An inpsiring story about DJ Gregory "Walk On"

Born with Cerebral palsy, overcoming obstacles and making us proud. Cassie has come so far.
No more strollers, pony walkers, and now even time with out ankle foot orthosis. It is good to look back at how far we have come.Cassie then and Cassie now. What an inspiration to us all. Live your dreams just like other young people with disability.
My wonderful friend Wilma sent me a video of this man DJ Gregroy. Cassie watched it on my lap in awe.

Told by doctors he would never walk, Gregory initially got around by sliding with the use of his arms. As he grew, he gained the ability to walk with two canes, and then one. That one cane has been at his side for each step he has logged on the PGA TOUR in 2008

"This year has truly been a dream come true for me," Gregory said. "For the PGA TOUR to have given me the chance to live this dream of walking every hole of every week's tournament is incredible. From this, I just want people to know that if they have a dream, they need to chase it and never take no for an answer."

DJ Gregory an inspiring man who walked every hole of the 2008 PGA tour. He is an inspiration and reminds all children with cerebral palsy to live their dreams!!
http://vodpod.com/watch/1165857-walk-on-espn-video

Worries now we are home.

I had a discouraging week. Cassie returned to school and I guess she lost alot of what she had learned during the school year. Her teacher said she is now down 4 reading levels. I really wonder if Cassie was ever as high in the reading levels as they thought. Does a child learn to read and then totally forget how to read in five weeks? I have never seen Cassie read unassisted. Even level one books we read to her and she reads after. Cassie is now guessing and has forgotten how to sound things out. Anyway, I felt discouraged and judged for taking her out of school. Not sure if people really understand how I try to balance out what is best for my girl.
I called the principal who reassured me that it may be a transition back to school (sort of like after summer holidays). I got a call from Cassie's school OT who was concerned on the first week back as well. Thankfully she is willing to set up a meeting at the school. Cassie now has three different EA's each day. How can this be effective for a little girl with learning disability? She cant even remember their names. I feel discouraged because it seems alot of people at her school have forgotten alot of Cassie's strategies in place on her IEP. She is getting no time with her assistive technology (clicker 5 or star fall). The EA's are writing things down for Cassie instead of letting her print. No part of ther IEP said to scribe for my daughter she knows how to print. To make matters worse Cassie wont sleep in her own bed, keeps waking at night and has had at least three melt downs this week. She did not display this behavior at camp. She was a leader, she thrived in her program. She did not struggle so much. It pulls at a parents heart strings. I am feeling sorry for Julia always behaving and Cassie demanding attention inappropriately. The transition back to school has been hard for Casssie. The teacher gave her a spelling test, despite me asking him not to and all the words were guessed, not even close and looked like another language. a Big discouraging 0 for a special needs girl with a brain injury. I dont want this kind of testing to discourage my upbeat child. Chris came home upset about the spelling test after we had asked to test her differently or on easier words. Cassie tried to memorize the words all week every night but to no avail.
Friday, I talked to the Learning Resource teacher. Told her how I was feeling and told her I feel discouraged. She gave me a large book on phonics and Cassie can do two pages a night. She was very reassuring. I need to straighten up and not show Cassie I am discouraged. Cassie has enough to worry about on her own.
I think the issue is now I am back to work. I am tired and feeling the pressure. Cassie is not doing any of her exercises. My house is a mess. My dog is having terrible behaviors peeing on the bed, growling and grabbing food from the table. I keep questioning why I got him as I thought a dog would make me feel more relaxed.
Cassie's foot is tighting after being locked into her AFO's as I cant make a decision about weather she should wear them or not. AFO's from morning to night and Cassie cant move her foot again. The muscles are weakening with lack of use.
Today I took Cassie to a new Chiropracter in Ancaster. She was very happy with Cassie's fit body and she worked on the weak foot imobolizing the calcaneous and looked at the pelvis and leg length discrepancy. She made some nice recommedations. Cassie worked on a small trapoline in her bear feet that is good for weight bearing on her left side. I like the new chiropractor and so did Chris and most importantly so did Cassie. The new chiropractor rides horses and Cassie and her had alot to talk about. Cassie's therapeutic riding lessons start again next week.
Cassie is going to have incompletes on her report card because I took her out of school. The teacher said he will put "not enough information". Dont bother sending a report card home. I can't beleive how far back Cassie fell academically and I feel discouraged. Back to square one with trying to advocate at Cassie's school. I cant beleive our Public library has no tutoring or no reading programs for little girls. I can't find anything at the Hamilton school board. I called the Hamilton Learning Disablity association and the number was out of service. I am broke, tired and discouraged. Chris may be better off to deal with the school until I get strong again. I told him to go to some of the meetings. Get a Dad's perspective.
My email outlines the challenges of raising a special needs girl. I can see why some parents get overwhelmed. I am going to stay strong about my decision to take Cassie out of school. It was a once in a life time opportunity to go to Ability camp. Cassie will have learning disability that will plague her her entire academic career and life is always a balancing act but I feel camp opened our eyes and I felt support from the other mothers.
This email outlines the reason for my blog. Writing is healing for me. I feel better just getting it out and venting. I will go to church tommorrow another place I feel relaxed and thank God for my blessings. We are all healthy and love each other. Spring is here and my trailer will open soon. Things I love that make me feel relaxed and back to the drawing board trying to teach my girl to read.

