Bike riding

[Guest guest]

Thanks to all for ideas. I'm printing them out and keeping them. I know

at the " old school " , there was no one, but Matt is moving to a different

school, and so far everyone there is very nice. I'm hoping. The secretary

has been extreemly good to us, and had worked for a while in a " special

school " . Maybe she could even help me.

I'm going to ask about Leisure education.

Thanks again.

You all are great.

________________________________________________________________

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[Guest guest]

My son is 13. It is pretty apparent to me at this point that he is not going

to be riding a two-wheeler. He has lots of balance issues and doesn't feel

safe. For instance, he is not interested in jumping on a trampoline either. It

is just too far out of his comfort zone. I'm not sure he would be able to

handle traffic on a bike either.

Jodi

[Guest guest]

Maverick has been riding a two wheeler since he was about 6, without training

wheels. He is very active and skateboards, scooters, does jumps that make my

hair gray!

My daughter really wanted to ride a bike, she was 10 with DS. She

would try but didn't have balance and was scared. But frustrated that she

couldn't do it. We got her a 3 wheeler for Christmas. She was so proud and

would

keep up with the boys. I felt it was more important for her to feel successful

than to keep trying her on the two wheeler and I'm not sure she would ever

have been able to ride it. Her strengths were in other areas.

My friend has a teen age son with ds and she is trying to teach him to ride a

bike. He is scared and does not have the balance that he needs to give him

the security to try. I wish she would let him have a 3 wheeler so that he was

able to participate with the others and feel successful. I think that is

more important. He loved coming over here and riding my foster daughters bike.

M.

