tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30494344527817857582015-01-05T16:06:25.008+00:00Its a crazy world!A blog about life in a blended family and the traumas and energy associated with keeping my sanity, retaining my status as a sex goddess (I wish) and still managing to look fantastic while running a madhouse. Throw into the mix a special needs child and a wannabe hippy (me) and bingo! A different slant on the life of a dippy wife, mother and social worker. Welcome to my world...It's Crazy!JB JOHNSTONnoreply@blogger.comBlogger231125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049434452781785758.post-38292342222485230082014-12-23T09:54:00.000+00:002014-12-23T09:54:33.144+00:00Letting go......A Final post.
Well folks, its seems that's another year almost been and gone. How on earth did that happen? It feels like the last year has flown by in the blink of an eye. Its been an exciting year for us with FD finding new found confidence she never had before and me being able to let go of the apron strings a little. I still find it difficult of course but I'm sure I will get there in the end.
JB JOHNSTONnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049434452781785758.post-76428532162451269032014-10-30T19:31:00.000+00:002014-10-30T19:31:16.504+00:00Grinning Like A Cheshire Cat!
We've all had those days haven't we? You know the ones I mean! The days when everything you hear about your child is wonderful and positive! Remember those days? No? Sometimes as a parent of a special needs child all you hear is bad or negative news. Its mostly about the 'can't do' or the 'won't do' or the 'no hope of ever doing' or quite often the ' Lets just schedule another hospital JB JOHNSTONnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049434452781785758.post-43155735355187546092014-09-07T18:44:00.000+01:002014-09-07T18:44:20.259+01:00Bully Off - Feelings Matter - Calling for story contributors!!!
ATTENTION
ALL AUTHORS, wannabe writers...........or simply anyone with a story to
tell. It's A Crazy World is absolutely thrilled to be supporting a
great cause...........getting the word out about Bullying and how it
affects children and their families. You too can be a part of something
wonderful and help others in the process.
Bully
Off - Feelings Matter is producing a JB JOHNSTONnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049434452781785758.post-27049930348444058212014-08-25T22:26:00.003+01:002014-08-25T22:30:33.065+01:00Mummy Super Spy! Eat your heart out James Bond!
Some of you might remember that I wrote recently about my 16 year old daughter wanting to go out on her own with her friend. You can catch that post here. Well, the upshot of the story was that at 16 years old my daughter had only ever been out with relatives or support workers and never out on her own. But in the name of independence, I have been trying to teach her important life skills and JB JOHNSTONnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049434452781785758.post-83021845067110700362014-08-17T16:53:00.000+01:002014-08-17T16:53:22.345+01:00Give this Mummy a Valium! Stat!
When kids get to their teenage years us fretting parents know that its time to teach them life skills and let them spread their wings. However, when you have a child with special needs this is a little bit more difficult. FD is now 16 years old and as she is getting older she is getting braver about trying new things and desperately wanting to break away from the constraints that her special JB JOHNSTONnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049434452781785758.post-35659001113878841392014-07-16T06:00:00.000+01:002014-07-16T06:00:01.694+01:00Mad Ramblings of my boobs on their birthday!<!--[if gte mso 9]>
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JB JOHNSTONnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049434452781785758.post-56964839698100040832014-07-04T15:07:00.000+01:002014-07-04T15:07:36.984+01:00Eat your heart out Van Gogh!
Sorry for not posting in so long. As usual the manic running around that is my life has eaten into blogging time. With 2 blogs to run at the moment I don't know whether I am coming or going. Anyway, enough about me..................let me share an update with you.
The very beautiful, and ever increasing in height FD, is a member of a local learning disability group, a local charity. On a JB JOHNSTONnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049434452781785758.post-9753023598729642322014-04-27T15:40:00.000+01:002014-04-27T15:40:09.691+01:00A Special Needs parent is for life..........Not just for the pity party!
On a night out recently I met a friend of a friend. My friend also has a child with a severe learning disability and her daughter has more complex needs than FD. Both the girls are best friends.
This lady (the friend of a friend) has a fantastic and exciting career that involves lots of travel. During a conversation she made this statement.....'I really think I am a very lucky person. When IJB JOHNSTONnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049434452781785758.post-75140390160687073072014-04-06T20:00:00.001+01:002014-04-06T20:00:25.695+01:00The Firsts.........Part 2.
