New developments

MJ is back at school and her schedule has changed. Needless to say I think it is playing havoc with her at the moment and her fatigue levels waiver from day to day. As this was only the first week of the new schedule, I'll see how she is at the end of week two and if she's still so tired then I'll have to talk with the school to see how things can be changed. She is also trying out a new programme in which she listens to classiscal music to help with memory recall and it's supposed to help relax her. I don't believe it's having that effect. She seems quite stressed by it.

MJ has a new splint. This new one allows for more flexibility. It has a hinge just below her ankle, so she is able to walk better.

Took her swimming today to try and work some of those core muscles. It's a little difficult trying to help MJ to trust me in the water and also trying to teach Cort to swim. Dave doesn't like public pools much, and even though he was with us today, he was extremely uncomfortable. Hopefully before our holiday starts, I will have succeeded in teaching both children to swim.

Things are a little harder for us now as Ash works full time 12-8. We now need to employ a carer not only to assist with MJ, but to help out with picking up Cort etc.

Ugh I tell you, things just seem to get more complicated!

There have also been times when MJ won't eat anything. Why that is I don't know, but it is just disconcerting.

On the up side - and there is always an up side - MJ still manages to laugh everyday. She still loves life and tries to get as much as she can from it.

I'd love to take a page from her book and laugh more often instead of worrying all the time.

If the weather holds out tomorrow, we are off to the beach. Time to tan our extremely white bodies!

Sad times

Well, today has been very emotional. Recently my mother in law passed away, quite unexpectedly albeit peacefully. The strain has hit Dave quite hard as he tends not to release his emotions in full view of everyone. Today was the funeral. Mic misses her nana so much and I think that for both her and Ash, the realisation that they will never see their nana again hit home. Thankfully Cortni is too little to fully understand and I never took her to the funeral. I remember going to my grandad's funeral when I was 5 and didn't want the same memory for Cortni.

My children were dignified in their grief and hugged their grandad, dad and uncles and I think they understood and respected the loss that the boys felt and still feel.

As for MJ in general, she's doing okay. Her school time table will alter after Easter and she will get the chance to join her class mates in Art class.

We received the cognitive assessment from the psychologist and basically MJ will need a lot of support and will struggle to keep up with her peers. In a nutshell, MJ will have to do vocational training. What that will be exactly, we are not sure, but MJ has a while yet, before she makes that kind of decision.

It will be MJ's 12th birthday on Tuesday. 7 months after her accident. Today, I kept thinking how 7 months ago things could have been so different and I could have buried my child. I really do not think that we could have coped as individuals or as a family if we had suffered 2 losses in such a short space of time.

When I chat with people about how long it has been, the surprise on their face astounds me. I think that they think it has been so much longer. 7 short months of pain, fear, trepidation, happiness and loss.

I'm hoping and praying with all my heart that the next 7 months will be filled with happiness, laughter and excitement. NO MORE TEARS!!

(p.s. Thanks to all for their kind words and sympathy during our family's time of grieving)