  ¸...¸      ___/ /\ \___        ¸...¸     

,·´º o`·, /__/ _/\_ \__\     .·º o`·,

```)¨(´´o´  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  ```)¨(´´o´

¸o,.o-o·²°´      ¸,.-·~·~·-.,¸      `°²·-.¸o o

 

.......for a tree is recognized by it's fruit.

3:33

[Guest guest]

Kathy

I am wondering this also. Sometimes I think 's training wheels are a

comfort thing. But then I am not sure. We continue to try to teach her to

ride without training wheels, and this is a goal I really want her to

accomplish. Any help will also be appreciated here.

Sharon H.

Mom to , (12, DS) and , (8)

South Carolina

Bike riding

> Hi, I usually don't post, but just wait for my topic to come up. I

have

> never seen anything about teaching Downs Kids to ride a bike without

> training wheels. I have an 8 year old girl whose training wheels were just

> removed, but seems to have very little ballance. Is this something that

they

> typically learn to do?

>

> Thanks

> Kathy Buys

>

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[Guest guest]

I'm interested in all answers on this as well. Please post to us all.

Eleanor

Bike riding

> Hi, I usually don't post, but just wait for my topic to come up. I

have

> never seen anything about teaching Downs Kids to ride a bike without

> training wheels. I have an 8 year old girl whose training wheels were just

> removed, but seems to have very little ballance. Is this something that

they

> typically learn to do?

>

> Thanks

> Kathy Buys

>

> _________________________________________________________________

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> Click reply to all for messages to go to the list. Just hit reply for

messages to go to the sender of the message.

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[Guest guest]

My daughter rode with training wheels for years.... and then when we took

them off she tried for a while and then gave up. I was at the point of

conversations with the local bike shop on buying a three-wheeler when she

decided that it was time to learn on her own.

She might have been 13-14 at the time? Just sat herself on a bike one

afternoon, after not having tried it for MONTHS - and was able to wobbly ride

down the street.

Patience is a virtue.....

Kathy

mom to (19-DS) and a bunch of others....

> Hi, I usually don't post, but just wait for my topic to come up. I have

> never seen anything about teaching Downs Kids to ride a bike without

> training wheels. I have an 8 year old girl whose training wheels were just

> removed, but seems to have very little ballance. Is this something that they

> typically learn to do?

>

> Thanks

> Kathy Buys

>

> _________________________________________________________________

> FREE pop-up blocking with the new MSN Toolbar – get it now!

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> Click reply to all for messages to go to the list. Just hit reply for

messages

> to go to the sender of the message.

>

[Guest guest]

Jodi,

Bridget is this way also. We have trouble on playground equipment until we have

done it under protest at least 2X.

mom to Bridget 11 in SC

Re: Bike riding

My son is 13. It is pretty apparent to me at this point that he is not going

to be riding a two-wheeler. He has lots of balance issues and doesn't feel

safe. For instance, he is not interested in jumping on a trampoline either. It

is just too far out of his comfort zone. I'm not sure he would be able to

handle traffic on a bike either.

Jodi

[Guest guest]

Tim's balance and coordination are very poor, gymnastics have helped

emensley but he still lags way behind. I found that ordinary bikes with

training wheels were simply too hard for him not only to balance on but for

him to actually pedal. I know he is strong but he cannot coordinate his

legs to pedal and push hard too. Slightest little slope and he'd roll

backwards. But like your foster daughter he wanted to do what his freinds

were doing so I bought him a special trike, it is low geared, brakes thro

pedals as well as handle bars (he can't reach the handle bar brakes, hands

are too small!) and is wide based so is very stable. He can also ride at

speed which scares the life out of me but gives him some street cred!! Over

the last two years I have become much more realistic about tims abilities

and instead of constantly pushing him to acheive what I want him to acheive

I have accepted that some things he does need a special needs appproach and

that there is nothing wrong with that. thus the trike, thus my decision to

send him to special school. I agonised over these things, particularly

school, but sat myself down and realised that the ambitions I have for him

are my ambitions and not neccessarily always in his best interest! Bike

riding is one of those ambitions. He may well ride a two wheeler one day,

but better he ride a three wheeler, in comfort , safety and well than he sit

and stare at his two wheeler unable and unwilling to ride it. Anyway, thats

a long way of saying, go with what works!! I went the three wheeler route

after tim had tried and tried with the two wheeler and training wheels, and

was continually unsuccessful. The look on his face when he got onto this

three wheeler in the shop yard and could ride it straight away was

brilliant.

by the way, I have a non disabled 16 year old who won't ride a biike, he's

too scared of falling off, some kids just don't want to ride a bike at all.

sue wong

Re: Bike riding

Maverick has been riding a two wheeler since he was about 6, without

training

wheels. He is very active and skateboards, scooters, does jumps that make

my

hair gray!

My daughter really wanted to ride a bike, she was 10 with DS. She

would try but didn't have balance and was scared. But frustrated that she

couldn't do it. We got her a 3 wheeler for Christmas. She was so proud and

would

keep up with the boys. I felt it was more important for her to feel

successful

than to keep trying her on the two wheeler and I'm not sure she would ever

have been able to ride it. Her strengths were in other areas.

My friend has a teen age son with ds and she is trying to teach him to ride

a

bike. He is scared and does not have the balance that he needs to give him

the security to try. I wish she would let him have a 3 wheeler so that he

was

able to participate with the others and feel successful. I think that is

more important. He loved coming over here and riding my foster daughters

bike.

M.

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 4/23/2004 3:18:06 AM US Mountain Standard Time,

crowndale@... writes:

> I agonised over these things, particularly

> school, but sat myself down and realised that the ambitions I have for him

> are my ambitions and not neccessarily always in his best interest! Bike

> riding is one of those ambitions.

Part of being a strong advocate for your children is that you are advocating

for what you feel is best for THEM, not what is easiest for you, or what you

want for them, or what all your friends are doing. It is looking at what is

going to help make them a strong, happy person, living to their full potential.

As hard as it is as parents to let go of some of our dreams and wishes, you

go what is best for your child and every child is different and has their own

strengths and interests. I think this is true for ALL of our children, not

just the kids with disabilities.

" " The look on his face when he got onto this

three wheeler in the shop yard and could ride it straight away was

brilliant. " "

And so you know, you made the right decision for him.

M.

 ¸...¸     ___/ /\ \___        ¸...¸     

,·´º o`·, /__/ _/\_ \__\     ,·´º o`·,

```)¨(´´´  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  ```)¨(´´´

¸,.-·²°´      ¸,.-·~·~·-.,¸      `°²·-.¸

 

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Josh. 24:15

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 4/23/04 2:14:21 PM Central Daylight Time,

writes:

> Hi, I usually don't post, but just wait for my topic to come up. I have

> never seen anything about teaching Downs Kids to ride a bike without

> training wheels. I have an 8 year old girl whose training wheels were just

> removed, but seems to have very little ballance. Is this something that they

>

> typically learn to do?

