Jimbo's and day three with the new leg!

Hey,
I had to put photographs on the blog of one of Dedan's favourite stores here in Southern Cal..Jimbo's named after the owner who is called Jim..fancy that! Anyway, we agree with Dedan and think it is a pretty special store too, so it's just as well he likes it because that's where we buy most of our food!! He has a current fixation with blueberries and cream and any type of bagel! Don't ask me why..but as an athlete he can eat what he likes. He did hill repeats up Torrey Pines again yesterday morning in the fog...(dang the boy is a sick puppy..as he likes doing them) and so that is more than enough of a reason to eat blueberries and cream !

Dedan and blueberries at Jimbo's:

















Today during his walking lesson...(only day three on the new leg and progressing like a star!), I put his crutches in the rubbish bin/trash as he was going so well that I told him that he wouldn't be needing his crtuches anymore. Dedan flashed his customary grin when he turned around and saw them in the bin!!My client Peter Israel captured us on his iphone and in his words - 'it was almost a misty moment' watching Dedan walking with his new leg. To see it is amazing and very hard not to tear up. Yesterday, Sue Evans stayed after her morning workout just to see Dedan with the leg....thanks Sue that was cool, Dedan loved the support!

No need for Crutches!




Dedan walking the line:

We placed strips of tape on the studio floor to form a 'T' so Dedan could learn to 'walk the line' so to speak. He has been using crutches and hopping on his left leg for 16 years and so he is used to using his upper body and only one leg. He doesn't toe off or heel strike in gait with his 'good' leg and so we have to teach him how to do it properly. Even though he is a very fast learner the whole process of re-learning gait, having to think about it AND change an old engrained pattern is quite an energy brain drain. So after his daily walking lessons, Dedan goes home to sleep as the neurological drain knocks him out and his brain has to chill out. He bounces back in a couple of hours which is just as well as we have quite a few social events this weekend - birthday party with Ingrid and Tim on Saturday night, BBQ on Sunday afternoon at Jack and Barbs so Dedan can meet all the neighbors plus of course some cycling training. If the sun comes back out of the fog..yep it has been foggy the past three days..we may even hit the beach. Sounds like a plan doesn't it.
Wish you were all here with us.
Cheers
Janet