Montreal - Day 1

Mike and Abby have arrived safe and sound:) It was a long drive..8 hours including stops..but they made it in one piece. Abby is thrilled at the prospect of staying in a hotel and even better that it has a pool:)

Today was the first day of therapy. It was a double evening session from 6:00 until 7:30. In hindsight...way too long and way too late. However we did not have much of a choice and wanted to get the most of our 2 weeks in Montreal.

There certainly were a lot of tears but through the tears Abby did a great job. She demonstrated her skills from squat to stand, kneel to stand, aerial sitting and walking at ankles. Everything was done by Ramon only holding on to her ankles!!

He was great!! A powerhouse of a therapist with a great sense of each child and their abilities. He was amazed that she was not already standing independently given her strength and her movement.

At one point, through the tears, Abby took her own first step towards Mike..unassisted!!! Amazing!!! Now to get the other foot in place:)

It was very clear that she has the ability. She just needs the challenge and probably above all else the maturity to see what we are working towards.

A solid first day. Now for a well needed rest and back at it tomorrow at 8:00am.

Well done Abs:)

WE did it!

Never in our wildest dreams did we actually believe that it was possible. In one night, with an amazing group of family and friends, we raised $21,853 to begin the journey of a lifetime.

Abigale was born on July 5th, 2005. She was born with a neuromuscular condition that affects her balance and ability to stand and walk independently. Every ounce of her little body has the will to walk. She is determined, fearless and ready to take that BIG step...she just needs an extended hand.

In May 2007 we found what we had been waiting for. Cuevas Medek Exercises created by Ramon Cuevas of Chile. Every child is born with a blueprint for motor development. It is standard. In Abigale's case, that blueprint became clouded and it is the role of CME to challenge the brain and re-ignite the natural balance instincts already present.

We began CME thanks to my uncle, a faithful CFRB 1010 listener, who one day overheard Bill Carroll discussing his daughter and her lack of motor development. They were using CME therapy; and it was working. Immediately we called Blue Balloon Therapy Clinic in Toronto and began a new path for treatment.

It is now June 2010 and Abby has been doing CME for 2 years on a weekly or semi-weekly basis. A window of opportunity has opened and we are jumping in. Abby has been given the unique opportunity to work directly with Ramon Cuevas, the genius behind CME. He sees the potential in children and knows how to expose it. Even after 2 sessions with Ramon in May 2009 we saw what Abby was capable of under his guidance.

We are over the moon excited about our trip to Montreal, QC (where Ramon is visiting to work with children and therapists). Abby will be working with Ramon twice a day for 2 weeks. We can't wait!!! So much so that we have already booked a trip in the Winter of 2010 to travel to Ramon's home in Santiago, Chile.

Our friends and family have made this possible. Never underestimate the generosity of others. Thank-you from the bottom of our hearts.

And the journey begins......