>

> Thanks

> Kathy Buys

>

>

I guess I would look at whether the young person has the ability to balance

on other things like scooters, skateboards, balance beams. If those things are

very hard for them conquering the balancing of a bicycle may be beyond their

reach at this time.

Daivd is very athletic and daring but doesn't move with a scooter or

skateboard when riding so the training wheels stay for now.

Of course, there is always the exception to the rule.m

Karyn

[Guest guest]

Kathy,

I can only tell you our experience with it. Josiah was very hesitant

about

riding his bike w/o training wheels and didn't want to try very hard. My

husband, who knows how to weld, made him training wheels to fit his 20 "

bike. He received the bike the same Christmas that our grandson got his

bike with training wheels---the size that comes with training wheels.

A couple years or so later, when our grandson showed us how he could ride

his new 'big' bike w/o training wheels, I watched Josiah's

expression--surprise, amazement, and desire. On our way home from their

house in another state, my husband asked Josiah if he wanted to take the

training wheels off HIS bike. Josiah said, " yes. " Josiah rode his bike

w/o

the training wheels on the first afternoon his dad worked with him. We

believe it was because he wanted to ride it SO badly. We have already

observed that when he REALLY wants to do something, he very often can do

it.

I think Josiah was 13 y.o. when that happened.

He also gets up on the kneeboard (while being pulled behind the boat) and

rides it properly. He holds the ski-rope with one hand while he fastens

the

strap that goes over his thighs and tightens it up properly. He cuts back

and forth across the wake created by the boat like a pro. His huge smile

and fist and arm raised high in the air proclaiming victory show how proud

he is of himself. Then after watching his big brothers and their

college-aged friends try to do 360 degree spins while being pulled behind

the boat, he learned to do that too. (Some of them still can't do that).

He was 14 y.o. last summer when he learned to kneeboard properly. We

bought

him a kneeboard, because the summer before he had a lot of fun being pulled

all around the lake on one while he was just hanging onto it (laying on

it).

We thought maybe that might be the way he would " do " the kneeboard--so you

can imagine how proud we were of him when he did what I just described.

Hope this can be some encouragement to someone.

Shirley

> I've never seen anything about teaching Downs Kids to ride a bike without

>training wheels. I have an 8 year old girl whose training wheels were just

> removed, but seems to have very little ballance. Is this something that

> they

> typically learn to do?

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 4/23/2004 7:48:18 PM US Mountain Standard Time,

rdill@... writes:

> When you are riding in balance, if you want to turn right

> (using the handlebars and not a body twitch), you have to briefly pull

> on the left handlebar and then let the bicycle tip to the right and then

> the handlebars turn to the right.

Oh my GOODNESS! I am suprised I ever learned to ride a bike! I didn't

realize it was so complicated and I can't walk and talk at the same time. (But

I

CAN drive and talk on the cell phone at the same time....LOL.)

M.

