Planes, trains and automobiles... We had a brilliant trip!

Well our epic 6 day adventure is coming to a close.... I'm typing this on the plane on the way home... Lol! So not home yet.

Well on Friday we headed for Toronto. Oatie and I hired a car, and drove to buffalo... We got held up at the border as we didn't cross where we wanted to... So ended up at the busier border crossing...

Anyway we sat in the queue for 45 minutes there was only 3 people in front of us... Meanwhile about 30 cars went by in the other lanes lol!

When it was our turn... We had to go in the office because we're British Citizens.... And explain the poppy (I was wearing)

Well we arrived at our hotel, it boasted being handicapable friendly.... Well they tried very hard... But..... The luggage cart was the worst I've ever used. Having one hand on Oaties wheels and the other on the cart it was almost impossible to push/pull both.... It took 20 mins to just get into our room...

They tried very hard with the bathroom and the drapes etc.

We grabbed some food and then we crashed for the night... Instead of Buffalo taking 1.5 hours it took 4.5 hours....

The next morning we got ready for our skating fitting/ session.

We got to the rink early we were very excited. We visited www.glidingstars.org a lovely lady called Elizabeth runs it and she runs it non profit. Elizabeth designed the skates and the walkers and the skates are made by Riedell by hand....

They have non weight bearing walkers to person who needs minimal support... Oatie got the middle walker... One that has a bar he can sit on.... But doesn't have the slingseat.

There are different skates... One for CP, one for Wearers of foot braces and the other for people with problems with their feet.

Oatie got the CP skates....

Elizabeth was brilliant! She brought like 11 pairs of skates to get the best fit for Oatie... She brought two ice walkers for Oatie to try... And one harness.

Then, we tried on the gear. And got it ready for the session for handicapable people. Elizabeth's weekly ice programme.

Then it was time for Oatie to get kitted up.

Then, we waited by the end rink door.... Lovely rink it had a nice disabled ramp down to the ice surface.

The ice programme was amazing, they have one to one or two to one aide per skater. Most volunteers are teens or young adults. There was a huge range of physical ability. There were some kids who started with Elizabeth when they were two and now skating around independently.

The format was lovely. First they shout their mantra. I can skate it and I can do it. There were three groups and the end with parachute and ball kicking.

So then two volunteers and Elizabeth came to help us on the ice... All I can say is WOW! Oatie LOvED it!

They thought he'd skate 5 steps and then need a rest... But not Oatie... He skated for a whole hour!

Oatie weaves in and out of the the pylons/cones.

Then we played a parachute game and then after it was ball kicking. Oatie really didn't want to leave the ice... So while I looked online at our rec centre and saw that there are some spaces in the parent and tot.... So Oatie is now signed up for this Monday!

So after that we grabbed our bags and headed back across the border. What was nice was when we came across the border the immigration officer said "welcome home" and it does feel like home...

So we toughed out the Toronto traffic back to the airpot to return our hire car...

Where I met my cousin in the parking lot. So we headed back to my aunts and uncles house which was absolutely wonderful. I haven't been to their house for 19 years. We spent two nights there.

We had a great time with our family. I went shopping with my little cousin and Oatie tried some bubble tea.

My uncle dropped us off at the Toronto downtown station on Monday Morning.

Well they have dug up all around the station so my uncle waited with Oatie while I went and found a porter who was fantastic. (Via Rail) she came and walked 5 mins to get my bags. Helped us to get our tickets and even get our bags checked in.

The journey was about 5 hours. The train was great with a snack cart service and free wifi and power cables so we had a great time.

When we got to Dorval, they have a shuttle to Trudeau airport. A via rail porter gets your bags and puts them on the shuttle. The driver was so nice he even took us to the car rental side which he didn't have to at all..... Even with Oatie shouting hommmmeee massssssss (ohh Mannnnn) from Swiper the fox in Dora the explorer.... At every corner and also shouting out you're driving too fast.....

The car rental person was great... He even loaded our bags, and the we headed off to the hotel that we often stay. Heavy traffic took us 1.5 hours to reach it rather than 35 mins.

The next day we set off for our ABR session and had a brilliant day. We met two families that we've trained with before and met 3 other families which was lovely. We now do 3 sessions... So we did one each day.

Oatie's progress was really good but I wasn't expecting a huge leap as I had been so ill this year with the lump. But there are still significant changes from the ABR machine. And still a major improvement which goes to show that the machine really does work...

On Wednesday we had lunch with another ABR family which was lovely to catch up on the past 6 months.

Hello to Sue and Noah xox

On Tuesday Oatie's preschool aide popped into our hotel to see Oatie.... (the amazing lovely wonderful aide)

He was so excited to see Oatie and Oatie was right back... So much so that after an hour Oatie asked to sit on his lap and fell asleep on him... Oatie was out for the count for 5 hours and woke at midnight... So I gave him a light supper and put him back to bed... Lol!

