Too Cool for School

Today was Camden's first day of big-boy school at Biltmore Elementary. Biltmore is a school zoned in our area that offers a physically challenged program. This will get Cam-Cam used to a school setting so that it won't be so intimidating by the time kindergarten arrives, and plus he'll get some good learning time too...the basics: letters, numbers, colors, shapes, how to chose a fine wine and how to hit a curveball. He'll also get PT and OT twice a week. His teacher, Ms. Campbell, seems so far to be a wonderful woman. She's been teaching for 29 years, and calls her students her "babies." There's also a paraprofessional in the classroom, who will help Camden with eating and toileting. (Yes, they're going work with us on toilet training! We haven't yet asked if we can put a Yankee logo on the bottom of the potty for motivation).

Camden brought an apple for Ms. Campbell and a pear for the "Para"! He was the only kid in the class to do that so he's already working on becomming teacher's pet. We dropped him off this morning, but in the afternoon Camden had his first trip on the school bus! From all accounts, he loved it (as we thought he might--he's fascinated w/ school buses). Daddy met him at day care so he could snap a few pics of him coming off the bus. Day care will keep Camden for a few hours until Daddy gets off work. Mommy will be the one dropping him off in the mornings. The school has a few more kinks to work out (getting the right chair for Camden to eat in, not coming to our house in the bus!) but all in all a pretty good first day!

Pomp and Circumstance

What an eventful day! Camden had his vital stim treatment, 30 minutes of hard work with Lisa his PT, then we slapped a cap and gown on him for his 6:30 DLC graduation (because he's starting school next year, you know!).
Vital stim was okay, but the Speech Pathologist put tape on him again, which Mommy had to pull off for his graduation. (Can't have that in the pictures, now can we?).
PT was awesome! This is the first session Lisa has had with him since TheraSuit and she raved about his improvements. She noticed better steps (not as much overlap), his progress with long sits and that his shoulder blades didn't hunch in when using the walker. When he was in his walker, he didn't fuss at all like he normally does and was excited to take off. He didn't need half as much support as she'd given him before, pretty much taking charge of the walker and going in whatever direction he chose! He even walked up an inclined ramp! He really wanted to show off for Ms. Lisa.
But my favorite part of this day was seeing Cam-Cam walk during graduation. First off, it was so precious to see him and all his classmates in their little caps and gowns. It was the slowest processional I've ever seen: With Pomp and Circumstance playing on the piano, the little ones made their way down the aisle at a snail's pace, unsure of what they were doing and some going off in wayward directions. They saved the best for last as Camden used his gait trainer so that he could truly walk. He stopped a few times to receive compliments and praise while everyone cheered him on. It was one of those moments I could have cried over, but was too busy trying to capture it by camera while Daddy was on the CAMcorder. It wasn't easy with all the parents hovering in the same spots with their cameras like paparazzi! Once Camden got his diploma, he walked off in the gait trainer which brought some laughs.
These are the moments that just fly by. I can't believe how fast he's grown and how we find new reasons to glow with pride for him every day. Camden's brought so much joy into our lives! God has blessed us so richly.

P.S. Kevin has been working on bringing a little of Ms. Tammy's gym home to Camden. I included some pics of his new rice bath Kevin put together and "Bert" (the i-Gallop he found on Craig's List for cheap!). We've got all the cool stuff, we've just got to do more of the exercises we learned with him. The weekend is coming up and that will give us plenty of time to pack some in!

(Click on slide show to get bigger pictures and more detail!)

"Shocking" news from the Camden-front

No sooner had we gotten home and settled in then Camden started yet another round of treatment: this time Vital Stim. For the remainder of this week and next, the Nemours Speech Pathologist will be meeting him for breakfast each morning. Sounds nice, huh? Well, there's also the addition of a few electrodes attached to Camden's neck that pulsate while he's eating. Tiny electric shocks release chemicals that help stimulate Camden's swallowing muscles. Similar to how the therasuit helped train Camden's brain to send messages for his muscles to move in certain patterns, the electrodes help train Camden's brain to swallow when food or saliva is in his mouth(hence less drooling). We assure you this procedure is completely safe and the only thing that bugs Camden is the fact that somethings on his neck. Okay, and pulling off the tape sucks! As for the "shocks" Kevin and I tested the device--it just feels like small vibrations and isn't really that noticeable. She also is trying Kinesio tape on his neck during the day. Two strips are placed under his neck and help to increase blood flow and provide more sensation. (Hey, this is just how she explained it to us! You may remember some of the Olympic athletes wearing the tape--we've added a picture of Kerry Walsh modeling the tape, although Camden makes it look a lot better!).