 ¸...¸     ___/ /\ \___        ¸...¸     

,·´º o`·, /__/ _/\_ \__\     ,·´º o`·,

```)¨(´´´  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  ```)¨(´´´

¸,.-·²°´      ¸,.-·~·~·-.,¸      `°²·-.¸

 

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Josh. 24:15

[Guest guest]

Jan got to bike riding a long time ago. I guess it was at nine or ten

years old. We never used training wheels. Now I have to explain that

I'm a very curious engineer and I've been curious enough to work out how

a bicycle really works and it it totally counter-intuitive. Most people

haven't a clue what they do to start or stop a turn, but they develop a

reflex that couples with their balance.

Basically training wheels do not teach a child how to ride without

them. With training wheels the bicycle works the same as a tricycle.

If you want to turn a tricycle to the right, you pull back on the right

handlebar. When you are riding in balance, if you want to turn right

(using the handlebars and not a body twitch), you have to briefly pull

on the left handlebar and then let the bicycle tip to the right and then

the handlebars turn to the right. To stop the turn, you briefly pull

the handlebars more to the right. This is a set of actions that you

learn without having to understand the process.

So on the bicycle, Jan had to learn right from the beginning. One of us

walked or ran along beside the bike and caught it before disaster

happened and within a couple of days, Jan learned the balance of a

bike. We had no parking lots so we used the neighbor's level driveway

and fairly quickly graduated to out street which has low traffic and

lots of kids.

Now Jan got very proficient, but she still remembers the day when she

was riding around the block and a cat ran in front of her. She didn't

hit the cat, but she stopped abruptly and fell off breaking her

collarbone. When she gets her strength (and balance back) I'll get her

back on her bicycle.

Rick

[Guest guest]

Hi Valeri,

I just wanted to tell you I was happy for you that you could ride a bike I tried riding a 10 speed before I had any of my operations I couldn't do it I'm too old and used to the older bikes well I wished you luck for your operation. you have a nice day :-)

SusieValeri <vjshoem@...> wrote:

I did it!!!! I went for a ride on my bicycle, about 3 miles. I was a bit aprehensive, and to be honest, nervous. It was a little akward getting on the bike, I think mostly for fear of falling or stumbling. I tipped the bike, it is a girls model, lower cross bar, and could lift my leg over the pedals. It was so nice to bike thru town, feel the morning breeze against my skin. It made me feel almost normal again. Until it was time to stop. LOL Had to think about getting off, again that fear of falling. But I did it slow, tipped the bike, ahd da dum... here I am. It is kind of funny, but my husband went with me and he is more tired right now then I am.Re waiting for THR, I was on list with a year long wait. But got a call on a

Friday, asking if I could be available the following Wednesday, they had a cancellation. I said yes. Not enuff time to stress and worry. And since I had TKR only 8 months earlier, had all the health devices at home.Thats all for now....Valeri in Warm California

[Guest guest]

I did it!!!! I went for a ride on my bicycle, about 3 miles.

[Guest guest]

Contratulatons, Marge.

Accomplishments like that are good for the morale, n'est-ce pas?

Keep it up!

Staninfr

> I did it!!!! I went for a ride on my bicycle, about 3 miles.

> Congratulations, Val, I am so pleased for you! What fun. /

> Marge

> He lives!

[Guest guest]

Hi Valeri,

I too went for my first bike ride post-op. I felt like a little kid

not knowing exactly how to get on or to get started. My operated leg

is just barely able to support my weight when getting on my bike.

When possible I start beside our back steps so I can be firmly seated

with the pedals in the correct position. I try to get off the same

way.

My riding is very wobbly and I do worry about falling, however, so

far so good. It certainly feels liberating.

Cheers,

Dennis in Ottawa, Canada

> I did it!!!! I went for a ride on my bicycle, about 3 miles. I

> was a bit aprehensive, and to be honest, nervous. It was a little

> akward getting on the bike, I think mostly for fear of falling or

> stumbling. I tipped the bike, it is a girls model, lower cross

bar,

> and could lift my leg over the pedals. It was so nice to bike thru

> town, feel the morning breeze against my skin. It made me feel

> almost normal again. Until it was time to stop. LOL Had to think

> about getting off, again that fear of falling. But I did it slow,

> tipped the bike, ahd da dum... here I am. It is kind of funny,

> but my husband went with me and he is more tired right now then I

am.

>

> Re waiting for THR, I was on list with a year long wait. But got

a

> call on a Friday, asking if I could be available the following

> Wednesday, they had a cancellation. I said yes. Not enuff time to

> stress and worry. And since I had TKR only 8 months earlier, had

> all the health devices at home.

>

> Thats all for now....

>

> Valeri in Warm California

[Guest guest]

Hi Dennis and Valeri,

Are you both hippies? How long after your surgeries are you? I'm wondering about getting my bike out of the shed, but am still rather nervous about riding it!

Margaret

Re: Bike riding

