Carnoustie twins Ayley and Chloe Hirsch have been discharged from hospital in America after starting the long road to taking their first steps.
They have had an operation that involved cutting damaged nerves from their spines. It was carried out by surgeon Dr TS Park at the St Louis Children’s Hospital in Missouri.
Cerebral palsy sufferers Ayley and Chloe are undergoing intensive post-operative physiotherapy as they try to achieve their dream of walking and running. They were discharged at the weekend and will now have four further weeks of treatment before returning to Scotland.
They will have leg braces to wear every night for six weeks and Chloe has chosen Superman splints. Ayley opted for Spider-Man.
Using the family’s Facebook page to update hundreds of anxious friends back home, mum Averil said it had been an emotional first week in America.
She said: ”What an amazing place. Thank you to everyone who has cared for us while the girls (have) been in.
”We are back at the hotel and relaxing. It’s been a long, emotional, amazing first week at hospital.
”The girls are loving being back in their big beds. They are both showered and ready to have a lazy night even though they have leg braces to wear every night for six weeks to keep their knees and legs straight. Lets see how this goes down with the two of them.”
She added: ”It means so much that everybody is thinking of us and the girls.”
Parents Averil and Frazer have been left overjoyed by the hard work Ayley and Chloe have been putting in with the physio.
Ayley has been crawling and reduced her mum to tears shouting, ”I wanna walk,” as she tried to stand during Saturday’s session.
Chloe has also been doing brillantly with her crawling and high knees.
The news that the girls have been discharged has sparked scores of comments.
Mike Poole said: ”Really exciting times and I am really happy to see you’re all doing so well.”
Richie Fenwick said: ”We’re all thinking about you back in Carnoustie.”
There was also a message of support from Carnoustie mum Laura Ramsay whose daughter Brooke is at the centre of a fundraising campaign to pay for the same operation.
She said: ”Fantastic. So pleased it went so well.”You can find the family’s page at www.facebook.com/helpayleyandchloewalk