Home Now and Keeping Active

We have arrived home and back to our busy lives. We need to be sure to keep Cassie exercising. Her home exercises will include stretching, back and leg exercises and exercises for her feet. Cassie needs daily exercise for her entire life because of her brain injury and cerebral palsy. Our best friends Jamie and Colleen gave the family a Wii. Cassie was very happy to be home and spent hours playing with the new game. Julia had perfected the games while we were away and set characters that look like everyone in our family. Thanks to our most wonderful best friends for this thoughtful gift. We will continue to help Cassie form a healthy way of life through exercise!! I think the entire family will get lots of fun out of this game. I am so glad to be home. I can't wait to have Jamie and Colleen over for a Wii party!!

Graduation Day

Cassie's medal from her conductors

Progress report

Cassie's overall body strength improved
Cassie is weight bearing better on her left leg
Cassie's improved in advanced walking tasks
She is using her left hand much more and better in every situation
She can raise her left arm higher than before
Her grasping improved in her left hand
Her left foot and hand became much more flexible
Her muscles loosened up by the end of the session
Her body posture improved
She has learned to stand up from the half-kneeling position without using her hands
She has learned to stand up from a low stool with clasped hands


Thank you to everyone who made this therapy possible for my hard working girl!!

A Trip for Julia

Julia loves Avril Lavigne. Avril Lavigne grew up in Napanee right near Ability camp. Chris took us to Avril Lavigne's favourite Pizza place when she was growing up. The owners were wonderful people. They had lots of Avril Lavigne memorabilia and let Julia sign a book that Avril reads when she comes in to the Pizza place. Cassie played with the owners young six year old granddaughter. The girls loved the outing and Julia was pleased. We printed the pictures for her and bought her an Avril Lavigne CD. Julia was fascinated that an international rock star grew up in the small town. Julia loves playing guitar and singing. Live your dreams Julia!!

Many Avril Lavigne pictures behind the counter all signed by the star!
Julia writing a note to Avril Lavigne in her favourite pizza place.
Avril had just been at the pizza parlour with her parents who live in Kingston and her brother and sister. They gave the owners this wonderful large poster engraved to the pizza parlour and listing her sales of her lasted album. Thanks Chris for the neat outing.

Saying Goodbye to two terrific boys!!

Jesse and Dre completed their program early to catch their flight home. They received medals for their hard work completed. Cassie has two days left in the program. Class is smaller so Julia got to stay in class with Cassie. It was hard to say goodbye. The children gathered at the vehicles for along time. We have made very good friends with these two families and I know we will stay in contact. Two very hard working, loving boys who are growing into terrific young men. Congratulations boys on all your hard work and another successful round of Ability camp!!