Our exercises are mainly on oats back with one on the neck and one on the head.

We learned how to use the eggs which is really exciting.

We've had a brilliant training session and they really have catered our exercises to our home setup.

I just need to get going when we get back with it....

So we had another nice person at the car rental. As soon as he realized that Oatie was special... He told me not to offload the car as he then dropped us off right outside the checkin desk door... So that was amazing. Oatie fell asleep in the car and had a huge screaming fit so WestJet were lovely... They basically took our bags early helped us push his ice walker and car seat to the oversized baggage belt and were really lovely.

So we're on the plane on our way home. Oatie has been totally amazing he's travelled so well it's amazing!

What I still can't get over is all the really nice people who couldn't do enough to help me or JJ. On our last visit where he was harder to manage not being able to stand at all and I needed more help... Just one soldier and a cab driver who were just so amazing, who I'm still thankful today for their help.

This time... I've had a nice car rental guy who took our cart to the car in Toronto... Elizabeth's team and volunteer army in Buffalo... Lovely porter at Via Rail Toronto... and in fact brilliant staff... Lovely shuttle bus driver in Montreal... and a nice passer by who pushed our delinquent cart to the car hire desk to this guy getting and loading our car for us... To one of the other ABR families who we had lunch with and it was walking distance from the centre... Who's dad insisted on carrying Oatie back for me to give my arms a break...To the nice car returning guy who dropped us off in the car outside the terminal in Montreal. To the lovely west jet staff who did a brilliant time checking us in with the loudest tantrum that Oatie's had in public for 15 months and were just so nice.

So there are some nice people out there... I think I've just had a lifetimes quota in 6 days...

We're back...

We're back and had such a great time xxx

And we're off....

Well I never said what context the "Diversity" was... our leisure centre has a DIVERSITY swim.  To be honest the phrase hasn't clicked with me at all.

Well I had one "lovely" man take my number plate, I am sure to report me using the "handicapped" space With Oatie With our Placard..... the other day.  Well I had 15 eye witnesses and the rink guy all to state that Oatie was in fact with me as he came to watch my adult skate class.

Well we are heading to the airport in 5 hours so I had better get some sleep... My phone hopefully will sync in time... it went flat after an hour, so we had to change the battery which was a HUGE saga!

Well Till the Oatie has landed....

Love

Mel
xxx

Ok... here's a new one... Diversity!

How do you guys feel about being labelled a label?

Do you mind, don't mind or prefer having a PC(politically correct) name...

I don't know, nor do I spend much time thinking about it either... Well today i was at our rec centre my older two had a skating seminar today, and well.. I was due to be at the rink till 12.30... we arrived at 7.30....

Anyway; as the times weren't published, I missed my skate and Oatie missed his swim today (I did take him yesterday just in case) and... my husbands car was stuck in park well he managed to get his car to go in the end... but he missed the school meeting.

While he was enroute to the adaptive ski meeting at Tim Hortons... (I know, well the adaptive guy was really nice, he said rather than driving up to the Mountains, that as he was in town anyway he could see us before/after his other meeting).

So I don't know all the in's and outs, but basically we can get Oatie up the mountain mid November on adaptive ski gear, he said for now he would be a sit skier with the view to him being a standing skier when he can weight bear for 20 minutes at least.

So that was exciting. Our dog application has gone off, and Oatie being the bright one that he is is already talking about having a dog so I had to explain that although he would be amazing with a dog, and be a really good owner... there might be someone who needs a dog more... so he might not get one or for many many years....

My friends dog, he played his ipad with, she curled on the floor and he sat between her paws and he played his ipad with her and even a game of monopoly together on his ipad. He/She LOVED it.

The meeting that was missed was rescheduled for the pm and in that we now know what we need to do before Jan's application date for Oatie in Kindgergarten for next year.

Kids wiped and all in bed... Mummy more wiped but not in bed... yet. However a nice man called Ravi cooked my dinner tonight (it's take out) lol!

So going to put my feet up with our takeout and a lovely glass of vino and (yes Phil the Brandy / Whisky is going down a treat... :)) .)

Paper et al. lol!

Here is tnew latest that we've been arranging that I haven't had time to blog about.

Tomorrow we're taking Oatie to the Dr's to.... get his application for a SERVICE DOG going.

I've filled out the preliminary forms and I have returned those and now they need signing off from a physician to state that he does have CP and that a dog would be beneficial for him.

If the application is application is approved, it could take 2 years for a dog to be trained just for Oatie, it depends they said on the needs of the person applying.

Oatie's future school already have one service dog attend school, our rec centre let's service dogs even pool side....

And...

We're taking Oatie to an charity/non-profit organization where Oatie can get some adaptive ice skating gear en route to Montreal for his ABR.

