Friday, December 23, 2011

Charity is the faliure of governments globally...


Well I was thinking about Charity how some countries have more of a certain type of Charity to support some causes than others and how some Charities are "means tested" and the type of people who GIVE to Charities too.


Well I was chatting to someone how I came about donating my hair (they hadn't seen me since the Summer) and well I was saying how you sometimes feel that you've "exhausted your group of people who sponsor you"... like how many times can you ask the same people to sponsor you for a run/swim/cycle to raise money for charity?


We wanted to go on a vacation, a family vacation and ski... the problem was that the equipment came from a charity and they couldn't let it leave the mountain. (well that's fair enough)... so it looked like we'd have to pay $3000 to buy one of our own.  Well then you think of how many other people who are non walkers who must ski, do they all have one in their garage... looking on a classifieds site... and seeing some for sale sadly not Oatie's size......  Ski shops rent "normal" ski equipment but no one except charities rent the BiSki's....


As it happens our nice instructor who is key in the charity that rents the biSkis found one that we could rent, he's such a lovely guy.... we have to go to another province... but we can go and ski as a family....


So I thought about setting up a charity, thinking well if it could raise money for a pool of the special sports equipment then people could hire and go and spend time with their family together rather than the non walking person not being involved and not paying $3000 to do so.  I fundriase all the time and I know a bunch of people who do the same.... But then I looked there are just simply thousands and thousands of charities out there.... and you think WHY?  even on just giving.com they were trying to promote the charities that people have never heard of... and you think well that charity was a plea for someone elses cause...


Well I could be wrong but I am sure it's the same sort of person who gives to Charity.  Why are there charities in the first place?  Apart from helping those who are less fortunate than yourselves... why is that money needed?  Why is it 'necessary' to have Charities?


If you think of how many thousands of pounds/dollars you have raised personally during your life as in individual and then multiply that by all the people who you know do the same or those who regularly put their hand in their pocket to give......


Or we had a situation in England where there was one Cancer hospice and it was for adults, and there was due to be a childrens's respite hospice within 3 miles... and basically the established hospice fought tooth and nail and almost sabotage so the children's hospice never left the ground.  Their reasoning was that if there were 2 hospices then the CHARITABLE DONATIONS WOULD BE HALVED!


So you have Charity Vs Charity wars too...


Or when only 20% of your £1 for example actually makes it to the people in need... so the rest is absorbed in overheads.


On a separate angle, we don't get any help whatsoever towards Oatie... the health care plan deems his treatment (which has made him go from a sack of potatoes to being able to stand freely in space and kick a ball) to adaptive gear for SPORT all considered a luxury... so he can be a PERSON rather than a "labelled disability, sit in a wheelchair and end of story".... you even have to pay for your disabled parking badge.  Anything and everything for Oatie is considered a "Luxury" so nothing is covered, not even Diapers!hhmmmmm?  The Diapers is a battle to commence...


I am sure that people might consider SPORTS for a non walking person to be a Luxury, but forgive me if I am mistaken, but  whether you have able legs or not, you still have a heart and lungs (not to mention feelings) and surely benefit from exercise as are people who can walk.... not to mention the emotional benefit of exercising, making friends etc etc...  But NO! it's a LUXURY!


Anything that will enable someone like Oatie to have a vague chance of leading an independent life or having a degree of normalcy  it is all called a LUXURY!  But hey, I think they'd under the medical insurance plan chop his tendons in his body in a heartbeat... and spend thousand and thousands of dollars on that...


A service dog... well that comes from a Charity.... a little bit of money towards an adaptive bike... well that comes from a charity...  The skiing that we did, the loan of the equipment... well that came from a Charity...  The Skating that Oatie we bought his equipment but its run by a  non-profit organisation..... even speech devices a lot are considered LUXURY so you have to stump up a lot of the cost.



EVEN Kidsport that is a Charity state that they bring sports to those kids who can't normally do them... well it looks like that is for WALKING kids only... and is means tested. 


Well we get means tested before taking into the cost of his clothes, diapers, equipment, treatment etc etc etc...




Anything that give him his humanity back... all comes from those with humanity (people like you, I...) from Charities...


Why is there so many Charities? Charity is like the hidden tax that people give from their heart...governments seem to DEPEND on it..... it seems to be the 'sandwich' between insivility and civility....globally....


