Not much crying

What do you do on a cold, very wet Monday morning? Why, get up at 6am and take your son to Manchester Children's Hospital of course.

Zack went in to get fitted with grommets to fix his glue ear that has remained since birth.  Essentially a little cut is made into both ears and the grommet, a little tube, is inserted. All the fluid and wax is also drained. All done to hopefully improve hearing.

I was really impressed with how efficient the hospital was, we were in by 7.30am and Zack was all done and ready to come home by 1pm. 

I am also super impressed with how amazingly well Zack did. Not much crying and it hasn't seemed to have knocked him back at all. As for his hearing well, I can notice a change in his behaviour he is jumping a lot more if you talk too loudly and he is turning to people's voices. 

I know that after a few months the grommets may naturally fall out but for now I am happy that it is giving him the opportunity to hear how we hear.

Dressed up as large rodents

Did I mention that we have been on holiday?

Yes, we have been on holiday. It all seems like too long ago now but we spent a few nights in North Wales, near Porthmadog I think. Another caravan holiday, it was brilliant. 

We had a fantastic view of the sea and beach (don't know what bloody sea it was I am rubbish at geography). Scarlett thought she had her own little house complete with easily accessible bedrooms and toilet. Zack was very happy with the place.

We took them swimming which they loved. On the first night we went to view the local scene. By scene I mean people dressed up as large rodents pretending to DJ. Zack managed an hour before the loud noise, bright lights and crowds got too much for him. As for Scaz, well one night led to me having to take my 18 month old daughter disco dancing every evening. May as well enjoy it now, one day she will want me or her dad to pick her up from around the corner and keep a distance of at least fifty feet from her.

It all went too quickly. Next year we may try abroad....hahahahaha......hahahahaha......that is both excited and demented laugh. I must be mad.

Here's some holiday pictures.

Caravan living

Post swim session.

One of our many views

Beach ready

Portmeirion

Happiness is...

Is it disco yet?????

Still not managed to extract Zack's bike pictures. Still not giving up.

Stupid bloody woman

As I type this post I am waiting for photographs and film of the Pants on his new bike to download on to the mac. 

It is normally quietly and efficiently compliant tonight the stupid thing is having a hissy fit and taking it's time so this may turn into a post about something completely different and not at all related to bikes.

Yes. This is turning into a different post. 

Here read this.

Costa coffee kicks us out of disabled tot

In a way I am kind of glad that something like this has happened. Why? For weeks I have been listening and watching the build up to the Paralympics. Followed by the coverage of the sport. A lot was said about how it will help the nation become more accepting of disability, how it will only be positive for people with disabilities. Why it could even make us more tolerant, more inclusive. 

Yes. It was amazing to see such achievement. And it was great to see coverage of the Paralympics (even if it was Channel Four with ads). We could even feel a bit jublilant that disability got such positive coverage in the media.

And then this. Back to what we all know but never say. Some people are not that tolerant. We don't like different, we are unsure of not the same, it makes us uncomfortable. 

I am now used to the stares I get when I park my backside down in some coffee shop. {Which is now no longer Costa bloody Coffee......Starbucks will be jumping with glee.} No people aren't staring at me, but Zack, when I pop in his little feeding tube to his button in his stomach. I then happily push down some medicine and a bit of water. All the while enjoying my coffee and the general ambiance of said venue. 

Why I've even fed him his blended diet in a restaurant. You see, I used to give a rats ass what people thought. But then one day I saw a family in Debenhams, one severely disabled girl was being tube fed quite happily by her mother. She didn't give a rats ass and that day I thought why the hell should I be embarrassed about feeding my son. It isn't his fault that he can't swallow safely, it isn't his fault that he doesn't understand the complex movement needed to chew and swallow food. He needs food, he needs water. So he has a small tiny button in his tummy, it's no big thing that's how he eats and drinks. 

From that point on I didn't care where I was I just fed Zack. When people stare I stare back. But if that ever happened to me, if I was ever asked to leave a restaurant or coffee shop because of a complaint from a customer. Well....lets just say I might need to spend an evening in the cells. It's beyond shocking what happened, it's intolerant, it's unjustified and it just widens the gap between us and them.

What does that say to other parents in a similar position? Are we all to hide are children away because it makes someone else uncomfortable? Pathetic. So next time you are out and you ever see a child being tube fed, or having to use a suction machine, or whatever medical intervention it is they need to survive. Don't stare. Accept the differences that makes us special. Either that or you'll get a Tall Latte over your head. Stupid bloody woman.

And you, you tube feeding parents. Never be ashamed. 

And you, Mac. Start working. I'm still waiting on those pictures.