Yesterday we took our young beagle pup to the Lease-free park in Ancaster Meadowlands. Chris and I had to walk on either side of Cassie, sheltering her as she is deathly afraid of dogs. Charlie the Beagle pup loves to run and quickly made a pack with four large dogs and their owners. Every time a big dog ran up to Cassie Chris, Julia and I sheltered Cassie. We spoke to the big dogs, petted them and talked soothing to Cassie to show her she would be okay. We told her how to use a firm voice to say down if she did not want them too close. Cassie is almost 9 years old but we learned some insightful information after going through psycho educational developmental testing this summer. Cassie developmentally tests around the age 5 years 3 months to 6 years 4 month. Finding this out helped me understand and put into perspective Cassie's recent behaviors at home. Chris and I were both getting frustrated with her bedtime routines, not sleeping through the night, crying spells and unrealistic fears. We went to a Social worker and have some behavioral strategies that seem to be putting us all at ease. I have found that using strategies that work for 5-6 year olds work wonderfully for behavior modification for Cassie. It does not matter what her chronological age is right now it matters what she understands and responds too within her own life.
The family had a lovely walk and we met three other families and chatted on a cold, windy Autumn evening, we were all smiling, laughing and having a wonderful time. It was comical watching the groups of dogs play. After a long walk in the tall grass, we headed up a path towards a paved walk way and while talking and holding my hand Cassie's weak leg gave out and she went down hard on gravel and pavement. Right away her strong knee started bleeding and we saw a chunk of flesh missing. Cassie who does not react to pain well screamed and cried and Chris had to carry her all 90 pounds up the hill. We stopped at a Shoppers Drug mart and bought polysporin and band aids. Cassie reacted poorly to application of soothing medicine and had more freak outs about band aids. Julia worked hard to encourage her and assisted us to band aid her up. Cassie is really sore and bruised today. I actually verbalized to Cassie that it sometimes sucks to have Cerebral Palsy. Muscles let you down and co-ordination is affected. With big tears she readily agreed. Cassie's AFO is too small already in only 9 months. The Assisted Device program only pays for AFO's for children once a year. She will have to make do until almost a year. Her left foot is rolling over again on her and her balance is affected. She is going to go to a Mobility Clinic at Mcmaster Children's hospital and have a walking assessment with her braces on and off. Her Orthotist will make something permanently into her shoe (a lift) to even her out with her almost 2 cm leg length discrepancy. Then we will follow up with a Physiatrist Dr. Gorter. Dr. Gorter is my favorite of all Cassie's doctors (Dr. O'Toole ranked really high on my list as well). This Physiatrist thinks allot like I do. How quickly the evening changed. I understand that injury is a part of life for children (especially ones with with mobility problems) but Julia, Chris and I hate to see Cassie hurt. However, we can only be there to support, love apply band aids and kiss away the tears.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
The Red Carpet Event
Chris took the girls to the Mall and they participated in a fun event to fashion back to school clothes. They got their hair and makeup done and had a fun time. Now they need lots of votes to win a shopping spree!!
Vote for Julia F Ancaster Age 7-11
or Cassie F ancaster Age 7-11
or the Sisters Both under the BFF category
http://www.myredcarpetexperience.com/LimeRidge/
Thanks for the votes!!
Red Carpet Experience
Saturday, September 26, 2009 to Sunday, September 27, 2009
You rocked the Red Carpet now rock the vote!
On September 26th and 27th, young fashionistas from all over Hamilton came to Lime Ridge sporting their hottest back to school fashions. As the paparazzi snapped away, they strutted their stuff on the Red Carpet and gave their best diva poses. The participants really rocked the red carpet, and now it is your turn to rock the vote!
Click here to vote for the "Best Pose" in each category.
Voting runs from 8:00 am September 29th until midnight October 12th. Winners will be announced on October 13th.
Prizes include a $250 Cadillac Fairview shop! card ™ and a $100 gift card from H&M. The winners will be invited to a special shopping day, when a Personal Stylist will help them select even more cool outfits with the gift cards won!
The shopping spree will be videotaped and posted on this website for all to enjoy.
Click here for full contest details, including a full list of contest categories and prizes. Thank you to all of the participating retailers!
Vote for Julia F Ancaster Age 7-11
or Cassie F ancaster Age 7-11
or the Sisters Both under the BFF category
http://www.myredcarpetexperience.com/LimeRidge/
Thanks for the votes!!
Red Carpet Experience
Saturday, September 26, 2009 to Sunday, September 27, 2009
You rocked the Red Carpet now rock the vote!
On September 26th and 27th, young fashionistas from all over Hamilton came to Lime Ridge sporting their hottest back to school fashions. As the paparazzi snapped away, they strutted their stuff on the Red Carpet and gave their best diva poses. The participants really rocked the red carpet, and now it is your turn to rock the vote!
Click here to vote for the "Best Pose" in each category.
Voting runs from 8:00 am September 29th until midnight October 12th. Winners will be announced on October 13th.
Prizes include a $250 Cadillac Fairview shop! card ™ and a $100 gift card from H&M. The winners will be invited to a special shopping day, when a Personal Stylist will help them select even more cool outfits with the gift cards won!
The shopping spree will be videotaped and posted on this website for all to enjoy.
Click here for full contest details, including a full list of contest categories and prizes. Thank you to all of the participating retailers!
