Days 18 & 19 of therapy. Lots of learning to do, and after this, looks like Bill can earn his CME certificates one and two. He is doing very well with the exercises with Austin. Very impressive. Ramone stated today that the time he has spent with Austin has gone by very fast. He said that Austin is not quite ready to be walking yet, but his brain is receiving the signals, and with every day he will get closer and closer. He sees great improvement in Austin since we first arrived three and a half weeks ago and he says we will see more and more over the next few weeks. This has been such a great experience for us. We have learned so many new things about this wonderful type of therapy called CME and the potential that Austin and his brain truely have. We have experienced such a neat culture and made some great friends while here. The future is going to be so great for the Benschneider Family with Austin's new found abilities. We are tentatively scheduling our next session for Austin in Chile for October 2009, this time however, we will only be staying two weeks instead of four. This is not the end of Austin's journey, just the beginning. I will continue to blog and keep updates going and hopefully get some videos on here (one day!). Thank you so much to everyone for their love, support, prayers and encouragement, It has made our trip a great success. We will be leaving for home on Saturday the 28th at 11 pm at night. We will get to LA on Sunday morning at 0740. Looking forward to being home again and seeing Zach.

Days 16 and 17 of therapy. Let me start off first by saying that are weekend was very nice although Austin picked up the "dreaded" cold somewhere, and in our last week here, we now are dealing with that!! Bill arrived on Sunday and it is so great to have him here with us. It would be so nice to have Zach too, but we are very happy to be so fortunate to be able to have Bill join us. We decided to do a winery tour on Sunday, but we forgot to ask Austin how he felt about that, and low and behold he let us know his thought when we arrived there. It was a nice scenic car ride there, and so beautiful when we got there, but Austin was having nothing to do with it. Cried non stop from the minute we got there, to the exact minute we left and entered the car that had been waiting for us. It was a nice tour for me, since Bill was such a great husband and let me do the tour while he sat with Austin trying to enteratain him for an hour and a half. I did bring him out a glass of wine everytime we were given one, and then at the end we were able to eat some cheese and have a glass of wine together, as we tuned out Austin (knowing it was hopeless at this point), and let everyone else find a way to deal with it on their own.
Therapy on Monday was okay but again, a very crabby morning for Austin. After the first session that Bill saw, he became a believer in the CME and had a very good first impression. Today we started learning our home program routine and will learn more and more everyday this week to prepare us for at home. Ramone is making a video for us and writing out each exercise so we won't become overwhelmed. When I asked him when would he like to see us back he said, five to eight months after we leave. If Austin would complete some of the exercises befor five months (that is master them) then we need to send him a video and he will give us some new exercises over the phone. Such a great guy he is, and the confidence he has in us. I hope we don't let him or Austin down.
We went on a city tour today and saw some great sights and had a great day. Austin enjoyed this outing, maybe it was the ride on the double decker bus with the fresh air that he liked. Have another therpay this afternoon, then dinner with our friends from Canada. Will fill you in more tomorrow.

Days 14 and 15. Austin has been doing great, Yesterday he stood for 600 numbers on his own, which is equivalent to about 5 minutes. Way to go Austin!!! I am a bit behind in my blogging, but for good reason. We have been out celebrating with our new friends here in Chile, so party time for Erika and Austin. We can't have all work and no play!!!! It has been well deserved for both of us. It is so nice to have a cocktail hour. Austin ended the week on a good note and did well in all his therapies the past few couple of days. We are looking forward to Bill coming and joining us on Sunday, yes Sunday!!! We are so excited, well, I know I am. Time seems to be flying now and just think....after three weeks, we are now down to our last week. The next month at home will be just as important to continue with the therapy that Austin's brain has been shown. We plan on having a very busy month, then hopefully if will just get easier and easier for all of us. Wishing a good weekend to all.

