Thursday, October 13, 2011

Riley Met A Goal!

"Riley met a goal!" Miss Emily announced when we arrived for Physical Therapy at All Children's Monday afternoon.  Now this is a statement that I am rather unfamiliar with hearing. 

Every movement Riley makes takes incredible effort.  In the past year, John and I have marveled at his new skill: Riley at the age of eight learned to lift his left arm up to his face and with the back of his wrist rub his own eyes.  Now, depending on your experiences this is either the one of the saddest skills you have ever heard or you are at this moment incredibly jealous that my child can now rub his own eyes when they itch.  What is life like if you cannot do this for yourself.

If you can relate to this being an amazing milestone, you understand the difficulty of meeting therapy goals in order to qualify to keep therapy.  Our goal will not keep us in therapy.  But our goal does show that Riley is working and working hard to improve his abilities.

Are you ready?  Here it is.  While maintaining a weight bearing position on his elbows, Riley held is head up without help for 10 seconds.  10 Seconds!  It's a beautiful moment to see my child improve and become stronger.

Next, we get to maintain this ability.  So much work to do.

To do all he does, Riley is Superman.



We are all special... by Stacie Wiesenbaugh

Today's Inspirational Post is at kidz - I Know Different.  Please check it out.

Please visit my fellow blogger at It's Just Life for Comments for A Cause for October
  • For every comment on any post during October I will donate 50 cents to UNICEF!

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Riley has given so much to me in more ways then I can count. He's taught me more lessons then I could ever read in books or from a collection of clever sayings. His innocence is a rare and precious treasure cherished in the most intimate core of our being.

Jackie said...

Wow!
I take for granted the ease my typically developing children accomplish tasks, but reading about your son today, made me especially grateful.
As for Riley, good for him! Bravo Riley, keep it up (and mama & daddy too!)

Unknown said...

k

Unknown said...

don't know how the k got published...not enought coffee i guess.

I applaud Riley's accomplishment......he teaches me daily about the tenacity of hard work, not giving up and keeping on....your sharing allows all of us to learn from his Spirit....thanks.

Anonymous said...

I found your site through The Lightning Bug and I'm already hooked for two reasons. First, my eight year old daughter has Asperger's Syndrome. I don't share the same struggles as you do. In fact, I'm lucky. Asperger's has only had a minimal impact on Caroline's life, and therapy has given her the skills whose absence would have hurt her. But I can identify strongly with that moment of therapy success, of realizing your child can do something new, something that was previously impossible.

I also grew up visiting my grandparents in Bonita Springs, and I COMPLETELY envy you living that close to my favorite beaches. I want to walk around the point at Lover's Key every week of my life, and I want my grandmother to be alive again so she can walk with me.

May said...

I wish for Riley an an unfatigable spirit...but I think he is way ahead of me!

Jenna said...

beautiful post to link up about success, and congratulations on Riley's new skill!!

Katie @ Chicken Noodle Gravy said...

Way to go, Riley! It's these kinds of successes that make up our lives...and no matter how small they may seem to others, they are the ones that count, the ones that keep us fighting towards that next goal.

Thanks for sharing!