Second Big Snow and SKIING!

Happy February everyone!

We have had a busy month.  Lots of school work, Valentine-making, and crazy winter weather.  LOTS of snow--and snow days off school!

This snow was perfect for making snowmen!

Three snowmen, actually

Elena was moving pretty well in the snow.  We left her crutches inside, and she walked around with a hand, or by herself (which was pretty impressive, as we got around 16 inches of snow in total).

E got to go on a fancy ride!

Knee Deep

We even let the girls stay up late one night...to go night sledding at the neighbor's house!  This was a big deal.  School was cancelled for the next day.  Even when our girls can stay up late, they don't stay up too late past bedtime--E really needs her rest or she is a complete grouch.  Neither girl sleeps in late very well.  Anyway, the night sledding was beyond great--Elena would get up from her sled and walk back up the neighbor's steep driveway BY HERSELF for the next run.  It was AWESOME.

The snow couldn't have come at a better time.  We had planned a skiing day for the following weekend!  We set up a ski day with Therapeutic Adventures.  Elena hadn't been skiing for two years--and then, Vivian was too small.  This time, all of us got out there.

Elena started off four-track; skis on her feet, and skis on forearm crutches.  She had a facilitator, Jake, who was very patient.  Besides the four-track, Elena had a chest harness (to grab for leverage) and a "trombone", a sizeable metal apparatus that prevents skis from crossing (worn at the toe tips).

Four-Track; crutch skis are flipped up here

Last time E skied four-track, she was between a facilitator's legs, basically being held up.  This time, she was on her own, with a facilitator at the ready to support her via the chest harness.

It was a disaster.

There were two large inhibitory factors; one, Elena's left-side weight bearing meant she rode the right ski edge; and two, the trombone kept getting buried in the snow, causing her skis to get caught and turn around (as a unit, since they were bolted together by the trombone).  It took thirty minutes for E to get down the hill.  She had a full-on meltdown.  Jake handled it as well as he could--this experience was new for everyone, and no one expected it to start off so poorly!  Vivian and I tried to help as best as we could.  We left the crutch skis on the hill, and Jake supported her down the hill between his skis.  Halfway down he also took off the trombone.   I hugged Elena, took off her skis, and took her inside to regroup.

E calmed down quickly.  I told her that this was a work in progress--and sometimes things don't work out the first time.  We ate an early lunch, and then I talked to Jake.

I asked that E get less support--she tends to lean into any support she's given.  Since she needed to really push through her legs, I told him to support them the least.  I also gave him a few voice cues, and we all decided E would use a pole--I had been using one with Vivian, and it was working quite well.  I didn't think it would be successful with E and just one other person--but with a helper on each side, maybe.

E had a positive attitude when we went out the second time.

Pole Skier!

Second time's the charm!  E was fantastic!  Jake and Avery (pictured above) helped E ski down four times in a row (two was the most she had previously ever done sequentially)!  She had no other help besides the pole (no trombone, no tether, just the pole).  She did wear her harness, and they did use it when she got tired (after the fourth run).  We went inside for our second break!

Viv and I are the upright twosome here

Someone likes it!

After our second break, we tried to go out again, one last time.  By then, the sun had gone down and it was noticeably colder, especially on the lift.  It was also much more crowded, so there was a long wait time standing in line.  Elena made it halfway down the hill and said she was done.  She got a carry down the slopes and we started to head home.  Vivian was done too.

Overall, this was a great experience.  Elena's progress was HUGE.  I don't think she realized how much less support she got this time than she got two years ago.  And if all we need is another skier and a pole?  WE COULD GO ANY TIME WE WANTED.  We wouldn't necessarily need adaptive ski staff.  We LOVE Therapeutic Adventures--they are wonderful with our family, and are so patient, kind, and positive.  I just didn't imagine a ski trip without them.  But now, I actually can.  Isn't that GREAT?!

Huge thanks to the Therapeutic Adventure Team--Mark, Avery, Sean, and especially Jake.  Their patience and encouragement is astounding!  

The Ski Doodle

This past weekend we all went to Massanutten in Harrisonburg, VA. Elena went adaptive skiing--this was a new experience for all of us, as none of us were really sure what to expect.

E had been super excited all week--to the point of exhausting herself. She'd also been sick all last week, so her energy/patience/stamina were down...I was a little worried about our trip. But--everyone had a GREAT time!

Snow girls


Waiting for Skis/boots


We were referred to this resort b/c the ski instructor was the husband of one of our "subsitute" PTs. Mr. Mark was AWESOME! He was very encouraging to Elena, and she immediately took to him.

E and Mr. Mark on the way to the lift


Mr. Mark helped Elena ski, having her be as independent (and successful) as possible. She would stand up as best she could--Mark having her bear weight as long as she was in control of her body. E is a "four-track" skier; she has "outriggers", which are like lofstrand crutches with runners on the bottom--and a pick on the back (as a brake) in addition to her skis. She also had something called a "trombone" on her skis--a bracket attachment to allow her skis to slide, but preventing them from coming too far apart or crossing over one another. Note she can stand up on skis when stationary. She also skied independently (under close supervision) for a few feet (less than 10 feet, I think) which was really fantastic (I didn't get to see it; it was on the flat part at the top of the hill).

E made it to the bottom of the bunny hill!


On the lift to the bigger hill! I thought she would be scared of the lift...it is kind of monstrous. She loved it. She said she wasn't scared at all!


E goes down the bigger hill. This is a long video--taken about halfway through the hill, where she nearly fell over. It's a pretty long ride!


E went down 3-4 times on Saturday. Mr. Mark said that was pretty age-appropriate, regardless of ability. We all went to the condo, ate lunch, and napped. E was worn out.

The next day was the Independence Cup--a Race Day for anyone who had completed an adaptive skiing program. We just happened to be lucky with our choice of weekend; Elena was very excited to race! It was wonderful to see the other skiers--some in wheelchairs, some were blind skiers; we even saw some familiar faces from our therapy center. Elena was the youngest skier at The Cup; she was also the smallest. Undaunted, she was psyched and loved the encouraging crowd!

As a bonus--Mr. Mark brought little skis for Vivian, whose only desire was to go on the ski lift with the big kids. While that was a no-go, she did get to wear her skis and was VERY proud of herself!

Just Like Sissy




Getting ready for the race!


Here is one of E's timed runs--they are moving pretty darn fast! Check out E's grin at the end--she is LOVING IT!


At the end of E's races, Viv was out of patience--so we headed home before the awards ceremony. We were sad to miss it. Mr. Mark said he had a medal for Elena--E is so proud of herself! I'll get a picture and post it.

Overall, a great weekend--a wonderful resort, a great occasion, and amazing instruction and staff. We'll definitely be back!