REHABILITATION INSTITUTE OF MICHIGAN (RIM)
The day has finally arrived!


Josh and I (Sue) went to Detroit today for an evaluation at the Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan (RIM). Josh IS a candidate for their type of therapy. Their therapy is the next step after traditional therapy (which gets you efficient with the condition you are in. In Josh's case, Mary Free Bed got Josh efficient in a wheelchair). But now it is time for that next step - WALKING!!!

This therapy allows the therapist to work Josh's leg muscles so that new nerve pathways are created where the old ones have ceased to work. They call this "reorganizing" nerve pathways. Our bodies, brains, and nervous systems are quite amazing. They are capable of much more than anyone thought and these doctors and therapist are taking advantage of the body's untapped resources to help people to regain lost functions. This will not be a quick fix. This type of therapy takes lots of hard continuous work. Traditional therapy sessions are about 45-60 minutes long, two or three times a week. This therapy is three hours long, three to five times a week. It takes a major commitment. We will have to work something out with his school since he would have to go during school hours. Most likely he will have therapy in the afternoons (1-4 pm). And as I have mentioned before, the Institute has recently opened a branch in Rockford (just 20 minutes north of Grand Rapids) which provides a much closer facility for us to access.

Josh most likely won't start until January or later. He is on the waiting list. As soon as they hire more therapists, they will be able to get these patients off the waiting list and into therapy!