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Written for St John's Evangelical Lutheran Church newsletter
Cassie’s experience of Attending Ability camp
I was asked to describe the experience of attending Ability camp. Cassie’s sponsorship to attend this program came from St John’s church council, the Entire Congregation of St John’s and Irmgard Fruck Cassie’s beloved Oma. I am thrilled to have the wonderful opportunity to share the unique experience of Ability camp with Cassie’s church family in our church newsletter. Also to allow the congregation to see where the contributions were used and how they benefited a young girl with cerebral palsy. At first glance the total cost of the camp seemed high at 5, 300 dollars (not including costs of living away from home for five weeks). After experiencing all the camp has to offer I do not feel the costs are that high although almost every child at the camp had to be sponsored financially to allow the children to go. Here is a short description of the experience.
Ability camp is not a fancy camp but it truly a place where miracles happen and faith grows. I spent five weeks with Cassie in a full program where 12 families of children with cerebral palsy lived in close quarters sharing three bathrooms and one kitchen! The friendships happen easily as children bond, parents share experiences and therapists work tirelessly assisting children to meet their goals. I personally went through a powerful healing process in relation to my daughter’s brain injury as I watched her interact and grow over the five weeks. I connected with some very special children and their families a very valuable experience. To tell you a little bit about the program Cassie had a full day of passive exercises, lying program, standing program, sitting program and individual program. The Hungarian approach to physiotherapy involves very little equipment. The rooms had floor space and carpet. The only other things in the room were stools, chairs, ladders and wood. The toys used were wooden dowels and beanbags. The Hungarian Conductors (Physiotherapists) were terrific with the children and so knowledgeable about cerebral palsy. Cassie’s class had four children 12 year old Jessie from Edmonton AB, 10 year old Dre from Michigan, 9 year old Samuel from California and 8 year old Cassie from Hamilton On. All four children are ambulatory but have muscle weakness and mobility issues related to their brain injuries. Cassie fit in well right away and did not mind being the only girl in her class. Each day there was a lot of laughter; jokes and the amazing thing about children are they motivate each other to improve. Cassie was extremely tired at the end of the day. She had stiffness and sore muscles but always maintained her smile!
The real miracle within the walls of Ability camp comes in the friendships made, the chance for parents and siblings to talk about their experiences of raising a child with a disability. The people we met understand the unique experience of rehabilitation and seeing smiles on a child’s face when they accomplish something they never thought they could. All of Cassie’s goals were met and Ability camp met all our expectations.
A quick summary of what Cassie gained was her overall body strength improved; she is weight bearing better on her left leg. Cassie 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. The program can continue to be done in the child’s own home. The child learns to be independent in areas of dressing, bathing and toileting and the independence makes the child’s self esteem skyrocket. Thank you to our church family for your financial contribution and sponsoring our girl for this valuable therapy.
God Bless
Kathy Fruck
I was asked to describe the experience of attending Ability camp. Cassie’s sponsorship to attend this program came from St John’s church council, the Entire Congregation of St John’s and Irmgard Fruck Cassie’s beloved Oma. I am thrilled to have the wonderful opportunity to share the unique experience of Ability camp with Cassie’s church family in our church newsletter. Also to allow the congregation to see where the contributions were used and how they benefited a young girl with cerebral palsy. At first glance the total cost of the camp seemed high at 5, 300 dollars (not including costs of living away from home for five weeks). After experiencing all the camp has to offer I do not feel the costs are that high although almost every child at the camp had to be sponsored financially to allow the children to go. Here is a short description of the experience.
Ability camp is not a fancy camp but it truly a place where miracles happen and faith grows. I spent five weeks with Cassie in a full program where 12 families of children with cerebral palsy lived in close quarters sharing three bathrooms and one kitchen! The friendships happen easily as children bond, parents share experiences and therapists work tirelessly assisting children to meet their goals. I personally went through a powerful healing process in relation to my daughter’s brain injury as I watched her interact and grow over the five weeks. I connected with some very special children and their families a very valuable experience. To tell you a little bit about the program Cassie had a full day of passive exercises, lying program, standing program, sitting program and individual program. The Hungarian approach to physiotherapy involves very little equipment. The rooms had floor space and carpet. The only other things in the room were stools, chairs, ladders and wood. The toys used were wooden dowels and beanbags. The Hungarian Conductors (Physiotherapists) were terrific with the children and so knowledgeable about cerebral palsy. Cassie’s class had four children 12 year old Jessie from Edmonton AB, 10 year old Dre from Michigan, 9 year old Samuel from California and 8 year old Cassie from Hamilton On. All four children are ambulatory but have muscle weakness and mobility issues related to their brain injuries. Cassie fit in well right away and did not mind being the only girl in her class. Each day there was a lot of laughter; jokes and the amazing thing about children are they motivate each other to improve. Cassie was extremely tired at the end of the day. She had stiffness and sore muscles but always maintained her smile!
The real miracle within the walls of Ability camp comes in the friendships made, the chance for parents and siblings to talk about their experiences of raising a child with a disability. The people we met understand the unique experience of rehabilitation and seeing smiles on a child’s face when they accomplish something they never thought they could. All of Cassie’s goals were met and Ability camp met all our expectations.
A quick summary of what Cassie gained was her overall body strength improved; she is weight bearing better on her left leg. Cassie 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. The program can continue to be done in the child’s own home. The child learns to be independent in areas of dressing, bathing and toileting and the independence makes the child’s self esteem skyrocket. Thank you to our church family for your financial contribution and sponsoring our girl for this valuable therapy.
God Bless
Kathy Fruck
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