Day 13: Follow-up: Act II

After a comfortable rest at Casa Myrna, we made our way over to Adisa Jocotán at 8:00. We met with each family that came to follow-up in phases. First, the parents would meet with Sergio and a few Adisa physical therapists who were learning how to apply our standardized follow-up forms. Next, they met with Riley and Emory who taught a second group of physical therapists how to properly place and remove a child into and from the standing frame, emphasizing certain things like unfolding the stander so that it lays flat on the ground. Afterward, Emily and Thomas conducted a few short interviews to find out what the stander has meant for each family and how it has improved their child’s daily life.

The last patient we saw today was Alan, who received one of our standing frames about two years ago when Scott, Riley, and Emily traveled to his home. Emily and Thomas interviewed Alan's mother after checking up on his stander, and she demonstrated her deepest gratitude for the change our frame has affected in her family’s daily life. While Alan hasn’t improved as much as other patients due to his specific condition, the frame has relieved his family of a lot of stress. With the frame, Alan is able to comfortably be on his own for more than just a few minutes, providing much-needed respite for his hard-working mother. Before the frame, in order to keep an eye on Alan, she rarely was able to leave the house, but now she’s able to leave him with his favorite toys, especially his radio, and take the time she needs to herself as his caretaker. Alan's most notable improvement, in fact, is his ability to handle objects. He now has several favorite toys and is more attentive, specifically when listening to his favorite songs on the radio.

After a long morning meeting with patients, we took a swim in some springs to relax. The team, including Sergio and Eric, unwound in the natural hot springs before heading back to Casa Myrna for dinner and rest.