Thursday 29th january 2009

Another ordinary Thursday has just turned into something ABSOLUTELY SPECTACULAR!!!!! Guess what?! Sarah has just walked from the living room, to the kitchen, up the kitchen and back again, WITH NO CRUTCHES!!!!!!! Oh My God!! I cannot tell you how excited I am, how happy I am, and how much I just cried my eyes out!!!! I told her on the way home from school today that I was giving her a month to practise walking with one crutch, and then on 1st March, I was taking one away, so she had to walk with one crutch all the time. She moaned, said she couldn't do it, she would have to take 2 crutches to school as it was all bumpy and slippery, and I despaired a bit that my idea wasn't going to work.She had her tea, and went off to Guides, with the promise she would walk on 1 crutch round the church hall until I collected her. She came home, and for some reason, she started to try and stand on one foot at the bottom of the stairs. She said she felt hyper and managed to stand on her bad leg for a second, and she did it a couple of times. Dave asked her what it felt like when she did it - her answer was it felt fine and no different than the other leg! I challenged her, and said if she could put her weight on her foot standing still, then why couldn't she do it whilst walking? So, without prompting, she got up, and took a step - admittedly more a limp than a step, but there was no crutch. She realised it was OK - she wasn't going to fall over - and she took another one. Great excitement filled the air - I started cheering her on, and the look on her face when she got to the kitchen not holding on to her crutches that have become part of her life, was an absolute picture!. She then pushed on, walked all the way to the end of the kitchen, and back again. She has gone to bed now, after giving me a big cuddle as I wept buckets of tears!!! She thought it was hilarious that I was crying, but all the stress of seeing my 11 year old daughter, who should be running round with her friends at school, stuck indoors with crutches welded on to her hands, melted away. I can see light at the end of the tunnel . I can see her dancing at her party next Saturday, which I was hoping would happen when I organised it, but realistically didn't really believe would happen.I know the walking is more limping, and I'm sure we are a long way from a proper step yet, but I cannot tell you how proud I am of her. GO SARAH!!!!!!