So I know it sounds totally insane, for a 6 day Trip....but, we're flying to Toronto, and staying the night in a neighboring town, Oatie can be fitted for special equipment and attend the Adaptive ice skating class/session. Then we casually drive back up to Toronto, have a rest evening and a whole day in Toronto I might catch up with some family. Then the next day we get the train from Toronto to Montreal and put our feet up. Grab another hire car and then the next day get stuck into our ABR training and then fly home.

So that's all been arranged and Oatie is so excited. Our rec centre has already approved the gear and, My older two's head figure skating coach has also volunteered to get Oatie going on his adaptive gear when we get back.

How can it be Friday Already!?

Where has the week gone and we haven't been as busy as usual!  Well, On Monday I did make a skating shirt for my eldest....  But apart from that, just the usual...

I did take Oatie Swimming twice this week, once on Wed and then again today. 

Today the Kids like Oatie, they are a highschool group I think I mentioned last week invited Oatie to join their swimming session.  I didn't want to offend them by saying no so I thought we'd give it a go.

Things I didn't miss about Parent and Tot Swim which is straight after:

• I have to say it was really ODD not having anyone STARING at Oatie, and it was also very odd not to have anyone ask "What's wrong with him..." (I always want to retort back, well what's wrong with YOU for asking what's wrong with him?).

• I really didn't MISS at all, the parents (not all of them but a few adults) who realise that Oatie is different and then their kid is happily playing with Oatie on the boat or with the plastic bathtub style boats, and then they try and drag their kid AWAY from Oatie, thinking that they can CATCH CP!

It was Surreal really, to be in a pool, and have Oatie excited and that's when his speech is most difficult to understand and the other kids Aides, UNDERSTANDING what he said without me having to decipher/translate what he's just said.  It was one of the most oddest experiences in ages... to be somewhere and people WANTED to understand him and tried and did.

The other aspect that took me back was.... that some of the teenage boys, came over and wanted to high five Oatie and just asked him about the boats he was playing with, another came over and just wanted to hold Oatie's hand for a minute.... and Oatie came home and said I have 2 friends at swimming to his dad.

It was so nice to be accpeted.  The only people who were FROWNING were the parents of the preschool learn to swim (other side of the rope) having so many kids who don't look like their kids having so much fun and you could see them trying not to stare...  Their faces said it all, they wished it was a brick wall...

For me, I found it hard to let my guard down... I am so used to having to be his advocate it was nice to just be a mum for 45 minutes... 

For me, I am usually on the other side of the rope (with the more able-bodied side of the population).  DEFINATELY not sharing their disdain for the people who don't look the same as them... definately not.... but I enjoyed just swimming with Oatie, and not having to answer why he's different all the time.

I got a lot of "ooohhhhhh... now I understand" from some of the kids aides... as I have always chatted to the kids not just the aides, (I see them when I swim in the morning or at the rink before our adult skate class) and I do get a puzzled look from some of them looking at me like am I chatting to them or poking fun them....  One was that group of 20 something's running through (funny enough... the swimming group that we swam with today at the rink) I posted a photo of them last skating season.  One aide has an adult male who she and another lady looks after and I always chat to him too, well I have done since we moved, well today these two ladies were in the pool and then one of them said, Now I know why you chat to our guys/treat them as equals (the people they aide) after seeing Oatie.

I don't know if we will swim with them every Friday depending on times... but it was really nice.

One of the best bits was that most of the high-school aged kids could all swim, which was so brilliant, just so brilliant.  Their aides they had with them, WOW, that's what an aide should be like WOW!

I am still wondering whether I can teach Oatie to Swim, I hope I can, (looking at him today I thought he could so do this....) it would be so wonderful for him to be Free in the water.

Have a great weekend

x

We went Swimming!!!

Well, we did it, Oatie went Swimming...

I went for a public skate and a quick swim, dove home and grabbed Oatie from his dad, and took Oatie Swimming.  I must take my waterproof camera so you can see his face, it is just wonderful. 

Oatie made a friend there, who was about the same age, and after a while he asked why Oatie couldn't walk... when I said not everyone can walk.  So he said, that's ok, put him in the floating boat and I'll give Oatie a ride.

When I went for my swim earlier, I bumped into a group who.... were special kids like Oatie, they were from the high school and I asked what group it was and that Oatie always gets' asked why he can't walk and it would be nice for him to just go swimming and make some friends too.  So when I took him back the chief organiser came and found us and said that we're more than welcome to come and join their special group...  and left an open invitation... which is really nice of them.

Slight awkward moment after the parent and tot swim.... I bumped into my Oatie's ex school... well the k-9 Oatie's ex-preschool is housed in the building but not really part of it.  My daughter went there for K, and she apart from being bullied did like it in the K.  Her K teacher gave me a huge hug, where as this other mum who often was in the preschool class last year as she is apparently a "teacher" I don't know of what apart to be hostile lol! refused to speak to me, not that I was bothered....