Well I think that because there is the vast number of charities out there is a signs of  failure of Governments who all like their fat-cat pay cheques, and are bureaucrats paper shufflers who are powerhungry for power rather having the vested interest of the people who live in their country and make constantly short term plans till the next election rather than a long term vision that encompasses all areas of society. 



Rant over...and out.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Miserable gits...

Why are people just so blatantly miserable!  like seriously... they see someone like one of our special folk, who is willing to break the boundaries and defy "medical professionals predictions" and are some of the happiest people I know... ... and THEN their (Oatie for e.g) JOY draws out........this group of Bar-humbug people who I would like to group together and put them on "miserable mountain"

  • Their nose it out of joint because you are under 90 and they use a disabled parking badge as do we...... (they are busy taking down your plate number) or shout this isn't "toddler parking!!!" or "you shouldn't park here" my favourite line is.... "hey! lets have a walking race!!!" that makes them RUN lol!
  • You're in the pool with non special needs children of the same age...
    • Ohhh don't go near "him" (Oatie) you might catch it... Catch WHAT?!!!! - Happiness?
      • Ohh yes Happiness is an ILLNESS/DISEASE indeed!
  •  Parent and tot Skating...  (suits us as Oatie needs me to skate with him)
    • The other parents who are determined that their kid who can't even stand up on the ice (non physically challenged) is going to the NHL and this group lesson... which is parented class as the kids attending aren't "ready" to be brave to go without an adult with them... is SOOOOOOOOOOOOooo going to the NHL... and the fact that Oatie is there is a thorn in their side... Well GO and GET A LIFE MATEY!
Do you have any fun anecdotes with idiots?

Oh, and last bit of my rant... Skiing on Tuesday, and this woman about my age said... "I WISH I had one of those to sit in, and be pushed around and take it easy... he's so LUCKY!"

(Well Yes, Oatie was fortunate to have a Bi-Ski experience) I wouldn't call him having CP Lucky...and being unable to ski like 99% of the other skiers that day on their feet Lucky either... . and I'm sure that if it was possible he'd trade places with that woman wishing to "him" in a heartbeat.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Ice, Ice and More Ice... lol!

Laced up...
Oatie's PreSchool retirement is going well!  On Monday he has his skating lesson and insanely... I took him Swimming afterwards!  I know... I know!

Well considering we arrive about 45 minutes before he's due to go out to his lesson to put his skates on.  His skate are great... they open almost to the toe, just because of the spascisity in his feet, It takes about 10-15 minutes to put the skate on his more spastic foot and about 6-10 minutes on his not so spastic right foot.  I have to say that I am getting better at putting them on and this time after I took his skates off his feet felt like mine and he said "ahhhhh Nice Feet!"  before they became stiffer again... Did I mention the changing rooms are downstairs? so there is the bumping of his stroller down the stairs with his frame with mine and his skate bags?  Then the 20-25 minutes to put skates on Oatie... his harness is really easy to put on so maybe 5 mins and then I put my skates on and navigating the doors etc... so we do fill the 45 minutes arrival right till we step out.  My friend giggles as the lesson is 30 minutes and We spend 45 to get ready for it.

About to catch the Beach Ball... look at his Smile!
Anyhow... after that... we step out and Oatie is being a pickle... he doesn't want to stand around and sing preschool songs... (I couldn't agree more....) but when he shouted out NO Rudolf Pokey Hokey at the top of his lungs and NO!  I WANT SKATE NOT STAND HERE, not Rudolph's Hoof! !!! (they make a Christmas Hokey Pokey version about Rudolph putting his Right Hoof in etc), I was lost for words I was in agreement but he was a tad rude and then I was trying NOT to laugh at Rudolph Pokey Hokey as just how he said it was comical.and the extra detail of the Hoof... (he didn't have detail in his speech a while back so I was also smiling at his language development albeit a bit rude but honest at the same time).

Then he had his distaste of going around the pilons...(Cones) and literally stuck his pic in.  Now he can Steer too.. So I'm now encountering a new era with him.  Totally fascinating as well obviously he's his own person and has his own ideas and thoughts most of which he didn't have the ability to converse or convey... but now he's beginning to and it's really intriguing when you think you know someone and then they either back it up with words or contradict what you thought they might like or do... like Oatie.