Hi Valeri,I too went for my first bike ride post-op. I felt like a little kid not knowing exactly how to get on or to get started. My operated leg is just barely able to support my weight when getting on my bike. When possible I start beside our back steps so I can be firmly seated with the pedals in the correct position. I try to get off the same way.My riding is very wobbly and I do worry about falling, however, so far so good. It certainly feels liberating.Cheers,Dennis in Ottawa, Canada> I did it!!!! I went for a ride on my bicycle, about 3 miles. I > was a bit aprehensive, and to be honest, nervous. It was a little > akward getting on the bike, I think mostly for fear of falling or > stumbling. I tipped the bike, it is a girls model, lower cross bar, > and could lift my leg over the pedals. It was so nice to bike thru > town, feel the morning breeze against my skin. It made me feel > almost normal again. Until it was time to stop. LOL Had to think > about getting off, again that fear of falling. But I did it slow, > tipped the bike, ahd da dum... here I am. It is kind of funny, > but my husband went with me and he is more tired right now then I am.> > Re waiting for THR, I was on list with a year long wait. But got a > call on a Friday, asking if I could be available the following > Wednesday, they had a cancellation. I said yes. Not enuff time to > stress and worry. And since I had TKR only 8 months earlier, had > all the health devices at home.> > Thats all for now....> > Valeri in Warm California

[Guest guest]

Margaret,

I am a hippie and a kneebie....knee 13 months ago, hip 4 months

ago. I rode my stationary bike a bit for about a month. Then

yesterday decided it was time to try the bike. I was very nervous,

I have this terrible fear of falling. I live in a very flat

neighborhood with well paved streets and some marked bike trails.

Went last night and again this morning...my husband says no more

today, way too hot and besides this afternoon we are going on a tour

with our Model A club.

Valeri

> > I did it!!!! I went for a ride on my bicycle, about 3

miles. I

> > was a bit aprehensive, and to be honest, nervous. It was a

little

> > akward getting on the bike, I think mostly for fear of falling

or

> > stumbling. I tipped the bike, it is a girls model, lower

cross

> bar,

> > and could lift my leg over the pedals. It was so nice to bike

thru

> > town, feel the morning breeze against my skin. It made me

feel

> > almost normal again. Until it was time to stop. LOL Had to

think

> > about getting off, again that fear of falling. But I did it

slow,

> > tipped the bike, ahd da dum... here I am. It is kind of

funny,

> > but my husband went with me and he is more tired right now

then I

> am.

> >

> > Re waiting for THR, I was on list with a year long wait. But

got

> a

> > call on a Friday, asking if I could be available the following

> > Wednesday, they had a cancellation. I said yes. Not enuff

time to

> > stress and worry. And since I had TKR only 8 months earlier,

had

> > all the health devices at home.

> >

> > Thats all for now....

> >

> > Valeri in Warm California

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I also find bike riding to be the best exercise that I can do without pain.

However, I need to ride my 15 speed bike and not an exercise bike. That made

perfect sense to my doctor because most exercise bikes have you in a more

upright position (and the recumbent ones are even more painful for me), but a

real bike has you leaning over and is quite comfortable for me. Unfortunately,

my experience the first year I rode every day during the summer was that I could

not pull my skirts up over my thighs when school started again. They were much

bigger, but all muscle instead of fat. I got out of the habit when I started

back to grad school, but I am hoping to get back in the habit this summer (I am

not enrolling in summer school this year!)

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

I am the opposite of you. I have to use the exercise bike becaue I

can not lean over to reach the handle bars of a regular bike. I

went to a bike store and tried out several different types of bikes

and found that the exercise bike was what worked for me. My

exercise bike is one of those that has the arms moving too, so I get

an upper body work out at the same time. I am hoping to have the

same 'problem' that you had with your thighs getting more muscular.

>

> I also find bike riding to be the best exercise that I can do

without pain. However, I need to ride my 15 speed bike and not an

exercise bike. That made perfect sense to my doctor because most

exercise bikes have you in a more upright position (and the

recumbent ones are even more painful for me), but a real bike has

you leaning over and is quite comfortable for me. Unfortunately, my

experience the first year I rode every day during the summer was

that I could not pull my skirts up over my thighs when school

started again. They were much bigger, but all muscle instead of

fat. I got out of the habit when I started back to grad school, but

I am hoping to get back in the habit this summer (I am not enrolling

in summer school this year!)

>

> __________________________________________________

>

[Guest guest]

I rode a Swinn double seater w/my husband for years - through the years that

our children were little - they would sit on the very back in their seats

and hold hands - I remember my son sleeping holding my hand as we rode through

the park. We still have the double seater and it is something I would love to

do again, but admit to a fear of riding because of bumps. My back " hurts " if

