Now I Can

So something we have been doing together here in Provo is volunteering at a place called Now I Can. It is a physical therapy center that does intensive three week sessions. We have really been enjoying out time there and being able to watch the kids we work with and progress. In this we will go through a little bit of each kids story and a little about some of the things we have learned from being there already. First though, here is a bit from the website http://www.nowican.org/,  Talking about how it got started and a little more about the goal of the foundation.

"Hello —— we are Joel and Tracey Christensen, the founders of Now I Can. Our oldest child, Colby Anne, was born with Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy. We know what it’s like to have the hope and excitement of childbirth change in a moment to fear and despair because of a traumatic birth and the uncertainty of what the future will hold.
During the first four years of our beautiful daughter’s life our routine involved early intervention, as well as traditional PT, OT and speech. After years of doing this, we decided one hour a week of physical therapy was not enough for our little girl. She just wasn’t making the progress we felt she could make. So, in 2005, we took our then four year-old daughter to Poland for a month of intensive physical therapy. Colby exercised for 4 hours a day five days a week and made incredible progress. She would say “Now I Can” use “righty” better!
We were thrilled to have found the Intensive Model of Therapy, and the benefits of an orthotic suit. But, we were not prepared to continue making trips to Poland! We resolved to bring intensive suit therapy to the Intermountain West so that our family and other could enjoy more favorable conditions in which to experience the most effective therapy around.
Through hard work, the generosity of family, friends, and strangers — and divine providence — Now I Can opened its doors to children from all over the United States. Polish therapists helped us introduce the Intensive Model of Therapy and Suit therapy to Utah and surrounding areas.
Now I Can's excellent team works tirelessly and lovingly with each child to help them reach their greatest potential. Our family has experienced a lot of joy as we’ve been blessed to get to know many wonderful families and some precious, dedicated children! These kids work hard — and they are reaching their goals."

Joel and Tracey Christensen

One of the first kids that we had the opportunity to work with is named Noah. Noah has cerebral palsy and was born with it. He is a very excited little boy and enjoys the same things as other 4 year olds. Playing with cars and all kinds of other cool toys. He very much is normal in every way, except he has to use a walker to get around. Because of his condition he is unable to walk with out it. The goal for him though is to get him to be independent from the walker. Noah came in for a three week session a few months back. Most of the kids come once or twice a year, this allows there body to learn new things in the three week period and then have a few months to practice and keep developing the new things. In the time that we saw Noah he had a huge rate of progression. The first week was a lot of stretching and strength building. Using a Neuro suit, which helps to simulate the muscles by a system of little bungees, he began to gain muscle memory and the necessary reflexes to walk. One of the last days that we were there with him, we saw the progress that he made first hand. He was able to take a few steps by himself. We both felt a great excitement in seeing him accomplish what he wanted to do. Something that we at times take for granted in being able to walk by ourselves, he was now able to start doing. Being around Noah was a great experience as we laughed with him, helped him through his pain and were able to experience the joy that he was feeling.

Linlea and Nichole Helping Noah walk in the neuro suit.

Another little girl that we have had the chance to work with was Elodie. She is three years old and is a handful. Not in a bad way she is just a very strongwilled and motivated girl. She has Spina Bifida and is unable to walk on her own. When she first came she had no feeling in her a lower back and little to no strength in her legs. Since she has spent so much time on crutches she has a very strong upper body, but a weaker lower half. Elodie loves princesses so Heath learned all about them. He read Snow White many times, while singing songs Like Under the Sea and A Whole New World. Heath had worked with her earlier in the week. When Linlea went, Sergio (one of the therepists) asked Elodie if she remembered Heath. She said yeah with a big grin. Then he asked do you like him? She said ya with an even bigger grin on her face. Linlea told her that Heath was her husband, and Sergio said ohh your in trouble. She got really shy and was shy around Heath the next time she saw him. As she kept coming she began to get a lot stronger and was able to start walking on her crtuches some. Using something called kinesio tape, the therapists are able to reduce pain as well as isolate muscles to help them move correctly. The first time the tape had been on for about a week and then removed, Elodie did not feel a thing. The second time the tape was removed Elodie began to cry and Sergio begin to smile. Why would he be happy that she was crying? Because she had feeling in her lower back for the first time.

 On one of the last days Elodie was there Linlea was working with her and Elodie was standing up. Elodie then said "Look, I'm standing like a princess." Little moments like that are what makes all of this worth while. 

We have been working with many other children and will have many new stories to come in the future.