For those of you who read The Firsts....Part 1, here is the second installment of another milestone passed, a proud mummy and a huge sigh of relief.
For those regular readers of the blog, you will remember that FD had major spinal surgery back in September 2012. Prior to her surgery, FD was very into sports. She was a very competitive member of the local Special Olympics Athletics team, a JB JOHNSTONnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049434452781785758.post-35192503934861499772014-03-04T22:01:00.003+00:002014-03-04T22:01:32.079+00:00The Firsts............Part 1.
Well, these last few weeks in the Jonty household have been interesting . It's been a time of 'firsts'. Trying new things are fab! I love it that FD pushes herself, despite her fears, to get something done. Yes of course we have the 'pre-first meltdown' and then we have the 'post-first meltdown' and then I drink wine! All in that order! We are very predictable!
So, just what has FD been JB JOHNSTONnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049434452781785758.post-50534175794630587842014-02-08T18:41:00.000+00:002014-02-08T18:41:12.793+00:00The Best Laid Plans
This week has been one that has left me feeling really exhausted both emotionally and physically. The travelling demands of my new job have left me drained. In 4 weeks I managed to clock up over 1000 miles. And, to top it all off, we've been told to expect more hospital visits for FD as she now has to have Iron infusions on a regular basis. So, feeling very low yesterday I decided not to go intoJB JOHNSTONnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049434452781785758.post-88204802071636992772014-02-02T12:17:00.003+00:002014-02-02T12:17:46.578+00:00Splish Splash!
A few months ago I wrote about our efforts to try to push FD to be more independent, and one of the things that we were trying to encourage was independent showering. Since FD progressed from baths to showers (because of epilepsy) showering her has meant that I almost need a wetsuit and a snorkel myself. We started off with me washing her in the shower and this resulted in me getting wetter thanJB JOHNSTONnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049434452781785758.post-43906153447692201712014-01-01T14:21:00.001+00:002014-01-01T14:21:53.672+00:00Let the fun begin!
Well guys, another year has come around again. I still cannot believe that we are now in 2014! I hope everyone recovered ok from the Christmas and New Year festivities. The jonty household fared ok over the holiday period thankfully, as meltdowns were kept to a minimum as were any family arguments and anyone getting sick! All in all Christmas was a success. Albeit a very exhausting successJB JOHNSTONnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049434452781785758.post-49596748179777420272013-12-21T12:43:00.001+00:002013-12-21T12:43:55.627+00:00Merry Crazy World Christmas!!!!
Myself and my crazy family would just like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your support in 2013. I hope you all continue to enjoy reading the blog and will find some guidance and support in learning about our world.
What better way to wish you all a Merry Christmas but with a beautiful picture drawn by my very talented daughter. FD won the special schools section in a 'design JB JOHNSTONnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049434452781785758.post-45789436844139926082013-12-13T06:00:00.000+00:002013-12-13T13:46:36.684+00:00Have I got to Have Another Scar? by Pete Cook - A special Dad Writing about his child.
I thought I would post this to celebrate a very special dad. Faced with the trauma of a very sick child, he put pen to paper and wrote a book about his experiences. I'm sure many readers of the blog will be able to relate to what Pete and his wife went through. I'd love it if you'd read my interview with him and check out his book. I've met Pete in the real world and he is such a nice, genuine JB JOHNSTONnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049434452781785758.post-14212591786275433682013-12-09T20:56:00.001+00:002013-12-09T20:56:39.885+00:00And the Shepherds had sparkly wheels!
Today (8th Dec) my daughter took part in her schools nativity concert. She was in the school band and had to play the tambourine and bells. We had arrived at the church early to get a good seat up in the balcony and so determined that my daughter acknowledge all the friends and family who had turned out to see her today we all stood up and did a Mexican wave to her. Did she wave back? Did she JB JOHNSTONnoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049434452781785758.post-50309093435454421602013-11-24T10:28:00.000+00:002013-11-24T10:28:07.567+00:00Little Miss Independent!
Now that FD is 15 I realise that I need to really get the ball rolling proper in trying to give her more independence skills. However, being the mother of a special needs child I have one thing holding me back............FEAR! Other parents will understand what I mean when I say Fear. It is that heart crushing thing that infects everything and sometimes has you making safe decisions rather than JB JOHNSTONnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049434452781785758.post-22629930866753642032013-11-14T15:18:00.000+00:002013-11-14T15:19:52.707+00:00It's like pulling teeth!!!
