As a qualified nurse, wife of a GP and the parent of a young man with complex disabilities, I sometimes feel as though I’m being fed the line of empowerment whilst being thrust into a system which doesn’t listen. Sometimes I wonder if, as a parent carer, I am a lot like Cassandra. Cassandra, a [...]
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’m not sure where to start because there are so many of you who have the opportunity to deliver personalised care. Maybe you’re one of the many therapists (Occupational Therapist, Physiotherapist, Speech And Language Therapist to name but a few) who collude and agree when it’s best to meet and then ask that I adhere [...]
I went for my weekly sunrise walk with a dear friend this morning. It started a few months ago in lockdown as yoga on the beach (45mins talking, 10mins yoga) but as recent weeks have brought the cold, we have taken to walking, talking and clinging onto steaming mugs of tea and coffee. Going from [...]
I’m not sure where to start because there are so many of you. Maybe you’re one of the many therapists (OT, PT, SALT) who collude and agree when it’s best to meet and then ask I adhere to your agreed date and time. Please know, I’m grateful for your input, skills and knowledge. I know [...]
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 [...]
When I worked as a nurse in A&E, I knew that even in the middle of emergency procedures, how I treated the patient and family would be remembered. As a parent standing over my fitting son while the doctors fought to stop an hour long seizure, this simple fact went from theory to reality. As a healthcare professional [...]
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.
Parenting a disabled child gets a bad press, so here is my Top 11 advantages to parenting a disabled child but there are many more.
Have you ever dreamt that you walk into work and everyone is staring at you? At first you smile at the on-looking faces, then you begin to wonder why you're getting so much attention. Suddenly, your heart races as you anxiously look down to discover you aren’t wearing any trousers. Everyone is staring because you've stepped outside in your underwear.
