where he wants to go. I am so proud of him. A mom is always proud when her child accomplishes mobility, but in Jadon's case it is even more special. I will admit that there were several moments early on when I truly wondered how he was going to manage. Lots of people told me he would find a way and he certainly has. He is amazing!

He has also been trying really hard to pull up things and stand also. He has gotten very good at pulling up to his knees but has only managed to stand once or twice. For almost nine months old he is doing great though. He is definitely one determined boy.

Cameron's Smile Family Picnic

Jadon, Me, Anise, and her son Cameron.

We went to the Cameron's Smile 2nd Annual Brachial Plexus Family Picnic on October 17th. The weather was a little chilly but not too bad. We got the opportunity to meet and talk to many other families with children just like Jadon. The youngest was four months old and the oldest was 14. It was nice to see children that were a little farther down the road than Jadon. The guest speaker was Mr. Kenneth Levine, a lawyer from Boston, Massachusetts. He had a lot of good information and advice.

I also got to see Anise again . She runs the website Cameron's Smile. Cameron is her son and she runs the St. Louis support group. I got her information from the therapists when we went to St. Louis Children's Hospital for the consult. I emailed her not long after that visit and she has been a HUGE support for me. Whenever I am frustrated, worried, or have questions about anything she has been there for me. We got the meet briefly in Philadelphia. Their consult with Dr. Kozin was the same day as Jadon's first post surgery follow up appointment.

Jadon got to see Mickey and Minnie Mouse also. He was not sure what to think about these huge mice. He just kept staring at them. We spent all afternoon at the picnic and had a really nice time. It is nice to spend some time with people that COMPLETELY understand what you are going through because they have lived it.

Jadon meeting Mickey Mouse.