News Postings is our version of a BLOG and will address topics under multiple categories including: Reflections, News, Events, Christopherisms and others we may add in the future.  These categories are intended to give you a glimpse into our life as we deal with the diagnosis of ALS.  We invite you to click on comments and give your feedback which will appear on the site.  The comments you make may spark further discussion and are greatly encouraged.  If you don't want your comment public, just send us an email instead.   Thank you for being here!

This was a very special day for me.  Since being diagnosed, I always hope to be part of as many of Christopher’s monumental events as possible, so that it will stick in his memory of me.  Jennifer and I bought Christopher a bike with training wheels and did our best to encourage him to ride two summers ago.  He was not that enthusiastic about it, but proceeded to humor us.  Some progress was made until a quick turn of the handle bars resulted in Christopher being pinned under the bike.  That was it for bike riding that summer as that experience did not want to be repeated for him. 

Last summer, we encouraged him to try again.  We explained that other children were starting to ride their bikes and they might want him to come along.  He really did great with the training wheels for while, so much so that we did a complete lap around the block with no incident.  On his own initiative, he decided to take a lap with his friend and neighbor Zac.  Uphill from our house was no problem and then around the block.  We waited patiently…until Zac came around the other corner notifying us that Christopher crashed.  Apparently he got caught up in a race he was having with Zac that he forgot how to brake.  I was so mad at myself for not following him as I knew his confidence was fragile.  He was banged up and unfortunately not ready to climb back on the horse for the rest of that summer.  Riding a bike is something we could not make him do.  He had to decide for himself when he was ready.

Midway into this summer our dear friend, Annette, let us borrow a tape called Pedal Magic.  Her son, Austin, had used it to learn how to ride a bike.  Once again we encouraged Christopher to try and explained that Austin learned how to ride easily with the help of the video.  Jennifer, Christopher and I all watched intently.  It seemed so simple.  The lesson included a portion on unlearning how to ride with training wheels, as there can be some bad habits and dependencies using them.  Since there was not enough experience with them in the first place, I proceeded to remove them from his bike immediately and start from scratch.

We started some balancing exercises where Christopher would just sit on the bike with me holding the seat.  The premise of the lesson was for me to tilt the bike and get him to react instinctively to turn the steering wheel in the direction of the tilt to correct the balance. 

Traveling interfered with further lessons, but has since been concluded.  The other day, Zac and some of the other neighbor kids rang the doorbell and asked if Christopher would like to ride bikes with them.  Without hesitation, he went to get his sneakers and give it a try.  The bike is small for him, but allows him to comfortably use both feet to steady himself.  I walked along with him as he endured the trials and tribulations of trying to gain his balance.  It was kind of like watching him learn how to walk again, that feeling of him learning something new. 

Yesterday was very productive as he was able to peddle and balance for a good 20 feet by himself.  He got going a little too fast and his feet came to the ground to slow him, but you should have seen his face!  “Oh my gosh, I can’t believe I just did that!”  I was so proud of him and asked him how it felt.  He said it was great as he just experienced the potential of what it was to ride a bike.  Christopher had cut up the back of his ankles with the bolts from the back axle on push offs and was now ready to take a break and get those fixed.  We had ice cream to celebrate and settled in to watch a movie with popcorn as we glowed in the success.

Today, the breakthrough was complete.  I tried to give him a little push to get started and he said he did better by himself.  It was true.  After a couple shaky runs up and down the street with legs dropping down for balance every other pedal rotation, he just took off.  He turned the corner and disappeared for a minute or two and then came storming back.  When he got to where I was standing, he said he fell over but it was no big deal, clearing the way for future falls and knowing he will get right back on the bike. 

As each summer went by and the bike was of no interest, I got more frustrated.  You see, I was worried I was not going to be able to teach him how to ride a bike…and that was my responsibility as his Dad.  I didn’t want to let him down.  I didn’t know if I would still be able to walk the next summer or reach out to steady him even if I was in a wheelchair.  I needed him to have that memory of me teaching him how to ride a bike.  He has to get some practice in to fine tune the details, but we did it!  Everybody learns things in their own time.  I’m just extremely grateful that Christopher learning to ride a bike was during my time.  This was one of those minor things in life that many may take for granted, but I will never forget the day my son officially learned how to ride a bike and I hope he doesn’t either.  I am so proud of you, Bug.