After Vital Stim today, we went to our scheduled feeding tube consult. We have decided to go ahead with the G-tube after hearing from so many other CP parents and medical professionals about its benefits. The good news is (Nana) Camden weighed in at 22.8 lbs (4 oz more than before Therasuit!). But if Camden's going to do this, we want him to be adjusted to it before Luke is born, and were hoping to take care of it before school starts. Unfortunately the Dr. performing the surgery will be out for 2 weeks so its tentatively set for 9/10 on a Thursday. We won't know the time until a few days before. Camden will most likely spend about 2 days in the hospital before coming home.

Camden's daytime eating routines will not change...the only time he'll get G-tube feedings will be at night. The plan is to use those extra hours to try to pack in some extra nutrition. Our hope and prayer is that the extra nutrition will not only benefit Camden physically, but mentally as well. Lisa says it should help to improve brain development. And the thing is, there's not a time-frame for how long it must stay in. If Camden can gain at least 5 lbs and increase his height, we'll be happy. But if his mobility is lost due to the placement of the tube, I've already told Kevin I'm going to want it OUT NNNNOOWWWW! We choose when it comes out.

Of course, we both got a little queezy when the scheduling lady came in to schedule the surgery. Just the word "surgery" freaks us out. We know our guy is tough (he's certainly proved that to us!) and will most likely be fine. We just can't help but feel anxious as this is the first surgery Camden will have had and there are some reports about painful recoveries. We'll insist on pain meds...if not for Camden, to settle the nerves of his nail-biting parents!

Above are some pictures of the Vital Stim procedure with electrodes and Camden modeling the kinesio tape.

Shout Out to Alice!

We're honored to add Alice's blog to our list of noteworthy reads. Kevin discovered the family's journal while surfing for info about CP a long time ago and keeps in touch with Alice's mom, "nanaslug". Alice is right around Camden's age, also has CP and is without a doubt one of the cutest little girls God ever created! Her family lives in North Carolina and its always interesting to see what Alice is up to and with most of it we can completely identify!

THERASUIT GRADUATION DAY - Day 15

Well Camden finally made it! 15 days, for 4 hours a day of "save me" smiles, bulldog lips, yummy snacks, babe watching, full blown tantrums, Trixie dogguarding, rice baths, moonwalking, sideways War Chant chops, wearing dorky hats, projectile vomiting, guitar serenades, and not to mention, intensive therapy in the Therasuit.

Becky was able to join us for the last session which was important because Ms. Tammy had a lot of exercises and stretches to teach us so that we could continue to work with Camden at home. Camden still had to work hard today but was rewarded by Ms. Tammy during his first break with a Handy Manny balloon and a graduation ice cream cake. He also had one final guitar picking lesson with Ms. Beth followed by some amazing french fry inspired walking steps with Ms. Val. We learned about some really cool and affordable therapeutic tools that we can use at Camden's home gym and have our fingers crossed that our insurance will help cover some larger therapeutic instruments.

Gramps came by for the final half hour to help celebrate Camden's graduation and it was a bittersweet ending. We are happy to return to our home in Jacksonville and get back to our friends and family and daily routines, but we are definitely going to miss the loving people and wonderful new friends they we have made at Progressive Pediatric. Later in the day, since it was graduation and all, Camden took his first trip to Westcott Fountain (an FSU tradition for new grads).

