March 6, 2011

Hi Everyone!

Sydney is doing so well! She walks without canes and looks great! She can also climb stairs without handrails! She still wears an AFO on her right foot, but she continues to get more function in her right foot and leg. She is still going to Physical Therapy once a week, which is very helpful, as Jason gives her tips on making her walking look more natural, how to turn, helps her strengthen, etc.

Great news - Sydney got into BYU! She is so excited! Her current plan is to pursue the Nursing program and then try to get into a Physical Therapy graduate program. (Yes, she has been inspired by her great nurses and therapists at the hospital!) We went to the Provo campus on Saturday to check out the housing, and Sydney is thinking of staying in Helaman Halls her first year. See the video above to see Sydney walking around campus.

What an exciting time in a young woman's life!

January 2011

Hi everyone! It is time to update you on what is happening with Sydney. She is doing so well! She is back to her regular teen-age life now!

Personal Life Update

Sydney started back to school January 18^th for 3^rd term. She was so excited to be back at school! It was so nice to see all of her friends and to attend her classes! Sydney loves school, so she was very happy to be able to attend AP Lit and listen to Woolsey, finally go to early morning seminary again, go to her EMT class, hear her Calculus and Chemistry lectures first-hand (easier to understand when you hear the lecture), and see all of her friends in Productions! (Musical Theater) She is also taking Digital Photography this semester, which she is excited about. Sydney’s friend Makenzie really helped her out the first day by picking her up at each class to carry her books for her. Sydney took a break from her Physical Therapy the first week at school so she could adjust to her new schedule. She got along fine with all the walking to her classes. We can tell she isn’t used to being on her feet this much and in her brace for so long, as her right foot has been very swollen; but she is not complaining!

As if going back to school on Tuesday is not eventful enough, Sydney asked a boy to Preference on Wednesday! Friday night we bought her a dress, and Saturday the 22^nd, after her “day date”, she spent 2 hours on the dance floor in 3” heels! (See picture) This was a great week for Sydney! She has been full of smiles!

Speaking of fun dates, she went ice skating with Daniel! (See picture) He was a gentleman and held her up, and she had a great time! In Productions, she participated in “Fear Factor”, where she ate (yes chewed and swallowed) a habanero pepper, retrieved 14 sticky notes from the bottom of a box filled with “creepy crawly things”, and held a snake! She is brave!

Like all of her Senior friends, Sydney has been applying to colleges. She applied to UVU, Utah State, and BYU. She has been accepted at both Utah State and UVU with scholarships, but is still waiting to hear back from BYU (her #1 choice). We are proud of Sydney for qualifying for the Exemplary Regents Scholarship as well, which means that her hard work to get good grades and a good ACT score has paid off! From her experience in the hospital, Sydney wants to pursue an education to become either a Physical Therapist or a Nurse Practitioner.

As a final personal update, Sydney told me she is planning to go on the Pioneer Trek this summer! She is ambitious!

Recovery Update

When Sydney was in the hospital, she dropped her AP Psychology class, so she now has a “free” period every other day at school. The principal and the PE teacher have been kind enough to allow her to do her exercise routine at school during this free period – which is very helpful! The first day working out at school she had a breakthrough: she was able to get up off the ground by herself! She has not been strong enough to do this until now! We are very excited, as when she goes to college in the Fall, we have been a bit worried that if she is walking home alone and falls, she would not be able to get up. Now she can! She has had 2 other breakthroughs this week as well: she can sit cross-legged (which is a dramatic improvement in flexibility!), and she climbed the stairs without support! (She didn’t use a cane or the stair banister. This is all very encouraging, as it shows she is continuing to gain nerve function and muscle strength. Another big milestone is she is now off all pain meds! She has been on Tylenol for a while, but finally cut the cord!

When Sydney went to physical therapy this week, Jason put her in a harness and on a treadmill, turned up the speed, and she went jogging! What a thrill! She buckled after a few minutes, but now she has a new goal in mind of being able to jog!

We are proud of Sydney for her hard work and positive attitude, and we are so grateful that she is continuing to be blessed in her recovery. It is so rewarding to see her get back into her normal routine of school, fun activities, and friends. Thank you all for asking about her, being concerned about her, praying for her and sharing your love, friendship and service.