A Blog About a Bloke-Living with WHS

Car Salesman are a wiley lot aren't they? Yesterday, despite my most excellent skills of non-committing, we very almost agree to buying a $56000 brand new car. In fact, despite my best efforts, that car in currently 'on hold' so that I can make decision by Wednesday. Apparently these salesman pride themselves on 'not pressuring' people to buy new cars. I beg to differ. David had already been down and had a test drive and really wanted me to have a drive of one too (I think secretly he hoped I would be seduced enough by the bells and whistles to say: "Damnnit I want it now") And it almost worked. This car was red, so big tick already. It had DVD player for the kids. It had an amazing amount of safety stuff: reversing camera and beepers, some stability thingamy bob, and airbags all round. It had leather seats (which personally I don't actually like, but ssshh). It had 7 seats, which were tiered and folded down (because we have 2 kids and what if ...

So this is going to be my new weekly blog post that you can be guaranteed to get. It will be all about the wonderful and sometimes challenging world of disability. I will warn you: There may be venting and there may be times I am up on my soapbox.  There may also be times when I am writing about how life just doesn't get any better. Do you have something you might like me to write about? You can email me, or send it through the Formspring link. Or you can just comment at the bottom of this post. My first post next week will be: "Labels, Diagnosis and what next?"

So I have been doing some thinking lately (not much else I could do while I was sick in bed), and have decided to trial some new things with the blog. Time to make it a bit more interesting to read. Or at least try anyway. So, here are some new things: For November, I am going to try and post Every.Single.Day. This will be a challenge for me, but will hopefully inspire me to write again. Each week, I am going write about a topic that is disability related. So, basically issues that face us. I might make that, say, on a Thursday. If you have any topics you would specifically like me to write about in the following week, just comment on that week's topic. I am also going to post about our garden, because we are aiming to learn as much as we can about growing vegies, and eventually want to have the majority of our vegies coming from our garden (which may take some time, but that is our goal). My other great love in life is cooking. I love creating new foods, or cooking new ...

Not quite what Braeden thought it would be. But, sometimes, you just gotta let them learn for themselves. Bear in mind that he loves cooking, so maybe he was just trying to create a new dish. Either way, he only managed to eat one piece!!!

So, back to fluff in the blog for a while. Fluff Fluff Fluff. Nothing more, nothing less. Here is a picture of our first harvest of snow peas. It will be the only time we will ever collect so many at once because Braeden eats them before I can collect them. Yum. Snow Peas.

I found this over at Kidz . I think all parents who have a child with a disability need to read this!! 

So here is the cynical post that you all know I am going to write (given the status update over at Blogaboutabloke Facebook). I have been sick for the past 5 days. So sick that I have had to stay in bed. In fact, I slept for the WHOLE DAY yesterday, waking only to eat and then at 3pm when I realised I had to pick Braeden up from daycare. Ryley has been sick also. He had to stay home on Monday he was so unwell. I am rarely so sick that I can't get out of bed. And, even as I sit here typing this, I am at work, but should be at home, in bed, because to be honest, I feel like I am going to faint. So, who cares about the carers, really? I don't get help. When I am sick, there is basically only David to help me. He has been too busy at work to help me out. So that leaves no one. I am not going to turn this post into a poor me one. No point in drowning in self-pity. BUT. It does raise a good point. How many people out there who care for people with a disability truly have people...

When you get a phone call from the school to tell you Ryley has somehow pulled his Mic-Key button out. When you can't get Ketocal, and the fact that it is your child's ONLY source of nutrition doesn't really matter to anyone. Not to mention the fact that he CANNOT just go eat something. But then again, if he starts having lots of seizures, that is pretty much my problem, right? When you have to change your top before you come to work because you have poo on it. When you get to work with new top on and proceed to spill coffee down it. When you decide to eat chocolate for lunch and then feel really sick after eating it. When your toddler wants to pick his own clothes (and his brothers) and then put them on himself WITHOUT any help thankyou Mum. When you really need more coffee and you are at work and can't be stuffed going to get it.

We were lucky to attend the wedding of our friend Jen and Lachlan on the weekend, and we all had a wonderful time. As soon as the band started to set up, Ryley was sitting as close as he could get patiently waiting for them to start. He started dancing as soon as the band started playing. Braeden (despite being ever-so-overtired) was doing his best to keep up! Here are a few snapshots of the dancefloor hoggers:  Look at how red Ryley's cheeks are from the dancing!!  Yeah, What?  Waiting for the next song to start WOOHOO!!        We had SO much fun!!

I have been meaning to post something like this for a while. A while ago I wrote this piece to base a powerpoint presentation on for a workshop. So it definitely doesn't go into lots of detail, but does present some interesting points I think. Not many people talk about the relationship they have with their partners. And I have written many a time on here about the extra stress having a child with a disability has on a relationship. Anyway, here is the piece of writing. Please tell me what you think. Carer Relationships Forty years from now when we are sitting on our front veranda sipping our wine in the peace and quiet, with no kids around, we will be able to spend all the time in the world with each other. Yeah. That’s if you have managed to make it that far without splitting up. Or you have managed to ensure your adult with a disability is in safe and suitable independent living. Not to mention the financial side of things. Relationships are hard work. Let’s face it. W...

How many times can I change the word sun and make it into a nonsence word? Hmmmm (And that took me ages to write seeing as my fingers have suddenly decided not to work). Today, quite simply, we enjoyed the sun and warmth. Given that my car is dead still, and our current family vehicle 'da camry' is...well...let's just say old, no power steering, and...small?..we had to stay home. We had no choice in that matter. (Da Camry is not known for its lightening speed or endurance). Ryley was in a bad mood all day, and Braeden barely stopped for lunch. David started yet another new project. I did some pruning, weeding, planting of seeds and cleaning of the house. It is so nice to be outside. Fingers crossed this weather stays around a bit. Oh. And having my car all fixed, that would be bloody great.

I don't know how to title this post. Life has been so busy that I have barely had time to check my emails. Blog? What's that! These holidays have flown by and I can't believe we are back at school and work next week. Final term before our long summer break...yay! The sun has finally decided to come out and warm us all up a bit so we are all loving that! Ryley has continued to enjoy holiday program! Can't wait for him to go again next holidays. He actually cracked it with me yesterday because he didn't want to go home, and I battled to get him in the car!! Shows how much fun he was having. We have had no car for two weeks which has been a joy. Then to top it all off I get the car back and drive to Melbourne for Ryley's RCH appointment and lo and behold I break down in the middle of four lanes of traffic on the way home. Um...NOT HAPPY. Had to pay a zillion dollars to rejoin RACV (because me, being the slacker I am, forgot to pay the bill). David and Braeden...