Project Walk

[foster]

My son Ryan and I will be leaving on Thurs. Aug 15 2002. We are planning to spend a year there. Ryan is a t9 on 9\15\01. He has alot of movement and we feel that this is where he will get the most function and hopfully walk again. I'll keep you guys posted the good and bad. Chris hope to see you there in Sept.

[foster]

well we make it to ca. ryan started project walk last wed. doing very well.

[Curt Leatherbee]

Hopefully he will see some recovery, or at least strenthening of what he does have for function. He should really work on the leg braces at his level, he could move around pretty good I would think.

"Life is about how you
respond to not only the
challenges you're dealt but
the challenges you seek...If
you have no goals, no
mountains to climb, your
soul dies".~Liz Fordred

[chasb]

My best wishes for Ryan. I will be holding out a good thought for him.

[chastev8]

What do they have him doing so far? Let us know everything you can. 8-)

[foster]

They have Ryan doing leg preses on the total gym, alot of floor work to work on his balance doing the gait trainer 30 to 45 min a day. Ryan seems to be able to control his ankles and locking his knees when on the the gait trainer. He is doing very well. The weather is nice.

[foster]

ryan is starting to learn how to walk with crutches. he still needs help pushing his hips forward and his hamstrings are still a little tight. he is walking about 20ft at a time. still scared but every day getting a little better every day. everyday they will work him hard. i read somewhere on here thst pw is for only incompletes but 80% of the people here were told that they were completes and one person was told his spinal cord was sliced in half. so he was showing his doctor the video of him and want he was doing, his doctor said i could have swore that i seen it in two pieces. three people when up to ucla for treadmill training for pt who bought the new roberics ( i think not sure of the spelling) and dr harkin was very impressed with what pw is doing this comes from there mom and dad not from pw.

[foster]

a picture of Ryan learning to use crutches I hope

[chastev8]

That is increadible. How much movement did he have before going to PW? Is Ryan able to support all of his weight? Tell me all you can!!! It look totally great!!!

[foster]

thanks chas. ryan can suport his own weight. he could kick his leg out from the knee and was starting to raise his leg up towards his face. but don't forget we were here in apr. and when we got home we were doing things we learned while we were here. like the total gym I built one out of wood and he started doing leg presses not very deep maybe an inch but now can go about 3/4 the way down and come back up with nobody there. he can lift his leg up now without effort. he takes no meds except for a vitamin a day. Were thinking about 4-ap.

[foster]

This is a tape of ryan walking around the house with a walker.

[member412678]

That is GREAT!!!!Thanks for sharing it with us.

[PN]

Foster,

Congratulations and I really enjoyed watching the video!

PN

[Snowman]

Foster

Ryan is looking really good!

Hope to see you next week!

http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/images/smilies/cool.gif http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif

Eric Harness,CSCS
Project Walk™ (http://www.projectwalk.org)

[foster]

Thank you ryan has worked his butt off.Ryan still needs more convince to start walking in freespace he is getting there. Alot of pushing from mom and dad and brother. Eric we will see you guys.

[foster]

Forgot to say that he was a complete when he left rehab and was told by one doctor he would be brain dead and a vegetable.We told him not.

[NANDA]

Originally posted by foster:

Forgot to say that he was a complete when he left rehab and was told by one doctor he would be brain dead and a vegetable.We told him not.Hello I am a Md from Colombia my younger brother Juan Sebastian just about a month ago had SCI C5 incomplete, here the treatments and hopes Dr gave us are very poor, i am really interesting in giving him a great rehab program, i would love to know more about the PW sistem is it hard to get in because i enter the web site and they say that you may aply but not enter the program... He is still in the clinic. i read all about your son and your post and it was really encouraging, congratulations on the work out.

NANDA

[catwoman]

Hi Foster - I'm responding here to your question to me on Hope&Bill's thread about vans. We are in Chalfont, Bucks County - at the other end of the county near Doylestown.

I was checking out some of your other posts. It looks like Ryan keeps progressing. Is he still in high school? Does he walk mostly now, or still use the chair most of the time? Do you credit Project Walk with his recovery to date?