elegs, Day One!

Jason tried out the elegs today for the first time, and it was so incredible!  He spent a good bit of the session just getting measured and fitted into the braces (a good hour or so on this alone), but then he was up and walking.  It took him a few steps to get the hang of it all, but, by the end of the session, he was doing really great...actually asking the PT folks to move faster, because they were going too slowly for him :)  We got to meet a few of the people from Ekso Bionics, who were supervising (the PTs at Santa Clara Valley Medical were being trained on how to use the device), and they told me to make sure that Jason gives them all of his info before the end of the week, because they'd like to use him in future R&D!

I can't begin to describe how amazing it was to see Jason up and walking.  I didn't cry (mainly because he had been up walking, sans braces, at SCI-FIT over the weekend....that led to a complete meltdown...for me and the trainer he was working with), so I think I was prepared to see him up walking today.  He took 112 steps (and, no, I didn't count that myself...they told us that at the end)....those are 112 steps that have been hard won. J's brother Nicholas is here with us this week, and he commented afterwards that Jason was taking small steps, but I have to disagree.  I thought they were some pretty huge strides.  So, without further ado, here are the photos and videos from this morning....

Getting strapped in

Early Steps

Walking with More Confidence!

I'll try to add more videos from Thursday, but I think he's looking great :)

Love you all,

Ashley