In promoting the 'Don't Call Me Mum' initiative and asking practitioners to #CallMe, I often hear the excuse that a hospital professional is simply too busy. It is easy in the bustle of the hospital ward to mistakenly regard the details as unimportant. Like the panoramic view of any hospital stay might include the admission [...]
I’ve heard it said, that children come first. We say it in lots of different ways; ‘It's the kids that matter.’ ‘You need to do what’s best for the children.’ Although I am passionate about the rights of children and their well-being, in our family at least, children don't come first. I have come to see [...]
“It’s just so hard, it's constant, not just physically but emotionally and mentally.” I muster every ounce of ‘I hear you’, with a simple nod. In slightly more frantic tones she continues, “it isn’t that it isn’t good, it is wonderful, she is deligh…” “Stop, you don’t need to explain.” Three times this week I [...]
Events this week has reminded us all how life can change in a minute. The tragedy in Manchester has shattered the hearts and lives of so many families. For 49,000 families in the UK, we know the reality of a life defining moment. Our children have a life-limiting diagnosis and so we have experienced first hand [...]
The truth is my son is wonderful. It’s true our lives are good. It’s true I am lucky and blessed in so many ways. It is true he is precious and unique, loved and created. It’s true he fills our home with love and has taught us all how to be better humans. It is true that [...]
**WARNING IMAGINATION REQUIRED** Imagine me in a Miss World competition. Obviously to do this, you'd have to believe I've abandoned any feminist ideals, grown a foot in height, enhanced my breasts and shrunk my waist. But, bear with me... Should I ever be a contestant on Miss World and the MC asks me what would be my one wish, it probably wouldn't be 'World [...]
For about three seconds in 2005 (the year I became a mum) I thought I could be a SuperMum. It didn’t last long. Unfortunately, I spent a few years trying to pretend to be a Supermum. Every morning I donned my Lycra suit and tried to trick everyone into thinking I’m Superwoman. Having a son with severe disabilities meant [...]
Is it just me? Or does anyone else feel like they are desperately trying to keep their house in order whilst stopping themselves from falling over the edge? I’ve always enjoyed living life a little on the edge. I love travelling and feeling like the foreigner. I’ve even been known to eat something that is a day [...]
There is something I’ve discovered, no matter how hard I try, moments still only last a second. Over the last year I have tried really hard to soak up life but time still just flies by as moments effortlessly slip through my fingers, no matter how hard I grip or how deeply I breathe.
The debate about the ‘Down Syndrome Blood Test’ is raging. Unfortunately, I think a lot of it fails to question whether any blood test can accurately measure the value of a life.
