March 26, 2013

Lightening McQueen arm

Gavin recently got his new Lightening McQueen arm and he is pretty excited about it... KA-CHOW!


He loves the cool picture on it and he especially loves his hockey stick attachment. The attachment is fitted to his hockey stick, allowing him to hold his stick without having to put it under his armpit.

He still has this habit of bending WAY down, which this will hopefully help him with as he gets used to it and improves his balance. He has been practising with it a lot but its a challenge to get a picture of him using it that isn't a complete blur!


He couldn't wait to test it outside. He had a blast taking shots on Daddy the Goalie and its all he wants to do ever since.
Gavin got to test it out on the ice for the first time last Saturday and he did a great job with it. I asked him if he likes playing hockey better with or without his new arm and he said he likes it better WITH his Lightening McQueen arm.

He also got a new "catcher hand", as Gavin calls it. It is made of silicone and is nice because its a bit more flexible and Gavin has been really enjoying playing catch with a good sized ball and using two hands to catch. This is not a great picture but you can see how it looks.


He has been wearing it at school the past few days for short periods of time. We are encouraging him to wear it and continuing to praise him for his efforts! The response from his school friends has been so positive. He is really using it well when he feels like using it and often asking to put it on so he can hold his stick better.

A few days ago Gavin was wearing his arm with the catcher hand and was playing catch with a friend at daycare and the hand just fell off! The teacher was smiling as she told me how they were rolling around on the floor laughing about it and Gavin thought it was so funny! She mentioned how Gavin has such a great attitude about it and I really think the other kids pick up on that and think its kinda cool. His little sister Eden definitely thinks its really cool and tries to put it on and has asked me for her own. But then again, she wants to be just like her big brother and do exactly everything he does.

Over the years Gavin has been fitted with four different prosthetic arms and accumulating quite an interesting little collection. He also has a few different hand attachments. Its so amazing (yet terrifying) to see how much he has grown... The tiny little Nemo arm will forever be my favourite!


He has sure changed a lot from this six month old, chubby little baby, who was just learning to sit up and would soon be learning to crawl. It didn't take long before he was proving to everyone that he would figure everything out as he went and teaching us all a thing or two along the way.

March 16, 2013

Juggling With One Hand

Earlier today we were hanging out, enjoying a lazy Saturday. Gavin came in the room and told me he was trying to juggle. Almost immediately he said, "See, look! This arm is too short!"

He was clearly frustrated. Not having any luck with juggling two balls.

"It doesn't work! See! I hate this arm! I want to shoot this arm!"

...

My heart dropped. He wants to shoot that arm? I felt devastated. I know he didn't mean that, but what a horrible thing to say! I tried to think of something to say to make him feel better but I was too overwhelmed with what he had just said. I think I just told him not to say that and to keep trying and maybe he would figure it out.

Which is true. Because you definitely don't need two hands to juggle!! Google, "Juggling with one hand" and see for yourself!

Tonight at bedtime as he was falling asleep, he quietly asked, "Do you like this arm?"

That was an easy one! I smiled and kissed it and told him, "I love this arm! Do you?" "Yah", he said.

I hope he meant it.