Cassie loved her group. I think because they all have cerebral palsy they relate to each other, they bonded in therapy and friendships were easily cemented by the children. They all have loving families and excellent support systems.

A small piece of conductive education to take home. Cassie is so pleased to receive a wall ladder made by a conductive education assistant's husband Robert who is an expert with wood. Cassie also received a wooden dowel to keep exercising with. Rolling her foot over it is great foot stimulation. Holding it behind her head, twisting it with her hands is terrific for wrist supination as well as numerous other exercises she learned with the dowel. Makes me wonder if baton twirling could be in her future.

Thanks Robert for making the wall ladder!!

A wrestling Match with the boys

Cassie in a wrestling match with three boys and holding her own. Just one of the extra skills that she has learned at camp!!

Cassie, Jessie, Cody and Samuel

Cassie pinning Samuel!!


Two tired friends cooling down after the wrestling match!!

Cassie working on her reading with Norma-Ann at Ability camp

With Cerebral Palsy and hydrocephalus resulting from an intra- ventricular hemorrhage Cassie has always needed allot of time, practise and training in regards to her school work. Cassie has learning disability but when you find the right strategies Cassie appears to really enjoy her learning and shows a positive attitude. This quality shines through when she is working hard on her school work. Cassie has been identified as exceptional and is working on her own IEP in grade 2 at Fessenden Public school. The school has supported Cassie since JK with an educational assistant, the maximum amount of time allotted with a resource teacher and some exceptionally caring teachers who invest allot of time in making sure Cassie continues to make progress. The school appears to provide Cassie with very well rounded learning experiences. I continue to research other types of school programs with smaller class sizes but at this point Cassie is very settled at Fessenden. Cassie has lots of friends and is really enjoying her class. This positive attitude about school reassures me that we are doing the right thing for her education at this point in time.

I continue to do my part as a mother consulting the principal and keeping everyone informed of our goals for Cassie. They support her appointments at her rehabilitation centre and understand that we continue to work on Cassie's gross and fine motor skills. These extensive appoinments are needed to strengthen Cassie's hemiplegic side, prevent contractures and spatisity, monitor her growth and development and to maintain her high functioning physical status despite her serious brain injury. Cassie will need this type of balance between academics and rehabilitation her entire school career. As children with cerebral palsy grow the extra therapy is needed to maintain the muscles affected by lack of use from brain injury. We have participated in an after school physio therapy clinic, children's food and nutrition program as Cassie was over her idea body weight, spasticity clinic, orthopedic and orthotist appointments and physio and occupational therapy. This participation means Cassie must miss school and Mr. Moase her grade 2 teacher has worked around this exhausting schedule and appears supportive to our family and respects our choices. I commend Fessenden Public school in recognizing the physical, emotional and social needs of the child.

Here at camp one of my new friends Norma-Ann has been working with Cassie on her reading skills. Norma has an education background and is a librarian and she has provided me with more tools I can use for Cassie while working at home. Norma-Ann showed me the Starfall computer program. The pictures are Norma working with Cassie with this program. She has also taught me some other learning strategies to utilize with Cassie such as spelling each word three times and then listening to the word on the computer and repeating the word. Cassie wants to learn and tries really hard. Thank you for the time spent training me as well as Cassie with information that I can easily use at home to keep working with Cassie.

Norma-Ann introduced me to a learning strategist who will be assessing Cassie on Tuesday and I love some of her work on brain training and am excited to see what they offer.

How to judge success?

Cassie summoned up success herself after she said to me, "Mommy don't call my left hand helper hand or butterfly any more because my hand works!" Cassie, your left hand looks wonderful I am happy you are pleased. The top picture is Cassie's left hand on the bench gripping while she slides her body up and down the bench.

Two hands holding tight to climb the wall ladder. New borrowed orthopedic running shoes. They were never worn by Samuel and are still stiff and give much more ankle support!!

