Lydia now has a bed that has netting all around it, with metre high sides, so that she cannot fall out, or flail part of her body out of bed. This bed will keep her safe while she moves around. Today, her Physio therapist had her on a tilt table, to begin to have her experience the sensation of standing and weight bearing. The table was kept at about a 135 degree angle, enough to have Lydia feel a bit of weight on her feet. She handled this for about 15 minutes before tiring. The goal this week, is to do this regularly, to help lengthen Lydia's calf muscles, before her next round of casts. Her casts were removed yesterday, and bi valves put in them so that they can be taken off and put back on again. On the the tilt table, her casts are removed. It was neat to see Lydia almost upright.
See I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up, do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.
Two months ago today, everything changed. Sometimes in the day to day, it is hard to see progress, as the journey is so overwhelmingly long. Lydia is relearning everything, and having to work so hard to do it. Today in her speech therapy session, her therapist showed her a picture of a dog and a picture of a bird, then she would ask Lydia to look at the photo of the dog. This small command which seems easy to us, is incredibly difficult for Lydia. It requires great focus and attention to look steadily at one picture, and to know which picture to look at. The speech therapist is also trying to have Lydia learn to squeeze a hand to say "yes", but there has been little consistent responsiveness to this. Our once articulate girl, is quiet and incapable of much communication for now. Emphasis on for now. She will learn. This is were Isaiah 43 comes in. We trust God that He is doing a new thing in Lydia. He is making speech out of silence, and strength from weakness - streams in the wasteland. Do we perceive it? Not always, so we trust. HE IS DOING A NEW THING!
