Paul from Australia
01-23-2007, 05:44 AM
G'day everyone.
This morning was Grant's third morning in transitioning to the adult centre and what a great morning it was :)
SLEEPY HEAD
Grant was in 'I am not waking under any condition' mode at first = very cheeky. When he is like this it is almost impossible to awaken him. He really was quite out to it, very difficult to arouse. Kathy sat with him for about an hour. During that time I did some 'rough' stimulation of his hands plus some eye stimulation with the torch. Kathy talked to him and massaged and tickled him to try to wake him up, but really he just couldn't be awakened.
TIME TO GO TO WORK
Then it was time for Grant to have some time with massage etc. The person who will be one of Grant's one on one people met Grant officially for the first time today. Lisa is young (important) and able (also very important). Reasons will follow in a sec :)
ON TO THE MAT FOR SOME OF THE PROGRAM
We got Grant onto a gym mat and I took Lisa through some of the program that we do at home. What was fascinating is that probably 98% of the program can be done on the mat. The only challenge is you need a good back with all the stooping and kneeling etc, but as I said earlier Lisa is young and supple :)
With all the input that Grant was now getting, he really didn't have much of an option other than to wake up ;)
We did part of the program with him for about 3/4 of an hour which was wonderful.
HANGING FROM THE RAFTERS
While we were doing the program a carpenter/builder called in because; wait for it; now wait for it; they will install a pulley system in the ceiling of one of the rooms so that Grant can swing and spin while in the hoist mat and possibly while on the flat board. This is fabulous stuff folks. I am still pinching myself to make sure this is all happening. Once the pulley system is installed, other clients will be able to enjoy the vestibular experience as well.
SEIZURE EPISODE
When we had almost finished the program demo, Grant decided that it was time to demonstrate his cyclic seizures :( He got into a pattern of a slight jerk forwards, resulting in him almost sitting up, followed by not being with it for about a minute. The palms of his hands got slightly sweaty also, which is always an indication of seizure activitiy. He got a little bit hot so we took off his jumper. I called Kathy over (she will be the contact/observer person, who will watch out for seizures etc), and she observed. I stept back from the situation and allowed Kathy to try and talk and stimulate Grant to get him out of the seizure cycle. He certainly did improve, but the seizure activity did not calm down as much as I would have wished.
It was not time to go home, so we chucked Grant in the Grantmobile and home we went.
MASKING
When I got Grant home I got stuck into the masking for a few hours and the seizures did come under control = no drastic medication thank you very much.
LITERATURE WHILE WE ARE ON A ROLL
Kathy and Sally (the head of the centre) are quite fascinated about Grant's program, so to keep them inspired, I gave them a book to read as well as two magazines from the Institute's = amazing stuff. What is absolutely fascinating is the 'detoxification' results that the Institute's get. All children on the Institute's program are detoxified which means that they are slowly weaned off all AED's. And the results. Well a very high percentage of these children who may have been on 3-4 AEDs for seizure control, for months or even years experience a complete cessation of seizures. Exciting stuff; very exciting indeed.
I WILL SHOW AND TELL
On Thursday Grant will go for another morning at the centre. I will show masking to some of some of the staff then. Kathy felt that Lisa will be quite happy with masking (that is probably because she is young and impressionable I reckon) :) Some of the staff might not be that happy about masking, but we will have to wait and see.
Today has been absolutely great. To be able to introduce the home program to the day centre (and have it done there), is almost so incredible that it is like a dream.
For those maskers out there (you know who you are) think of me on Thursday when I introduce some of the staff to masking. Hopefully the one on oner's who will be working with Grant will accept masking.
seeya.
Paul, Alison and Grant looking forward to doing the program at the day centre :)
This morning was Grant's third morning in transitioning to the adult centre and what a great morning it was :)
SLEEPY HEAD
Grant was in 'I am not waking under any condition' mode at first = very cheeky. When he is like this it is almost impossible to awaken him. He really was quite out to it, very difficult to arouse. Kathy sat with him for about an hour. During that time I did some 'rough' stimulation of his hands plus some eye stimulation with the torch. Kathy talked to him and massaged and tickled him to try to wake him up, but really he just couldn't be awakened.
TIME TO GO TO WORK
Then it was time for Grant to have some time with massage etc. The person who will be one of Grant's one on one people met Grant officially for the first time today. Lisa is young (important) and able (also very important). Reasons will follow in a sec :)
ON TO THE MAT FOR SOME OF THE PROGRAM
We got Grant onto a gym mat and I took Lisa through some of the program that we do at home. What was fascinating is that probably 98% of the program can be done on the mat. The only challenge is you need a good back with all the stooping and kneeling etc, but as I said earlier Lisa is young and supple :)
With all the input that Grant was now getting, he really didn't have much of an option other than to wake up ;)
We did part of the program with him for about 3/4 of an hour which was wonderful.
HANGING FROM THE RAFTERS
While we were doing the program a carpenter/builder called in because; wait for it; now wait for it; they will install a pulley system in the ceiling of one of the rooms so that Grant can swing and spin while in the hoist mat and possibly while on the flat board. This is fabulous stuff folks. I am still pinching myself to make sure this is all happening. Once the pulley system is installed, other clients will be able to enjoy the vestibular experience as well.
SEIZURE EPISODE
When we had almost finished the program demo, Grant decided that it was time to demonstrate his cyclic seizures :( He got into a pattern of a slight jerk forwards, resulting in him almost sitting up, followed by not being with it for about a minute. The palms of his hands got slightly sweaty also, which is always an indication of seizure activitiy. He got a little bit hot so we took off his jumper. I called Kathy over (she will be the contact/observer person, who will watch out for seizures etc), and she observed. I stept back from the situation and allowed Kathy to try and talk and stimulate Grant to get him out of the seizure cycle. He certainly did improve, but the seizure activity did not calm down as much as I would have wished.
It was not time to go home, so we chucked Grant in the Grantmobile and home we went.
MASKING
When I got Grant home I got stuck into the masking for a few hours and the seizures did come under control = no drastic medication thank you very much.
LITERATURE WHILE WE ARE ON A ROLL
Kathy and Sally (the head of the centre) are quite fascinated about Grant's program, so to keep them inspired, I gave them a book to read as well as two magazines from the Institute's = amazing stuff. What is absolutely fascinating is the 'detoxification' results that the Institute's get. All children on the Institute's program are detoxified which means that they are slowly weaned off all AED's. And the results. Well a very high percentage of these children who may have been on 3-4 AEDs for seizure control, for months or even years experience a complete cessation of seizures. Exciting stuff; very exciting indeed.
I WILL SHOW AND TELL
On Thursday Grant will go for another morning at the centre. I will show masking to some of some of the staff then. Kathy felt that Lisa will be quite happy with masking (that is probably because she is young and impressionable I reckon) :) Some of the staff might not be that happy about masking, but we will have to wait and see.
Today has been absolutely great. To be able to introduce the home program to the day centre (and have it done there), is almost so incredible that it is like a dream.
For those maskers out there (you know who you are) think of me on Thursday when I introduce some of the staff to masking. Hopefully the one on oner's who will be working with Grant will accept masking.
seeya.
Paul, Alison and Grant looking forward to doing the program at the day centre :)