Heath started boot camp Monday, at the age of 22 months. He's spending two hours a day pumping iron and doing physical workouts more demanding than he's ever experienced -- and tougher than most kids his age have ever done -- followed by more hard work at home. Here's a video of him working his glutes, hip extensors, and lower back with his physical therapy coach (and new man-crush), Hunter.
He's pushing his legs down against 2 kilos of weight there -- not bad for a such a little tush! He is also working hard on his hip abductors (swinging his legs out to the side) to build strong stabilizers for walking and standing. It helps that his desire to impress Hunter is tremendous -- he looks longingly after him whenever he leaves the room and yells out "Hi!" to get his attention when he's busy with other kids. After we go home he talks all day about "Hun'ner! Walk-walk!" to anyone who will listen.
Hunter and his partner Amy at Rehab Without Walls, are trained in a type of intensive therapy developed in Poland. Some of the research on the value of this approach, using high-intensity therapy and strength training (as well as a special suit full of resistance bands, which Heath is too small for) is found here.
So how is Heath holding up to the challenge? Amazingly well, thanks to his drive, good humor, and motivation to get on his feet. He knows he is there to learn to walk, and over the past two days he has begun to absorb the concept that walking takes muscles, those muscles have to be strong, and doing crazy exercises gives people strong muscles. Peanut demonstrated the value of big muscles tonight at dinner by showing off his biceps and lifting up the dining table. I hit the floor and did seven push-ups before collapsing in a heap. Heath was suitably horrified yet impressed at these displays of intense effort, which are becoming personally familiar to him in a big way. Here he is digging deep as he "flies" in a harness in prone position, struggling to bear weight on his exhausted arms.
It's not easy to watch the little guy reach his limits and crumble. But he doesn't stay down for long.
"Are you tired?"
(Through tears) "Yeah!"
"Are you upset?"
"Yeah."
"Are you OK?"
(Nods.)
"Do you want to walk?"
"Yeah."
"Are you strong?"
"Yeah."
"Do you want to play with Mr. Potato Head?"
(Big smile.) "Yeah!"
Heath does have a clear understanding of why we're there, and the moments of strain and upset are brief compared to the thrill of reaching a goal. Here he is making some of his most successful crawling efforts yet.
It's going to be very exciting to see what Heath is able to achieve by February 4, our last day of therapy. Hunter predicts that by the end of this week, Heath will be bone-tired and in mental disarray, as his neural networks and musculature adjust to the great strain they have been put under. Next week he'll get his second wind, and during the third week he will be propelled by the excitement of feeling himself become stronger and more physically capable. What an amazing process! I have great respect for the team at Rehab Without Walls, who have to push kids to their physical limits every day to help them gain maximum independence. It reminds me a bit of the rigors of the intensive weaning process, and my gut tells me it is just right for Heath at this point in time. His body and mind are engaged and judging from his non-stop monologue about "Hun'ner", he is on board for the ride!
In preparation for intensive therapy, we've been pushing Heath to build up his endurance by walking to the end of our block and back, using Walking Wings every day. At first it was very hard for him, and we were resting every five steps on the way back. Now, it is a quick and steady ten minute trip!
As I know from my own efforts to do a single pull-up a few years back, it can feel incredibly defeating to just hang there. But by jumping up and letting myself down slowly, I eventually learned to do one, then one more and one more. After a few months, I could pull off a decent GI Jane imitation. Who knows, maybe once Heath is on his feet, I'll even hit the pull-up bar again. He is truly inspiring me with his resilience and ability to bounce back from "Oh, crap!" to "I DID IT!"
(That's Heath sitting on a hot pad to soothe his sore caboose!!)
In other news, we are packing up the house and I'm flying to Missoula this week to look at possible houses to rent. If all goes well, we'll be crossing the pass in a rented U-Haul just after Heath finishes intensive therapy. Yee-haw!
Thanks for keeping Heath in your thoughts over the next three weeks! I'll be sure to update as he goes...
he's one amazing little guy. it inspires me to do something about MY caboose... maybe i need to find a mancrush? :-)
GO heath!!! we are already whooping it up on your behalf, you STRONG boy!
Posted by: Olga and the Zs | January 18, 2011 at 09:12 PM
Heath amazes me every time you write :)thanhk you for the updates I am so happy for all you guys and can't wait to hear the news he is walking.
Posted by: melissa aka equidae | January 19, 2011 at 03:50 AM
You GO our sweet Buddy - nobody is braver or stronger and we'll be praying every day for your endurance and strong spirit. We are so immensely proud of you. Great Job Heath and Mom and Dad! loves, grandma and grandpa
Posted by: Grandpa and Grandma M | January 19, 2011 at 05:31 PM
WOW! Truly an inspiring big guy! KEEP IT UP!
Posted by: Mandy | January 20, 2011 at 08:26 AM
what a trooper! keep going, heath!
Posted by: sarah | January 20, 2011 at 09:00 AM
I love reading about the techniques that Heath is using to become stronger...as well as reading that Ryan lifted the dining room table to demonstrate the importance of strong muscles. haha. Your push ups story reminds me of my push up progress with Body for Life! GO Heath!!
Posted by: Liz H. | January 30, 2011 at 07:52 AM