Oatie Caught it!
Then there is the uncharted territory with Oatie for example at Skating on Monday.... and I... I his Mum and his majority caregiver....and now his physical aide... have the new dynamic of which role.  Like Rudeness I will always take him up on it, which ever hat I'm wearing... He might have a point but he can convey it in a more polite manner.  But his resistance of the pilons....   I had to take a step back and think well... if he was like my older two, if they resisted they'd either sit down or protest.  Here I have a hand through his harness and he can't sit down or protest like they did.  So I said that your teacher would like you to go through the pilons, do you understand and he said yes.  Then I said that I am here as your method to skate, to be your facilitator your aide,... as your mum I would like you to go through the pilons (none of the other kids wanted to go through the pilons either and sat on the ice...).  I said that you can now steer well enough to decide where you want to go... so if you choose not to go through the pilons your teacher will have a word with you and there might be consequences such as not getting a sticker for weaving through the pilons... do you understand? he said yes... so he just pootled off (me in tow) in the other direction by which his instructor came over and said no pilons not pilon sticker... so Oatie Huffed and turned his ice walker and weaved through he pilons and went and claimed his sticker.  It was an odd changed in balance of our relationship but I had to remind myself that if he could stand up on his own I wouldn't be out there with him, he would be him boundary testing,,,.  Obviously I wouldn't let him go off into a path of danger... but I felt he had asserted his "me" and wanted to test the boundaries like any other 4 year old.

I did say that if he worked hard in class, then we'd go for a swim after... so he did, he waited his turn, and did great.  He did cry when he dropped the pilons when it was time to clear up... he almost passed them to his instructor after carrying them 10feet and then dropped them 6inches shy of her hand.... which made him cry.  So after I explained that the pure fact that he wanted to tidy up and it didn't matter that he dropped them... the very fact he had a go was just amazing and I said just as amazing as his older brother landing his big fast jump... and Oatie just said ok and smiled.  I told Oatie he was too hard on himself... and he should be proud of how far he's come on his skates.  All this extra interaction with Oatie is all NEW...

Post Skating Snack... pulling a funny face for the camera...
Swimming was nice after, I do encourage him to develop his swimming kick and arm pulls as I really think he has the capacity to swim unaided one day.... or with a boyancy aide but without me holding him up.  He usually likes these plastic boats but when we couldn't find them instead of crying he found a ball instead to play with in the pool.....

After lunch we did 2hours of ABR before taking my older two skating.  At the moment Oatie cries if we're out of the house and he's hungry so I've been saying that he just needs to say Food or Hungry instead of howling and not using his words and we don't know what's wrong.  So he walks along the bench snuggled his head on my arm and said "Snack Mummy?" and blinked his cute eyelashes at me - another change another difference.

I have to say that after taking him skating and swimming and doing his bench taking the older two skating and doing all the normal chores I was looking forward to my bed later on in the day !!! but he does love his swimming and skating.

Our ABR has been going well... apart from the ski days we've been getting in 2-3 hours Monday-Friday.  At the weekend we've had Xmas parties to go to...

Today Tuessday, my older two had a ice dance test which they both passed, I was relieved as they both worked so hard, i've never seen either of them practice as much or as hard as they did for this one... so not passing would have been a bigger blow than if you don't practice as much isn't it.

We got in 3 hours of ABR which was good...



.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Oatie on Skis.... first Bi-Ski experience

I know! It's quite the Winter for our Oatie.... he's now sit skiing too!

Here is Oatie's dad on his very first time trying to use the Bi-Ski with Oatie...



Oaties Instructor and my daughter with Oatie... and yes Oatie did have a wipeout with his dad...

Oaties Dad with our instructor leading


Sunday, November 27, 2011

On Sunday, we took Oatie Ice Skating

Another magical day, my older two had already skated for 1.45 minutes at 7am... and re put their skating gear on to take out Oatie.  My eldest was amazing, he cruised at almost standstill backwards to encourage Oatie and out of the boys we don't know who was smiling the most... 

Who would have though that he would be skating on his feet.  If you asked me back in March 2010 I would have thought it unlikely...

Anyway I did find his sqeaky hamburger!!! so he will get to use it after all :)


Saturday, November 26, 2011

Puss in boots

The Day After Competition, we took the kids to see Puss in Boots... but first my eldest wanted to go and cheer on some of his friends who were also competing but in a different event....  My daughter is very fond of this one guy as she saw him land his first axel... and she spontaneously started cheering jumping up and down... and since then, he comes to see ours compete if he can and we him.

Well it was lovely, as their friend was warming up and didn't know we came out to see him skate and he skated past the glass saw my older two and his face just beamed... it was just so sweet...


