Wednesday 28 March 2012

Loving being a mummy!

Well I can get my son out on my own and as I have a few weeks before my next major surgery I am making the most of it.

We have been to Bristol Zoo, fab fun! Loving the Gorillas, went with a fab husband and fab friend as well as my son. Had picnic in the grounds , all wheelchair/ buggy friendly. Also as a disabled person you can get a friend/ carer ,my arse haha,in for free! Although to be fair we couldn't have managed without friend so credit due to him!

I have to say I love the public, ok ok I know there are some Sun readers out there who hate disabled people, ethnic people, educated public sector workers etc etc but they are the tragic minority. When I am out with my son I guess people see me struggling and always leap to assist me. Yesterday it was Gloucester Tescos that were fabulous. From the trolley chap who personally brought a trolley to me to the lady who not only helped me pack at checkout but also put bags in trolley! To the car park where a chap saw me trying to fold buggy up and put iron the car, he rushed over to help me!

So public thank you, you are a good hearted lot and rather than disabled people whinging it is good for us to thank when people are kind. It is so easy, whilst media hate campaigns against disabled run for us to appreciate that most the public is educated, positive and thoughtful!

I got a sack load of library books, my son must have nearly read most children's books there so time to try a new library out. Of course whilst pushing buggy, lugging books I dropped my purse, can't bend to get it but a five year old girl saw and helped, bless her!

Life is great. Our son poses new challenges now he is a tall, strong and crawling one year old. However my husband and I make a good team and we always outsmart him!

Finally I end this e mail with a recommendation to watch on BBC I player, a programme called "We won't drop the baby" which aired on Sunday the 25th of March. For the first time in a long time this is an actual little bit of genius media reporting rather than the embarrassing drivel on disabled people or depicting them as trolls aka "The Undatables" on ch 4!

We won't drop the baby follows a couple, man and wife both with Cerebral Palsy. They have already had one child who is six in the documentary, a happy an healthy little boy he is too. They want another child and the documentary is centred around the birth of their second and how they carry out normal parenting tasks. We all recognise the exhaustion they show in the film along with many other challenges all disabled parents cope with in their stride, with a smile and without an entorage of carers!

Brilliant and inspirational irrespective of whether you have children or not or are disabled or not. It will only be on Iplayer for a few days so try to catch it.

Off to have fun now. Take care

Carrie x

Wednesday 7 March 2012

Sorry

My done list as an appologies for not blogging:

1. Out of county medical specialists.

2. Immune system partying like it is 1999 on every joint.

3. Been offered chemo injections to calm immune system activity, told Dr when I was 8 I hid the oral version of drug in my squirrel pj case. That I was certainly not liking sound of injecting a drug that makes me throw up all day for three days and all I needed was a day to rest but no parent gets that so until is on prescription I will stick with the partying white blood cells thanks!!

4.Got son to baby group and saw another disabled parent as was leaving, felt so nice to not feel I am only one in the county.

5. Shoulder made an ennouous crack when got son in car seat from group, at time thought oh dear now think need plastic shoulders ASAP so hopefully shoulder guy gets to work soon!

6. Party here with friends.

7. Party at friends house.

9. Every one of my fathers 30 something children are not exactly wealthy, can thank baby boomers generation for that according to a uk documentary.Of course my fathers 70th looms and we have been scraping backs of sofas for coins haha to get his present worthy of his fantastic ness as a great Dad. I may not have the body but have good mind and organisation so have sorted it all out for siblings.

10. Scooter fixed so can walk assistant dog! She is smiling again.

11.Granite installed in kitchen.

12. Reading, singing and doing flash cards with son who is getting clingy and cuddly but is healthy, very tall and sturdy so am starting to feel like thumberlina in a land of giants!

I end on a well done Goverment. Not something said often in the UK as frankly I think many of the UK population feel our "leaders" are all a bit bonkers,thick or "a cabinet of millionaires" .However in 2014 a new health department innitiative will be ran out through the uk called "a personal health budget". Basically you will be allocated a sum of which you can decide what your health needs are in your daily lives with chronic illness long term disability. So for example I as a very disabled mummy could have said to my PCT that the only way I can get out without a carer, with my son is by having an accessible car seat. I would justify it to my PCT and say it gets lonely, isolating for me and son if I can't get out and hey presto pct saying yes, money for car seat. This is mega over simplified.

For good advice on the personal budgets please go to the Department of health uk:



I felt so excited by this, it will allow dignity, rather than having to ask for help from others including my arthritic husband. It will open so many doors to me as a mother and as a wife but also to my son as well. I am due to have my usual yearly surgery in April, I have to try build up muscles ready for my new replaced joint to work. I need to go swimming to build muscles up but husband can't go because his arthritis attacks skin as well so need to bribe friend to help me every week, with this budget I could pay her entry to the pool. Fantastic stuff thank you Mr Cameron for having a little thought and showing how a little thought can make huge differences.

Righty ho well things to do, no parent ever stops, equally if we are honest parents, it is one of the most demanding jobs but one of the happiest,most rewarding jobs ever even if the bosses throw tantrums, cry at the word "No" and have you multi tasking like you wouldn't believe!

Enjoy all, keep smiling, life is funnier and happier that way x

P.S is it normal for my one year old son to enjoy "Peppa Pig" haha, I mean it's a cartoon pink pig!?! Haha