Day 13. Well either I was really tired yesterday or getting old and senile, but I can't remember how last nights session was.....sorry. It must have just been "okay."
Today started off rough this morning for therapy. After the first session, Ramon's words were......"I hope we have a better afternoon session", not something I was hoping to hear. Austin faught so hard this morning with Ramon. He actually was fighting against him. Ramon's response to that was...."In my 39 years of working, I have never had someone fight me this hard, especially someone with so much potential." He also told me not to worry, he thinks out loud and he wants to explain things to me, but this only makes him think harder, and now needs to figure out how to overcome the power Austin is giving. Session two went very well...who would of thought after Austin fell asleep literally 5 minutes before the therapy session was to start. He was sleeping when I took him in. Ramone did a little acupuncture technique on Austin and instantly Austin was wide awake. How cool to see. Austin then had a great session. He did so good and cooperated very well. No fighting from the brain this time or Austin. I was so glad to see that since Ramon's thumb was hurting him so bad, and Austin was going to be his last client for the day. Glad to see Austin and his brain are considerate of others. The story of the day. More later.

Days 11 and 12 of therapy. I apologize for the late blogging, but Austin and I are so tired. Therapy has been going well. Nothing really great to report, but Austin is still cooperating very well. Austin had the opportunity to have therapy with a student who is doing her cme level three from Brazil yesterday. I was excited for a couple of reasons.....1. I wanted to see how Austin would respond to someone other than Ramone and 2. I wanted to see how difficult it was going to be for me to do the therapy. Right from the start, Austin gave the poor student a hard time. As I was feeling sorry for her, I started to feel worried for myself....if she was having such a difficult time, what is going to happen for me? Ramone ended up taking over for her, who's going to do that for me? Bill and I make a great team and together we will be able to do it. I know we will. Hope to post some pictures soon and maybe even a video clip of Austin working hard. Just need to find the energy to figure it out. Off to session two in about 1 1/2 hours, will let everyone know how it went.

Day 10 of therapy, a day late. Austin's intensive therapy sure lives up to it's name. I feel the intensity for him. Last day of week two went really well. One of the first exercises Austin did on the second session of the day, amazed us all even Ramone. To make a long story short and without the video to show it, Ramone put Austin in a standing position after performing a cool in the air twist with him. When Austin extended his body in the air (a reflex babies have at the age of about 9 months) he then set Austin on his feet. Austin performed a 500 count stand independently. Five hundred counts in this therapy amount to about four minutes time. It was a record for both Ramone and Austin. Austin's brain is remembering things. What a great accomplishment.
As a treat for Austin and I, we were invited to dinner by another parent and Ramone's daughter. What a great evening, well for the most part. The company was great, Austin on the other hand had a complete break down the whole time in the restaurant. Thank god the parent that we went with had been at this place a million times since she lived in the hotel for 10 months and they knew her and her daughter very well. The staff was very sympathetic to my situation, I on the other hand was about to die. I had ZERO control over Austin at that time. I did not come prepared for dinner out, which was my problem. If I would have brought the DVD player, (our babysitter)we probally would have been fine. I've learned a lesson....never travel without it!!!! Having a spare pacifier might have helped to, since Austin completely chewed through the one he had in his fit of rage. Everyone understood but me. Although I had some issues with Austin, it overall was a nice dinner (eating with one hand and pushing the stroller back and forth with the other). The company was great and I made some new friends, who by the way are great resources of information and they speak American.
Austin and I are going with some friends new and old out and about today, wtih dinner later tonight (dvd player charged, and the extra stinky binky in the bag). Tomorrow our usual routine of Starbucks and people watching at the mall. Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Day 9 of therapy. Wow already day 9, where has the time gone. We are almost done with our second week here. Austin had a good day today. This morning he had an obstacle he had to go through, and all I can say is what a fun thing to watch. Austins goal was to step into each box, one foot at a time of course. They were lined up 2 side by side in a row of three. From what I understand it is an autonomatic response that every child has by the age of I think 9 months. Austin did it, stepped in all six boxes in sequence on his OWN! It was so exciting to watch his little legs and feet do all that walking on their own. I wanted to see it over and over again. That was the highlight of my day. There were alot of balance exercises today that he did, but none as exciting as the boxes. I hope to show it on his blog when I figure out how to download it.
We ventured to the grocery store again today. Not sure what it is, but when we go in there, security follows me around for the first 5 minutes, then at check out there is always, always, always one standing at the end of the check out. Not sure if I should look at it as extra security for us or big insecurity on there part. Now that Austin can do more maybe he looks big, bad and dangerous.
Looking forward to what the last day of week two brings for Austin.

