Six or seven months later

    Amaya has continued to have good nights. I massage her knee or foot to help her fall asleep. She usually  moans a bit during the night, but not enough to wake her up. At therapy yesterday Melissa mentioned that the way Amaya turns her knee and leg can cause pain in her knee. She pointed at the muscle on the inside of her knee, which is where Amaya has been having most of her knee pain. Amaya turns her knee, foot, and leg inward (toward the right) to help her walk. She compensates her inability to bend her knee, and lift her foot easily by turning her leg and knee inward. She now does it almost all of the time, even when she's sitting or laying down. Another thing she's been doing is scratching her pin sites. They get itchy, which Melissa told us is a sign of healing (similar to when a scab that's healing itches). Lately they've been itching her so badly that she's scratching her leg so hard that her scabs are bleeding. Its sad and frustrating. On one hand you don't want her to be uncomfortable, yet you wish she wouldn't scratch or turn her leg because you know its only causes more problems. But I don't want to scold or punish her, because its really not her fault, she's only trying to make things easier for herself, I can't really blame her, she's already got a lot she's dealing with. It's sad because I wish she didn't have to deal with any discomforts. In all of it were pretty powerless which causes more frustration. I try to remind her to keep her leg straight, not turn her knee, to not scratch, but it's hard to do that without nagging at her. Ugh, its not easy parenting is it? Especially when you throw in all these extra issues.
   When I picked up Amaya from school yesterday she was out at recess playing. She was so busy playing with friends she didn't notice me for a few minutes. It was nice to see her up, playing, and having fun with friends. She said that earlier at P.E she played a tag game and batted. She said she hit two hard hits and she loved how she made the bat "crack." I was a bit concerned about the tag game, but she said the class was only allowed to touch her softly. I worry about her getting knocked over (kids don't realize how easy it is for her to fall), but I don't want to shelter or exclude her. Her P.E teacher does a great job of helping her and Amaya is pretty good at knowing what's too much for her body to handle. But I can't help worrying, just a little.

Amaya started by stepping over cones and gum drops. Lidie loves setting them up and walking over them too.

Here's some video of the girls stepping over. The cones were more difficult for Amaya than the gum drops because of how tall they are (about six inches). Its hard her her to bend her knee that much and to step with her heel first.

Next Amaya worked on the total gym machine and did some knee bends then she used this machine (I keep forgetting to ask what its called). She walked forward and backward. She did it about ten times and did a good job.

Amaya climbed up and down the ladder three times. 

Then Amaya did one of her favorite things, bowl with the scooter.

Next Amaya sat in a stretch and threw some balls.

      Before bends Melissa stretched her knee one last time by having Amaya lay on her tummy. To distract her Melissa had Amaya throw thirty balls at Savannah Rose (the picture on the wall). Then she started her bends. Her knee was at fifty one degrees to start. She go tup to eighty degrees in less than a minute! She was doing so great, but then she started crying and saying that she couldn't do anymore. Melissa had to work hard to keep her focused, motivated and going. In about three and a half minutes she was able to get to ninety four degrees! That's great, but I wonder what she could have done had she had a better attitude. After six months its a challenge to keep her motived (at times).  

    Today is September sixth, and Amaya's surgery was on March sixth, but I can't remember or count if its been six or seven months. That just shows you where my heads at. Its been such a crazy time, but at this point we're more than half way done. Ah (that's a sigh of relief).

After her bends Amaya asked if she could swing into the ball pit. Melissa agreed. Amaya was going to hold her legs up, but she wan't able to do it. Thankfully Melissa was there spotting her and was able to lift her legs up for her. Ah, never a dull moment.