Today is a special day because my Maw-Maw went to physical therapy with me. She heard that I was having a difficult time adjusting to the E-Stim (Electrical Stimulation) and decided to make my day all better.



Maw-Maw is counting down for me...only 2 more reps to go. I have to do 20 reps per leg of EACH exercise! And recently a few extra exercises have been added to my regimen.




Maw-Maw is singing a song to help me out and make me forget the struggle I am having working out all of these muscles.

Yeaaaa! Time for applause because I did all my reps!

This is the part I am still uncomfortable with and I still want to cry sometimes. Having electricity running through my legs is a very funny feeling.

Now for the hardest part. I have to walk without the top part of my braces and my little legs are so weak they bow out like a cowboy. It is scary, especially with my left leg being paralyzed and I only have feeling in my glut muscles.

Thank you, Maw-Maw, for making my day so happy....now it's time to go to Starbucks (Abby calls it "Bucks") and get my Cafe Mocha! But don't worry. My mommy always orders decaf:0)

The biggest accomplishment today???? I got through my entire therapy session with NO TEARS!! What a blessing to have a Maw-Maw who cares enough to take this special time with me! I love you, Maw-Maw!

MY CHRISTMAS ANGELS

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE FROM THE O'QUINS

Thanksgiving Day 2009

We have a great deal to be thankful for this year. Abby has come so far and has worked so hard to be able to walk. In fact, she will take off and leave us when we're not watching! Now we are beginning to see lots of changes in her, not only in her appearance (she is looking more and more like a little girl instead of our baby) but in her personality. For awhile we worried that she would never talk.....but she is definitely coming around with her language skills. For a long time she even quit saying "Mama" and "Daddy" but we feel it was because she had been through so much change in such a short time. At first she would only say one word but is starting to mimick us. Now we are hearing more and more phrases but no full sentences yet. She sings her version of the "Patty Cake" song and does all the motions on her own. She says the blessing over her food. You can almost see the wheels turning in that little mind as she takes in everything around her! She is finally beginning to adjust to a new physical therapy (we talked about E-Stim in an earlier post)and has stopped crying, which is a huge milestone. She is getting new braces soon that will challenge her hip and upper leg muscles and in the long run give her more independence with her walking. Of course that sounds great but we realize it entails a mountain of adjustment, hard work and tears on Abby's part,and sometimes on our own. Sometimes we have so many questions and wonder what the future will hold for our precious daughter. But one thing is for sure....Abby is our heart and she has a tenacious spirit and an excellent spirit. Whatever the future holds, she will go far and will probably surprise us all in the end. Happy Thanksgiving, Abby!



Enjoying the outdoors

Always smiling.....

Posing with my Mama

Paw-Paw is my favorite!

This is sooooo much fun!

Thank you, Uncle Bo & Aunt Stacy! (And Abby would say "Again-ah" which is her version of "again". She loves to add a syllable onto the end of a word.)

And here is my Studmuffin Uncle Jason:0)

This 4-wheeler ain't run in about 3 years....

....but we still love to ride it! Wheeeeeee!
(and just in case you're wondering, that WAS a joke)

Just hangin' out with my Maw-Maw Sonja. She goes to therapy with me sometimes and I don't cry when she's there to play with me.

Mushy!!!! But Abby loves to see everyone around her loving each other.

Our family Thanksgiving photo

Mmmmmm! What good sugar!

A perfect ending to a perfect day....content in my Daddy's arms