Better go and finish of the lunches, Oatie is super hungry after all that swimming.

Oh and on a parting moment, there was this one mum who was in a WHITE tiny See through bikini and well it was so transparent and it was indeed YUCK to be honest.... 

I'm a stress free MAMA SHREK!

O.M.G I think I'm "mama Shrek".... but stress free...

I get fiery about things but NOT emotionally angry... I have a good vent but it doesn't cause me sleepless nights...

Well after the outcome, I got the farewell email from the room leader... and it was along the lines of the type that one would receive if you moved.... or changed preschool.... not one that this person from their own bad choices and stupidity caused us to remove our little guy....

So no mention, not even a single apology about putting this person as my son's aide... not a single shred of remorse..... When my husband spelled out the reasons for Oatie leaving she just nodded and looked blankly like in one ear our the other or who knows what.

So I wasn't having, oh "he was such a happy boy... pleasure to work with....." Oh no! I decided that i would put it for her in black and white, why he left and I did use capitals, on the YOU bits... oh I did.

It was more the cheek that to push the whole situation away and not bear any responsibility for her rubbish choices or actions... or lack of them!

My 6 year old, said that Grown up's are silly. If kids don't make good choices when interacting with other kids, the situation is mediated out, and people move on,.... she then went on to say when Grown up's don't agree or when one grown up says to another grown up that that grown up didn't make a good choice she said they get all silly about it, and act like a toddler!

So I am waiting for my "toddler response back" from this woman. I really don't care what she says... someone has to tell her that she really didn't make the best choice and maybe she won't inflict the same on another family.....

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Mama Shrek... well the bus since the change of driver over the past 10 days has been late/lost and forgotten children... Once again the driver is very nice and looks like their driving is fine. But we live out in the country so you can see a 10 minute walk away to your neighbours on the other side of the estate... This bus does circuits and it's like a Benny Hill sketch... the bus goes this way, then that way, then drives past misses your turn off, turns around comes back up your road, drives past your house....then takes another turn on the route it just was and well my kids spend 20 minutes driving around the estate.... doing laps and laps of the estate..... I'm standing outside and waving at the kids in this direction and then they wave on the way back....

I know people will have a teething period with a new route... but... it's Canada and well they're already hinting of colder things to come and while its mild its not a huge deal to wait 20 for the bus... but you don't want to be out there for 20 minutes in -35... not when you're the first and last stop... So I just told the office and stated how I don't want this lady to get in trouble... just that they are now late for class too... I just think an experienced driver might sit with her over a coffee and plan the route with her..... What did my older twos school do, they forwarded it to the transportation office.... so I was like oh no!


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Mama Shrek part III

Well... you might know but we are a Scouting family... and well they are having a "no one left behind campaign". It's about raising money for families, kids who can't afford to go to Scouting for financial reasons stating how that they deserve a break from their hardship for a few hours a week. Well I couldn't agree more..... One of my Scouting friends sent me the link to the campaign.... but it just made me annoyed.....

However, it doesn't state anywhere that they want to help physically less able people, not a single bit.... so the "no one left behind" is for able bodied kids.... so does that mean that Oatie isn't a person? Because this campaign would leave him behind.... or just because you can't walk.... you are not allowed to be a Scout or a Guide? Having been in the Guiding and Scouting world since I was 7, and done it all from Brownie up.... I know that not to be the case at all, Baden Powell wanted EVERYONE to be included, and he meant everyone. I have one of the very first Scouting handbooks EVER, yep a 100 year old book! For my Queens' Guide, I had to study the life of BP and Agnes... and the formation of Scouting and Guiding. I have even been as a child to the Scouting Mecca of Brownsea Island. So don't tell me Scouts Canada that people who are not as physically able as my older two, can't join! It goes against the very principles of Scouting!

Yes I did email Scouts HQ in Ottawa... as Oatie would like to be a Beaver next year... and why not!
------

So Phil, there is 3 people down, now many more billion to go???


Well on an UPBEAT note, you know when people say one door closes another opens.....

My friend who LOVES JJ, he inspired her to be an aide but she was telling me about all the things she is learning and at my age (we're 4 months apart) has found her Niche in life and is just so happy and she is an awesome mum and the passion about her being an aide, is just beautiful...

I will blog about the new exciting things that we have lining up from Oatie... so exciting.

This week, I had no intention of being Mama Shrek.... at all.... but well, these things do pop up together sometimes... I will not and cannot stand for prejudice for people outside the normal distribution curve....

Maybe I'll get some green body paint just to really be Mama Shrek!....

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I almost feel like going back to school and studying to be a disability rights lawyer! I really do...

This unfairness really shouldn't be here in today's times. It's so last Century!

Love

Mel
xxx