Day 8. Well had to wake Austin up yet again for that early therapy apppointment. Didn't make for a good start. Ramone doesn't understand why Austin's brain has received the messages, but in week two is still not wanting to use them to walk. All his exercises are good/great, however when it comes to putting them all together to do the walking more independently it's just not clicking. He said he is not worried, just puzzled, and will make him think harder how to correct it. Again....Austin is a mystery. Words we are all to familiar with. Starting next week we will have a 10:15 start time, so maybe that will make a difference with a better/longer nights sleep. Ramone agrees and says it's worth a try. Good afternoon. Austin was in great spirits, still very mad with exercises but good mood. Worked hard and actually did an exercise that he moved his legs in a walking motion on his own. It was great to see.

Day 7 of therapy. What a great morning session. Austin worked even harder this morning being mad. Austin was able to step up onto blocks from the mat with just the ankle hold and then step off the other side in the same way, and then stand freely without any hold at all. WOW is exactly what Ramone had to say. His responses this morning were quicker than other days. Hope we have a great afternoon session too. Austin had a great afternoon session. Ramone did many new exercises with Austin, and Austin suprised him on every one. Great potential in there, showing it more and more every day. Would have never thought with the restless, short night we had that the day would turn out to be so fabulous.

Day six of therapy. Well, I have to say, last night was the first normal night we had since we arrived last Saturday. With that said. Austin had a good day at therapy today. Ramone was very happy with Austin's walking today and the way the brain remembered things, however not so happy with the response the brain is making to get up to do the walking. I guess one out of two aren't so bad. Austin had a great afternoon session, and was able to walk across the entire room, with just the ankle hold. Excellente!!! Hopefully in the near future will be the one hand hold, then obstacles for walking. Go Austin, Go Austin, Go, Go, Go Austin. Ramone knows the brain is receiving the message, now it just needs to accept it and keep moving forward.

The weekend is almost over, and tomorrow starts week two of therapy. I hope we have a great week like last, if not better. It may not be starting off too well. I was playing with Austin, and I pulled a muscle in my back. Thank god I brought the medicine I've been given before for back problems. Lets hope it kicks in fast. We had a great weekend. Our friend Oula took Austin and I with her and her son to visit some of her friends here. What a great experience. We were welcomed with open arms. It was nice to get out and experience some of Santiago. Today Austin and I went to starbucks, and then to the park. It was a beautiful day, but a little warm. Nice breeze though. We are looking forward to another week of therapy and more progress. Will keep everyone posted. Thank you for following our journey!

Day 5: Excellente week, as Ramone said after our last session today. Wish Austin and I felt that way. It has been a very long week for us, but have to agree with Ramone that it was a very productive week in the therapy department. Austin and I are homesick and both miss the comforts of our own home, and of course our family, friends and routines. We know that this is a small sacrifice we need to make for the next month so Austin will have a chance at a new life. It is worth it!! Austin worked alot on balancing exercises today and was so scared he would shake at times, but his brain was accepting the input and putting his body to work. I wanted to cry and chant a cheer for Austin all at the same time. We hope to do some sight seeing tomorrow with anther family that stays at the same B & B as us. We are excited to do something other than therapy. What a nice break. First week done and doing well.

Day 4: Well it was a good/bad day for Austin and I. I beleive we are sleep deprived, hence Austin's fussiness. I hope it is that and not the beginning of an ear infection or something like that. Although I was assured by my friend Oula here that the doctors are very good if I have to take him. Lets hope it doesn't come down to that. Austin was very mad again at therapy, but him and his brain cooperated their best. Ramone said he is happy/satisfied with 75 percent of the exercises Austin did today. He said he is sending Austin's brain the messages and it is up to the brain to accept them or not! I'm rooting for the acceptance part personally. Austin did alot of exercises today with just the ankles being held, and sometimes only one needing to be held. Yeah!! That is very exciting. Ramone beleives that if the child can cooperate with just an ankle hold, the brain is doing 100 percent of the work which means... the ability to be able to walk on his own. Yeah Austin!!! Keep going. You can do it! The cheer of the day when we are at therapy. We went to the park today and walked around. Austin wanted nothing to do with sitting on the grass, so we walked and watched the soccer players and the boys riding their BMX bikes on their ramps. When we came back with went with our friends to a new mall to look around. That is our adventure for today.

