Halloween II

I don't think Zack quite appreciated his choice of Halloween outfit this year. I think it's fabulous.


He went to the Halloween party at F.un club and had a lovely time. Here's some pictures before the party.

Why mummy, why?

Daddy, please don't take me out the house like this

Spider squats

Spider box

I hate you. And you have got your manky tea-towels in the shot, silly woman

I wonder if she' ll give me a sticker next time.

Have been continuing with the torture routine and Zack is now getting used to it which means less screaming and carrying on.  He is doing well but I still can't help but think that when I am doing his stretches he is deliberately not allowing me to move part of his arm or leg just to show he's the boss. 


Managed to get back to doing his Advance therapy which has been hindered due to his reflux. In fact have managed to do quite a bit thanks to having some home appointments rather than outside visits. 


We had the physio round this week and she has put in the recommendation for Zack to have some Piedro boots fitted to give him some more stability in his legs. She mentioned that he might be better having leg splints to keep his feet and legs in-line as they are turning out slightly. I am not so sure about them, not because it's more "extra" special needs equipment but I not sure I like the thought of his legs being held in a position all day by splints. However having spoken to other people whose children have splints it seems that they are a good thing and some wearers aren't bothered by them at all and actually stand better in them. For now I think we are going to try the boots and see how we get on.


Zack's new car seat has arrived. The Mini Carro. I sat him in it in the house as a trial run and he was very happy. I took him out in it in the car and he HATES it. Oh my lord I thought he was going to explode or have a heart attack. Still, he was a little better on the ride home and as usual I will persevere as it has to get better. His mood improved when I started singing to him, but how many renditions of the Wheels on the bloody Bus do I need to go through to stop him having a fit of rage in his expensive car seat. 


In defence of this seat I have to say it is much better than our other one, more supportive and comfortable for his highness.  Maybe he just hates cars. I think it's the one time I wish he could talk and tell me what the problem is, I am not giving up though, he will get better. Fingers crossed. Either that or I'll just have to use public transport. Oh the thought of it.


We had gone to the dentist in the new car seat. Dentist likes to see the children early so they get used to them (early in their lives that is, not early in the day). She was very gentle and had a little look in his mouth and feel of his gums. His teeth, all three and a bit of them, are fine. She told me to brush them twice a day and that she can feel the other bottom four coming through. And that was it, see her again in six months.  Don't know about getting him used to it but I think by the time we finish visiting I'll have gotten over my fear of dentists. I wonder if she' ll give me a sticker next time. They had a nice selection.

It looks like a torture video

We took Zack to Brainwave this week for some extra help with physio. The place itself is only down the road  so it made a change not having to drive hundreds of miles for some therapy. 

Errrm where are we again?

Oh God there is no escape.

Brainwave offers a tailored programme of physiotherapy and we went for a two day assessment. They put together a short programme of exercises for us to do at home with Zack and assessed where he was in terms of his development.


It was really good to have a physio and occupational therapist for two full days just with Zack. I say two full days, but young man decided that he would take two naps throughout the day. 


It became clear that Zack is completely unaware that the things at the end of his arms are his hands and that he can use these to his advantage. His head control was good but he has a lot of stiffness in his hips and is stiffer in his right side than his left. The exercises we have combine stretching with play. At first I was a little unsure as to why we were doing similar exercises that I do with our NHS physio but by the end of the second day everything was much clearer and I now understand why we are doing what we are doing and to what affect this may have on Zack. 


Now the boy on the other hand was not at all happy being put through his paces. The first half of the DVD shows him screaming and crying his way through the stretches, it looks like a torture video. He was crying because his body hadn't been put into these stretches before and they were uncomfortable. The second half of the DVD he was much happier although at one point we had to stop filming as he decided he wanted to have a sleep. 


Before we left we were given all the equipment we needed to complete the therapy which included a new gym ball that smells like cat litter and a foam wedge for his tummy time, which by the way he is very good at. 


The overall idea is that the therapy will help Zack to decrease his stiffness in his legs, begin to roll and move around on the floor and to play with his hands open. We go back in six months for an assessment and tweaks to the programme to take into account any changes.  


We've tried the programme twice at home, he still cries through the stretches but I've learnt to ignore them, after all it's for his benefit.


Next weekend is Halloween and boy have we got a great costume this year, but you'll all have to wait for the pictures. What a cruel parent I am.

He was fine, didn't even cry

Short update.


Zack has been to Rainbow Legacy House. It's in Chorley and they do Conductive Education sessions as well as run a fantastic nursery that caters for disabled and non-disabled children. 


The Pants went for an assessment there and whilst he moaned a bit at first by the end of the session he was smiling away. The conductor said that she thinks he would benefit from the sessions, unfortunately there isn't any space at the moment. So we wait.


We also took a look at the nursery which did look good so may be thinking of sending him there for a couple of days so that he can have his conductive education sessions in the morning and afternoons in the nursery. But I don't think this would be until next year and even then very part-time. 


Physiotherapy


He had a good physio session on Monday. Was quite smiley throughout and did a lot of work. The physio then checked him out in his standing frame and adjusted the height. (Must be his new diet making him grow). She also made the frame more upright so that he is having to work harder. Zack didn't mind at all and the physio was impressed at how good he is in his frame. She mentioned that he is holding his neck better which is a good thing. He gets a gold star for that day.


Finally, today his daddy took him for his MMR jab and booster. I am still a wimp when it comes to needles. I was expecting him to come back upset and moaning but no apparently he was fine, didn't even cry. Dan said he smiled after the first injection. That's my boy, tough little cookie. (Am surprised though, as sometimes he can be a right drama queen).

Goodnight Ozzy

We need to say goodbye to someone. One of our cats, Ozzy was hit and killed by a car on our road last week. This is the second cat we have lost on the road. It's not a busy road, a quiet road but every so often you get some idiots speeding down without a thought for animals or people walking their dogs. 


Ozzy was a wonderful cat, a real character, I love all our cats (we now have only two) but Ozzy was special, had him since he was six weeks old and I miss him dearly. He will always be in our hearts. 


Since Zack was born he took, shall we say an active interest in the new addition to our family. The active interest usually meant sleeping in every possible Zack related item, prams, strollers, his cot, on top of him. I always said his full name was Ozzy Noooooooo! 


Anyway I don't want to dwell, I just want to say goodbye, you went too soon and you will always be in my heart. 


Farewell to an amazing cat.