Inspiration for the week???

Unfortunately I havent gotten around to working out how many manual ABR hours we have done to date. My week has once again turned to custard, so this is just a little something until I do get an opportunity, not too sure when that will be as school holidays start here in NZ on Friday this week!!!

Anyway,I came across this saying the other day out of a newsletter we receive. Personally I think its brilliant and I hope it gives you something to ponder......

'Even if you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there' (Will Rogers)

I think I should post some of my more favourite sayings or inspirational quotes in the future. I have quite a few thats for sure.

ABR Machine Hours to date

Over the next couple of posts I thought I would give some statistics on what has been involved in our Advanced Biomechanical Rehabilitation (ABR) journey so far because very few people in our lives know how much time and effort we (me, my hubby and my Mum), devote to Corbin's rehabilitation.

Firstly I'll start with the machine applications. Most ABR families hire a machine that simulates the manual technique that we perform on our children. The child is "wrapped" in foam constructions and machine bladders, which are hooked up to an actual electronic machine, for as little or much time of the day as the parents consider doable.

Corbin has "worn" his machine to bed most nights for the past 3 years. We used to do machine time during the day as well but it just became too difficult once he started school. Even when we go on holiday, or if Corbin stays at Nana's for a night, the machine goes too. At a guess I would say that Corbin has probably slept without the machine for 15 nights maximum in the past 3 years, and most of them would be when he was too sick.

Because Corbin is getting older we recently came up with a plan that Corbin has 1 night off every second weekend, which works fine because big brother Jay can use the machine when Corbin isn't. This gives Corbin a little freedom and it means he can now stay over at Nanas house without Mum having to worry about stopping by at bedtime to hook him up to the machine. Everyone wins with this arrangement.

All in all we have clocked up 13600+ hours actual machine time to date, or an average of 12.5 hours per day (ie over half Corbins life) for the past 3 years.

Now the time commitment required for the machine is not huge, but it does take me around 5-10 mins every night to put the machine on Corbin and another 5 mins to take it off and pack it up in the morning, I also have to make/change the foam constructions every week which is approximately 15-20 mins per week. So that adds up to 1.5 hours per week or 1642 hours for the past 3 years.

The machine is very much a part of Corbins life. As he has been using the machine since he was 3.5 years old he kind of knows no different. He does moan about it sometimes and he has asked me how long he will have to have the machine for and I just told him he will have the machine "until he walks........." - he has never mentioned it since.

Next post will be on the ABR Manual hours to date - that will be interesting even for me!!!!

From the mouths of babes

Corbin quite often has ample offers of help at school. The children take turns at pushing him around at morning tea time and lunchtime, as needed. Sometimes it can create arguments and quite often leads to Corbin getting annoyed followed by him being rude and bossy.
The other morning I was helping in his classroom and Corbin was working away beside a lovely little girl called Eilish. They were talking away then I heard her ask Corbin if she could push him in his wheelchair at lunchtime that day. Corbin very matter of factly said "Only if you pay me" ..... to which she replied "How much do you want?".

I wonder when will the novelty wear off and when will he have to pay for someone to help him.?????

THE BUDDING ATHLETE

Today was the Southern zone school athletics, where all the children from 6 Southland schools, including Myross Bush School, participate in athletics. The 5 & 6 year olds don't do proper athletics they do take offs like tossing small bean bags instead of shotput, jumping over 2 ropes on the ground instead of long jump etc.

Corbin and all the rest of his classmates were all very excited to be participating - it is a highlight of the school year for most of the children. Corbin, bless his little heart, has no idea that there is no way he can do any of the running or jumping events the same as the rest of the children - He just thinks his version of long jump (ie crawling over the ropes) is what you are meant to be doing and he truly believes he is competitive with his peers. For the running events Corbin had decided to crawl rather than use his wheelchair, he had told me that this was because "I can't go fast enough in my wheelchair" (ie self propelling the chair on the grass is not an easy job for a very small 6 year old).

Anyway, on our way to the athletics stadium this morning Corbin said to me "Would you give me a treat if I win my running race?" I chuckled to myself and said "I'll think about it....."

Ironically, my beautiful Miss Livee, who has all the ability in the world, does not have a competitive bone in her body nor the desire to do well at athletics and hence would rather almost "skip" the 100m race than even attempt to use her God given ability!!! If only I could unite Corbins character and determination with his sisters ability - I would have one awesome athlete........

THANK YOU FOR THE GIFT OF SPEECH

Corbin is a very, very deep thinker for his age. At the tender age of 6, Corbin already has plans for his future. Its almost like he feels he needs to have his future signed and sealed now!!!!

Corbin is also extremely talkative (which I am very thankful for - I do not take much for granted - there are so many parents we know that would dearly love to hear their precious children speak) so on our 7 hour car trip home from Christchurch he had plenty of time to "chew my ear".

He wants to be a builder like his Dad, and then he kindly offered to do the bookwork/accountancy for the business to help me out (how sweet). He intends to live in a bus, because "that would be cheaper than a house wouldn't it Mum?". The bus needs to have a place for his tools and it needs to have an office, "and I wouldn't need a car as well would I Mum? "

He is not going to have a girlfriend or a wife because he doesn't want to spend all his money on one (I have no idea where he got the idea that girlfriends and wives cost money!!! I didnt have the heart to him that it is actually children that cost the money).

I laughed to myself for the first 2 hours of his constant babbling, then I tried desperately hard to activate the "off" switch. Finally with 1 hour from home he went to sleep.

Thank you for the gift of speech .....................