the road is too bumpy but I miss those bike rides. Reading about you riding

bikes gives me incentive to have the old 2 seater tuned up w/new padded seats

put in and take to the new trails that have been put in in this town. Sure,

we might fall, but again, we might not, and you are right, it is excellent

exercise for the legs. My legs were always trim because even though I was the

person in the back, I had to work hard - it had only 2 speeds - slow and fast -

not 15 so going up a hill was hard work.

Thanks for reminding me how much I loved bicycle riding and that it is time

to get back to something I love! And just in time for spring...hope everyone

is having a beautiful day - it's 80 degrees in Central Tx and my new backyard

rose garden is blooming - yellow, yellow/pink, a riot of color; and the pecan

trees are in bloom.

I got my letter from Dr. La Grone who " read my latest x-rays. " He said that

my fusion is holding and although there are a few " changes at L5/S1 " they are

not significant enough to warrant surgery at this time. He does think that I

may need to fuse these in the future. I'm hoping that by that point

anterior/posterior surgery won't be necessary. Am I strictly dreaming? In

denial?

Meanwhile, I am going to keep exercising and living ....keeping pain meds to a

minimum - I take Oxycontin at 10 mg twice a day maybe 3 if it's a bad day, but

I've found that if I walk, the pain is less. So no excuse for not exercising

and light weights do help. Everyone take good care. Jennie B. in Tx.

[Guest guest]

Hi Jennie,

My husbands family lives in Denmark..long biking traditions

there...his grandmother (87yrs) took a spill while parking her

bike at the beach where she takes her daily dip. They were worried

that she had actually fallen off, although she insisted that she

hadn't. Anyway, they located a very nifty three wheeler for her. I

wish I could upload the picture her 'cause it is awesome.

I am not surprised you had good " gams " from biking in the back seat,

I think competitive tandem bikers call that position the " kicker "

and I think it is considered to be the power position.

The newer mountain bikes are available with great shock absorbers

now and seats with extra padding. When I can get back to biking next

year I plan on upgrading too.

Happy rose gardening, Cam

> I rode a Swinn double seater w/my husband for years - through the

years that

> our children were little - they would sit on the very back in

their seats

> and hold hands - I remember my son sleeping holding my hand as we

rode through

> the park. We still have the double seater and it is something I

would love to

> do again, but admit to a fear of riding because of bumps. My

back " hurts " if

> the road is too bumpy but I miss those bike rides. Reading about

you riding

> bikes gives me incentive to have the old 2 seater tuned up w/new

padded seats

> put in and take to the new trails that have been put in in this

town. Sure,

> we might fall, but again, we might not, and you are right, it is

excellent

> exercise for the legs. My legs were always trim because even

though I was the

> person in the back, I had to work hard - it had only 2 speeds -

slow and fast -

> not 15 so going up a hill was hard work.

>

> Thanks for reminding me how much I loved bicycle riding and that

it is time

> to get back to something I love! And just in time for

spring...hope everyone

> is having a beautiful day - it's 80 degrees in Central Tx and my

new backyard

> rose garden is blooming - yellow, yellow/pink, a riot of color;

and the pecan

> trees are in bloom.

>

> I got my letter from Dr. La Grone who " read my latest x-rays. " He

said that

> my fusion is holding and although there are a few " changes at

L5/S1 " they are

> not significant enough to warrant surgery at this time. He does

think that I

> may need to fuse these in the future. I'm hoping that by that

point

> anterior/posterior surgery won't be necessary. Am I strictly

dreaming? In denial?

> Meanwhile, I am going to keep exercising and living ....keeping

pain meds to a

> minimum - I take Oxycontin at 10 mg twice a day maybe 3 if it's a

bad day, but

> I've found that if I walk, the pain is less. So no excuse for not

exercising

> and light weights do help. Everyone take good care. Jennie B. in

Tx.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Jennie,

what a great letter! It reminded me of times when my neighbor and I tried

to play tennis with seven kids under 4 running around the court!

God love ya,

Carole M.

[Guest guest]

Joan - 25 miles! You go Girl! I am Impressed! I can't imagine going that

far. Bending over is very uncomfortable for me, and that is why I ride the

double bike - I don't have flatback problems - I had the CD rods which followed

the Harrington Rods - the problems that followed CD rods are different -

muscle/nerve pain and many of the other conditions that can go w/Harrington rods

other than flatback. I can't lean florward very well - that's uncomfortable for

me. And I'm constantly concerned about " fracturing " another vertebrae like

the one that resulted in the revision surgery of 99 between L4/L5. My latest

letter from LaGrone says that the fusion is holding and seems strong, but L/5

and S1 altough o.k. for now may require fusion in the future - this is my

biggest fear and where I am open to suggestions to try to keep this area from

deteriorating any way I can. All you Fiesties have a great Evening, Jennie