We weren't really sure what to expect when we embarked on this journey. Sure there was the hope in the back of our minds that Camden might be walking after 3 weeks-- What parent wouldn't want that wish for their child? What we did discover is something we worried might have been lost, and that is that Camden now believes he can do anything he puts his little mind to. Before this therapy session started it had seemed that Camden had resigned himself to the fact that some things were just out of his reach and maybe he was content with staying in one small area. Now he has rediscovered his neverending will and determination to be independent and do everything that all of the other kids are doing. Camden now has the muscle strength and correct motor patterns to match his heart and courage, now we just need to get his brain to answer the phone.

So you see Camden had his wings all along, he just needed flying lessons. These lessons would not have been possible were it not for Grandma and Grandpa Kimble's generous investment, Nana and Gramps Bailey's warm hospitality, and emotional and physical support, the tough love of Ms. Tammy and her staff, cool dips in the Rosenberg's pool, and the never-ending flow of thoughts and prayers from the Camden fan club(which is greatly expanded).

I didn't think it was possible for me to love Camden any more, but after witnessing his bravery and courage through tear-soaked cheeks, I find myself humbled by my little 2 and a half foot hero. We have to remind ourselves that all of these blessings were the work of God and the result of something we have been praying about for a very long time. We have a renewed awareness of the power of prayer and the vast grace, love and faithfulness of our God.

So stay tuned as his journey continues next week with vital-stim therapy and a feeding tube consultation. God has great things in store for our champ and is by no means finished with him yet! Thanks for being a part of the "climb."

Grandkimble's Day - Day 14

Today was a very special day as Grandma and Grandpa Kimble (Becky's parents) came by to see our big scooter in action. They arrived just after 9 and Camden was already suited up and ready to show off his stuff. The first drills he did for the crowd was his sit to stands and then concluded with some push ups on the bouncy pod. Mom and Dad Kimble were impressed with Camden's physical efforts and also noticed something about his mental efforts that I have forgotten to mention. They felt he has improved his comprehension and listening skills and were amazed at how as soon as Ms. Tammy would ask him to sit or bend his knees that he would complete the desired action. Ms. Tammy would also say things like "Camden, where should your hands be?" and he would immediately put them in the correct position(of course immediately for Camden comes with a few seconds delay, thanks FCC).

Mom and Pop Kimble did manage to hear a few screams for help during the walking drills, but were good about holding off their rescues. Grandpa did a wonderful job of helping to motivate Camden to keep going and was rewarded with a bunch of laughs and smiles. They had to eventually leave after a couple of hours but were able to see Camden standing against the wall by himself(see pictures). It just really makes you believe in what he is capable of once his brain gets the right message. I don't know how the Kimbles escaped without a trial run in the adult "terror"suit, but it was sure nice having them here today, thank you for everything. Camden may not like it now, but he will never forget the wonderful gift of love you gave him.

Camden ended his second to last day with some side roll to sits followed by some good ole lovin' from Dad. I can't believe that tomorrow is the last day but it will be nice to get back to our normal, boring, routine. The last sesssion should involve a final review to chart Camden's strengths and weaknesses. This will be followed by some much needed lessons for Mom and Dad to take back to Jacksonville. Thanks to all that our keeping this prayer train going. ONE MORE DAY LEFT!! GO CAMDEN, GO!

Wednesday the 13th - Day 13

I must admit that I am a very superstitious person. I have specific routines I carry out on FSU gamedays,from where to sit on the couch, to what direction the beer label should face the TV, all the way down to what lucky boxers to wear, each changing with a loss or staying exactly the same with a win. For the Orioles I have to wear my hat at a certain angle and I have to avoid all beer made from New York during baseball season and all beer made from Pennsylvania during football season (Boo Steelers!), and of course all orange and blue M&M's are discarded from the pack. Thanks to 12 straight losing seasons by the Orioles and mediocre play by FSU football, I have been able to break myself of some of these crazy superstitions, not to mention save money from not having to continually buy new lucky shirts or remotes.

One thing I am still a little superstitious about is the number 13, so it came as no suprise to me when I went to write today's entry that it was Camden's 13th day. Besides him not wanting to eat his favorite cereal, the day started out well enough and he appeared in good spirits. Once we arrived at the clinic he just seemed to lack any energy and was fighting poor Ms. Tammy on everything. I missed a lot of the late morning session due to a wonderful lunch meeting(more details in a later post after Camden's therapy is over). When I arrived back to pick Camden up he was crying in Ms. Tammy's arms and had that same tired look from Day 2.