Yesterday saw us back in hospital yet again. I wasn't too worried as FD was only going to get a few teeth out under general anaesthetic. We'd done it once before when she'd to get all her baby teeth taken out because the enamel had worn away due to her seizures and subsequent vomit fest! Anyway, I didn't even bother to pack too much with me as I reckoned we'd be home within a few hours. I JB JOHNSTONnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049434452781785758.post-53517703333400575802013-10-31T11:34:00.003+00:002013-10-31T11:34:40.268+00:00Pumpkins, Knickers, surfing camels and things that go arghhhhhhhh!
I was in bed dreaming about camels on surf boards! Yes I know I'm a weirdo! I think it had something to do with the copious amounts of sugar in my homemade apple crumble. Plus the couple of glasses of wine I might have had too. Anyway, there I was in the early hours of Halloween dreaming about camels surfing the ocean waves when a blood curdling scream pierced my ears. I do remember lying in bedJB JOHNSTONnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049434452781785758.post-6349244110059637152013-10-07T18:46:00.001+01:002013-10-07T18:46:36.625+01:00Capes, Superwoman Knickers and Cotton Wool!
As parents all we want to do is wrap our kids up in cotton
wool. When they are crying because they are afraid, do we push them or try to
take away their worries? It can be a difficult call sometimes. The desire to
protect our children from all harm and fear is crippling. As parents, it’s our
job to be the person they go to when they are scared, to make things better for
them. We are there to JB JOHNSTONnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049434452781785758.post-66091711337492038972013-09-28T14:51:00.002+01:002013-09-29T20:26:40.493+01:00Step away from the duster!!!
This weekend is a child free weekend! Afro boy is here but he doesn't really count as he is a 20 year old caveman who doesn't come out of his man cave too much over the weekend! I will venture near his lair at some point just to check he is still alive, but I'll need a clothes peg for my nose and a hazmat suit!
FD was collected from school yesterday by the respite unit staff and I'll go andJB JOHNSTONnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049434452781785758.post-35265053592253654602013-08-30T20:00:00.000+01:002013-08-31T08:38:04.711+01:00Even Super Heroes Wobble - An interview with a Supermum! Today on the blog I have a very dear friend as a guest - Please welcome the lovely Katie Kitchen. I've invited Katie to discuss what has been going on for her and her wonderful family, in particular her very special son, Finn. Take it away Katie........
Hi Katie, tell the readers of
the blog a little bit about your lovely family?
Howdy! My name is Kate I have entered level 3 of the
0's andJB JOHNSTONnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049434452781785758.post-28459828267255379702013-08-24T07:00:00.000+01:002013-08-24T09:13:37.654+01:00This is my Child
This post was written as part of the THIS IS MY CHILD campaign being run by Mumsnet............'The aim of the campaign is to support the parents of children with additional needs, and to inform others by busting unhelpful myths about special needs. The campaign aims to support the parents of children with additional needs by busting a few unhelpful myths - and to open up a conversation about JB JOHNSTONnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049434452781785758.post-5698666649983098612013-08-17T11:55:00.000+01:002013-08-17T11:55:05.843+01:00Parents on the loose!!!
I love my kids. Its a fact. I unashamedly tell them on a daily basis, much to Afro Boy's annoyance as I ruffle his hair and say, 'I love ya kid!'. At 20 years old your mother shouldn't be ruffling your hair and upsetting the 'do'. Anyway, despite the fact that I love them, good God I sometimes can't wait to get a break from them!
A couple of weekends ago FD was to have her first full weekend JB JOHNSTONnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049434452781785758.post-71747599142657212022013-08-02T13:58:00.000+01:002013-08-02T14:01:42.491+01:00Sleeping Beauty and the Evil Melatonin Queen!
Regular readers of the blog will remember my last post. The one that I wrote with my eyeballs hanging out of my head with pure exhaustion. The one that I wrote looking like a zombie with a bad case of exhaustion, starvation and anxiety all rolled into one! Yeah that one! At that time FD was not sleeping at all. She was up most of the night screaming because she couldn't get to sleep. And, JB JOHNSTONnoreply@blogger.com2