Next it is rock climbing with Mommy. Cassie worked up a sweat in individual today! Love the looks of both arms holding on. Look out monkey bars at home!
Balancing walking back and forth on the bench. I have judged this CE program as a being a great success as Cassie herself is very proud of what she has achieved. Next week on Monday is parent's observation day. We have only been aloud in for individual program thus far. Wednesday is Parent Interview's and we receive a before and after video. Cant wait to view this video to see the gains on a video.

Friendships form and mother's support

Some of the Wonderful people who make Ability Camp Happen

Kein Hickling Ability Camp Owner with Cassie.

The next three pictures are of the conductive education assistants Brenda, Kelly and Lee with Cassie

Thanks for much for everything you do!

What is conductive Education? How is it different from other therapies?
(This information was given to the parents at the meeting)

The Greek word “therapeia” quite generally means “attendance, guidance and assistance”. A therapist is somebody who supports a person in need of help. Depending on the differing needs, there are many professional therapy groups. (Music, play, art, physio, speech, occupational). Children with CP usually have multiple impairments and may need integrated elements of most of these therapies. Conductive therapy draws on all the strengths and potentials of the human organism to overcome the affects of cerebral palsy. Peto called it the “united treatment”. Facilitation makes the child’s active movements possible, movements the child otherwise would not be able to perform. This facilitation is original, specific and sophisticated. It synthesizes the child’s faculties/abilities/speech/language and movements reinforce each other, the breathing sequence facilitates movements and visa versa; music and timed movements go together, like in eurythmics, perceptual and cognitive training support the learning of movements/actions and these in turn remind the child of the newly learned concepts, visual imagery and movements reinforce each other. Conductive Education is truly holistic It encompasses the child’s mental states, such as relationships, attention, intentionality, communication, personality, motivation, perception, cognition, behaviour, remembering and learning as well as emotions: while at the same time using all the strategies available to facilitate movement/actions.


Model of Conductive Education
Follows an educational-personality centered approach
Is group oriented, holistic, interdisciplinary system, conductors are general educators with interdisciplinary knowledge
Utilizes a holistic system through out the day, which is integrated into the child’s regular daily routine.
Unique dimension of Conductive Education is reflected in the methods of intervention with the family of the child with disabilities

I found this information very helpful and it summarizes why I like this form of therapy for Cassie!

Making watch jewellry with Eva

Two eight year old girls having fun together. Making watch and bead Jewellry a craft kit given to Cassie from our best friends Sue, Steve and Sara. We miss you friends at home but it has been great making new friends

More Practise during Individual Program

Stepping practise with the wooden boxes.

Dre and Cassie after doing the bean bag exercises.

Another try at walking out together. Look Samuel NO CANES we are so proud of you!

Lake on the Mountain

Cassie and I looking out over the Bay of Quinte in a small place called Lake on the Mountain.

What is the origin of the Lake on the Mountain? How did it come to occupy this picturesque but unusual location high above the Bay of Quinte?These questions have intrigued countless generations and today the lake remains as much a mystery as ever.

To the right below the mountain is Lake Ontario (Bay of Quinte) and to the left of the road is Lake on the Mountain.

I would love a house on this road. Since I love lake views these homes have lake views out both their front and back doors.

Lake on the Mountain is controversial piece of geography because scientists dispute how a lake came to be formed in a Mountain. The Indians were the first to realize the uniqueness of this lake. The deep foreboding waters were believed to be the home of the Gods. Shoreline were sacred places of worship. Early settlers regarded the lake as the greatest curiosity of the country. There was no visible source of water supply yet lake levels remained constant. While on the northeast corner water cascaded down the 52 meter cliff to the Bay of Quinte. In the spring the rushing torment was comparable to Niagara Falls. The settlers tamed the water fall but remained in awe of the lake. Boating on the placid waters surrounded by dark lofty woods was an eerie and unsettling experience. Modern science has not been able to completely unravel the mysteries of the past. Bedrock lies 39 meters down and is fed by numerous underground springs but its origin remains elusive. Thanks for taking us to this beautiful scenic place Chris.