Then we went 1km up the road to the Cinema and suprised Oatie with his hugest current Idol... his Idol is.... non other than Puss in boots from the Shrek film.  He watches Shrek 2 just to see the cat!  Oaties eyes lit up when he saw the poster and through out the entire 1.5 hours, his face was of Awe and wonderment it was just MAGIC to see his cute little face just Beaming...

Friday, November 25, 2011

Skating weekend! Toe Pics R Us LOL!

This was the first competition of the season, so new programmes for both my older two and new outfits too!

Oatie's Brother is skating to Coldplays' Viva la Vida and my daughter to the dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies.

Well I have to say that I am one proud mum.  Oatie clapped and cheered them on.  Neither of my older two placed.  My daughter skated up a category and well like my eldest often skating against kids 2 years older than them.

My son had an interesting time.... they misplayed his music, as soon as he almost got to his starting postion so he was off his game before even starting... they started his music instantly and his routine is action packed FAST... and near the end they cut his music off and stuck it back in the middle and then 10seconds before his time allowed they just pressed Stop!  So he missed of one of his best moves as he didn't know what was going on the poor love.  Anyway he's such a good sport, he was like "Oh Well!"

Both of them went and congratulated the kids on the podium... and well we had a great day...


Oatie's Sister

Oh No, my last weeks post disappeared in Blogworld!

I just went to update my blog when I realised that my last weeks one of the skating comp has gone.  Well I do use Blogger+ app on my iphone and on my ipad and occasionally I type on my desktop!  and somewhere between syncing all of them, it's gone!


Monday, November 14, 2011

Parent and Tot

Parent and tot Skate (don't look at his helmet lol!)
On Monday! we did our first parent and tot skating.  We went for a trial run at family skate yesterday but for the first time in 3+ years the Sunday skate times have changed for the season.  However it was a nice drill for this morning.

I persuaded Oatie's dad to come to the first session just in case I was "Dangerous on my skates" for Oatie.  (there wasn't much persuasion on my part.... he was dying to come... he was great. I had to do all the carrying and lacing and putting the harness on myself... as that way I could see how I would fare next week by myself) but had Oatie's daddy for a lovely backup support.... As the first session in the USA was a blurr...  What became apparent was that Oatie and I need to practise putting his skates on at home during the week... as we were going to be late for our session so his dad put his helmet on while I put my skates on... it was a classic ROL(Roar of laughter) as.... it wasn't till the end of the session that we all realised that his helmet was on BACKWARDS!!!! but it did fit better I have to say! ROL!!!! (I'm just so glad it wasn't me who did that! lol!)

Well Oatie's dad deemed me SAFE.... I even went under the toddler height arch ways a few times.... (I got cheers from the stands).

We only had 3 ignorant BURKE'S.  One Father was Scowling at us... for being on in the parent and tot session... (WELL obviously as he believes that his son is going to be in the NHL, and Oatie is encroaching on is son's GROUP lesson where this kid stands up for all of one second and then takes a huge thunk).   Maybe a tad mean for me to say... well maybe....

Or this other mother who was scowling too at us in the class...  (little do they know that the instructors are my friends since we moved and they are delighted that they get to teach Oatie too)  Or was it the other blue badged vehicle Huffing at us believing that we just ABUSED our blue badge status in the parking lot!  Man I really detest that!  The Eye Rolling or them taking my plate.  Well my standard line is.... LETS HAVE A WALKING CONTEST AND SEE WHO WINS!!!?!

Yes these other blue badge people (who Eye roll and huff and take my licence plate) seem to all, be able to  get in and out of a "NORMAL" car, no adaptations, and can walk as fast as I can....

Maybe its because Oatie and I had a brilliant time on the East Coast.... where people in Toronto/Montreal Area couldn't do enough to help us and Buffalo U.S.A too... and coming back to our area.... is a culture shock!

Well Oatie was so very impressive on his skates... I have to say that I have Oatie in total Awe.... (Yes my eldest learning his Axel at 8.5 is amazing or my 6.5 year old her lutz...., but Oatie is just as amazing to me.  He's fearless, and a skating warrior... he won't rest he just wants to skate skate and skate!).  My husband said he couldn't tell who was beaming more on the ice... Me or Oatie...!

My eldest has a new job that he likes,... he gets the sharpening stone and takes off the burrs of Oaties blades from Oaties new Ice adventures! 

After all of that and our trip last week... I'm ready for a HUGE nap!
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