Day three of therapy.....Austin had a very hard day, he never cried but he had alot of frusteration and anger at therapy, he did many new exercises today, and wasn't quite sure that he liked a single one of them. It was apparent that Austin's little brain wasn't sure what to do, whether to accept the exercises or fight against them. Ramone has a way with him and thank god for the gift he has to work with children and their immature brains. We ate dinner outside tonight, a real healthy meal of McDonalds. Thanks to my friend Beth who came here, she passed on some good advice. It was very easy to order, numero uno with coca cola light!!!! At least I'll be eating. We sat outside by the fountains and Austin really enjoyed watching the water going up and down. It is so fun to watch him smile and laugh at such simple things. Our living arrangements have become a little better. We got a big comforter for Austin and now he can sit on the floor and climb onto the bed. It's the little things that make the bigger picture so much better. So hopefully he will tire himself out so he goes to bed earlier than between 11pm and 2am. I realized today that every where I go and they are playing music, whether in the grocery stores or past houses, the music is American music. It is so funny watching them move to this music and sing it, and then if you try to talk to them in English they don't understand! That's our adventure for today.

It was another big day for Austin, day two of therapy. Austin's first session went well. He cried alot more than the others but worked through it with great success. On his second session of the day, Austin was all smiles when he saw Ramone!!! Ramone started off with a very difficult exercise where he had Austin standing on boxes, but the boxes where turned where it was just the narrow sides and Austin had to balance himself with just his ankles held, however Ramone said that is like standing on his own. He was very, very impressed how long Austin was able to do it. It was to the count of 300 where I think Ramone calculates that at 150 seconds. Another one of Austin's exercises was to be able to step out of a box using one foot a time. On the first attempt Austin was successful, by the third repetition, Austin was doing it in seconds. Austin had alot of challenges this evening but proved yet one more time that his brain is smart,and it is catching on. Austin truly is working on his own and his responses are not just autonomic, well some still are, but what progress we have made in two days. Every session gets more exciting!!!! It's so nice to see Austin cooperate and not just cry for a whole session of therapy!!! He doesn't even need to be put on a swing! Again at the end Ramone commented on what a great session Austin had, and how he has such great potential.

Austin had his second session with Ramone this evening, and all I can say is WOW. Austin didn't cry, but did fuss and whine some, but did very well. He was even woken up from his nap that he took on the way to the office, and he still cooperated. Seems like Ramone does exercises in sets of three. By the third set Austin has mastered it. He is doing it with his vestibular system and making Austin's brain do the work. Austin has a really smart brain, wish he could have been made to use his brain like this a long time ago. Austin was able to stand on his own for over one minute tonight. That is much better than the 18 seconds we have had at home. All I can do is smile so big when I see Austin working. It is amazing the potential he has and the talent Ramone has to bring it out. On another note....who would have ever thought that I would have a hard time finding something to eat? Not me. However the language barrier is really taking it's toll. I might actually lose that weight I've been talking about for so long. We are doing well. After seeing how well Austin does I anticipate the next session. We'll keep you posted.

Austin had his first therapy session this am. Was actually his evaluation. First let me say that Ramone is everything plus more that all the other moms say. His energy is amazing. Austin actually showed off pretty well for Ramone. Ramone said that Austin has great potential. Austin is going to have to work really hard, but it will all be worth it. This trip is worth everything that we (and everybody else who helped us)worked hard for. I know great things are going to come out of it. Austin actually walked with a one hand hold for about 4 steps. He didn't like it by any means, he felt very unsure of himself, but he did it. Can't wait to update later with more good news.

Austin and I ventured out on our own today. What a great day we had. We started off at the park which was so beautiful. We were surrouded by the Andes mountains and lots of families playing with their children. it was a nice day out probally around 85 degrees with a light breeze. After that we ventured to the mall and walked around. Payed for my first transaction in pesos today. I thought I did very well. I was so proud of myself. I ordered by Te verde frappachino. The cashier then asked me where I was from, when I told her she said "Grand Canyon". I guess I need to work on the accent part. It must have given it away I wasn't from Chile. Went to Tony Roma's for my dinner and saw an English menu, thought I was in luck. When I went to order nobody there knew English. Go figure. Pointing was my savior!!! We start therapy tomorrow at 7:45. I'm very excited and I think Austin is going to love to be able to move around in a bigger area again. I think I'm getting a hang of this Chile thing, and I hope it keeps getting better.