Hi!
Today I have a video for you - my first blog video ever! There are so many people out there who supported us in our Helping Hudson fundraiser and I wanted to show you Hudson in his KidWalk.
But first I want to tell you about how much of a difference it has made to Hudson's life. For starters, he is much happier in the KidWalk than he has ever been in any of the other walkers we trialled or borrowed. Just the fact that he is happy and not frustrated means that he wants to try to walk rather than fight to get out of the walker.
He has a new perspective on life - literally! I took him to a park in the KidWalk and he was able to get right up close to some bushes and see and touch the flowers on them. He hasn't been able to do that previously.
There have even been benefits when he hasn't been in his KidWalk. He is starting to cruise around the furniture, which he wasn't able to do before the KidWalk.
Hudson received his KidWalk at the end of November. At first he was only able to go backwards, but that is normal for kids as it is much easier form them. We took the walker with us on our Christmas holiday so that Hudson could still have time in it. Within about 6 weeks of getting his KidWalk he has started to walk forwards and has even worked out how to move the wheels to get himself unstuck if he backs himself into an obstacle.
Hudson's movement trauma doctor is confident that given time, Hudson will eventually walk on his own. Every step he takes on the way forward I am reminded of the Helping Hudson fundraiser.
I never could have imagined that he would benefit so much, and I can never thank everyone enough for all the love and support you have shown me and my family over the past 6 months. Thank you to everyone who purchased the tutorials or entered the challenges. Thanks to everyone who donated money to the fundraiser, or who sold cards and scraps, or collected donations from their craft ladies. Thank you to the very talented ladies who donated their time and tutorials to the fundraiser.
And finally, a very big thank you to the Helping Hudson team. Christine, Gardenia, Genna, Jo, Nikki and Sue - I am so grateful to everything you have done to help Hudson get his KidWalk. I am still amazed at how much we were able to achieve. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
Thank you all so very much,
Tina, Rob, Alex, Ada and Hudson Gillespie.
Wow Tina. Thanks for posting this. I've got tears streaming down my face and goosebumps on my skin. Devon (5) has just asked to watch the clip four times in a row, then turned to me and said 'Mummy, did you make that boy his chair?'
ReplyDeleteI am so happy for you and your family Tina, it must be a really special time to see Hudson doing so well on his own, and how exciting he gets to experience nature amongst other things for his very self, he will be loving that i am sure. Way to go Hudson!!!!!
ReplyDeleteOh, Tina, this is WONDERFUL!! How Hudson has grown in the past 6 months. He looks like an 'old hand' with his walker now - just look at those little legs go!! There are tears and goosebumps here too!!! Thanks for sharing this; our efforts were just so worthwhile. Christine x
ReplyDeleteThat had me crying happy tears too Tina. I'm very glad to have played a part in making it possible.
ReplyDeleteOh what a wonderful sight. You must be so thrilled to watch Hudson take these steps - thanks so much for sharing the thrill with all of us. Just gorgeous. xx
ReplyDeleteHi Tina,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the goreous card and photo you sent of Hudson in his walker - I was thrilled to bits and moved to tears. I am excited to be able to see Hudson using the very walker we helped fundraise for!! A thrill for me to see a little boy mobile! Take care of you!
This is just brilliant Tina - to see him actually taking steps forward is just amazing after such a short time. There will be no stopping little Hudson now. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteIt is wonderful that Hudson is loving the KidWalk and doing so well Tina. So glad it turned out well for you all and thanks for sharing his progress.
ReplyDeleteSo happy all has turned out for the better for Hudson. He is a gorgeous little boy and he deserves to be happy.
ReplyDeleteI was honoured to help by purchasing ALL the tutorials and I am so glad to be able to of helped in some small way.
Enjoy your walker Hudson!:0)