Ms. Tammy said that he might of been sore from all his walking yesterday but that he did do some positive reciprocal crawling in the frog swing. The time change might have also effected him since he normally gets a 20 hour break between sessions but only had a 16 hour break today due to yesterday's later start time. I would like to think that he is just saving up his energy and strong work ethic for when Grandma and Grandpa Kimble come by to watch tomorrow's session. They are Camden's primary investors for the suit therapy, besides being his loving grandparents, and we are so exctied for them to come see SuperCam in action. Thanks again for everyone who is praying and cheering Camden on, only 2 more days to go until graduation!

38 Steps in the Right Direction - Day 12

Today was off our normal routine a bit as we didn't start therapy until 1:30. I woke Camden up early this morning so that he would have plenty of time to take a nap and eat lunch before beginning his workout at Ms. Tammy's gym. It seemed like Camden liked the later start time because he was full of smiles and energy, Dad on the other hand was wiped out!

The big news from today was that he took 38 reciprocal steps in the therasuit with Ms. Tammy only holding his waist. I know this may not sound like a big deal since we have all seen Camden take his graceful Clydesdale marching steps, but the most he was able to do in the suit prior to today without a full fledged meltdown was between 15-20. The suit adds extra stress and resistance since he has tight bands running from his waist to his knees to his shoes. This means Camden has to work 5x's as hard, hence his hulkanian calves and quads and renewed confidence that he can do it!

Camden performed some new weight bearing and functional balance exercises with "Bert" and in the monkey cage. He loved working on "Bert" but was not such a fan of the balance form (see pictures above). Nana and Gramps Bailey came by to watch the last half-hour of therapy and came away very impressed with Ms. Tammy and with Camden's progress. It has been so nice being able to stay with my parents and I don't know what I would have done without their hospitality, emotional support, and never-ending assistance. I love you guys! Thanks again to everyone else for your prayers and support. Just 3 more days to go!

Welcome to the Gun Show - Day 11

Camden and I had a very relaxing weekend and were so happy to finally see Mommy again. We rewarded Camden for his hard work with a dip in the pool on Saturday and some mouseplay at Chuck E Cheese on Sunday. Nana made some wonderful home cooking and Edie Xanders, along with her darling twin daughters and her mother Kate, dropped by on Saturday with a very special FSU colored bear and shawl that Ms. Holman's church had specifically made and blessed for Camden. The sermon on Sunday dealt with the message of courage and strength through tough times and it made me smile to thank how much God has truly blessed us with Camden.

All of the prayers and support seem to be paying off as Camden didn't miss a beat on his final Monday of therapy. He continues to show progress with his upper body control and motor movements, but the one thing that really stands out to Becky and I is how strong he has become. His calves and biceps are noticeably larger and tighter and now we are just waiting for him to rip his clothes and turn green. All of this new strength is helping him to get into new positions and stay in them for longer periods of time. Now all we need is for his brain to remember how he got there.

The rest of the day was filled with his normal routines and exercises with some longer reps included. He did try one new drill in the frog swing. Basically this is a swing that extends almost all of the way to the ground and Camden must lie in it on his stomach and push off with his hands and knees to travel forward. He did excellent with this exercise despite all of the grunts and moans, which we have decided will one day make him an excellent tennis player. Tomorrow's session will be from 1:30 - 5:30 due to some scheduling conflicts and we are hopeful the later time will help with his energy levels. 4 more days to go but I think I am really going to miss this place, Camden, of course, would disagree.

What a difference a prayer makes

Below are two different short video clips of Camden doing the "sit to stand" exercise in the Therasuit. The first video is from Monday and the second video is from yesterday. It is amazing to see the progress he had made in just 4 days. In the second video you may be able to tell that he is having to stand from a much lower stool. We are so proud of you Camden and thank you so much Mom and Pop Kimble and Ms. Tammy!