Today is a World’s First Day.

It’s World Cerebral Palsy Day.

The last time I posted

about this topic,

we had just been told

my little nephew would later be

 diagnosed with cerebral palsy.

Later has come and gone…

We have an official diagnosis.

Our Little Man could sit back

and complain that some of his

 brain messages don’t get

to the areas of his body

they should.

His gorgeous eyes don’t always

 pass on the images

of the beautiful things they see.

 His neck sometimes forgets

to hold his head up high

and sometimes, his little fingers

 curl in to fists.

 He’s learning so much,

but in his own time.

He’s an inspiration:

 his effort…

his determination…

 his patience…

 his happiness.

People could sit back and complain. 

They could whinge

and become frustrated

(which he sometimes does!).

 They could be dragged down

 by their misfortune.

World Cerebral Palsy Day

is giving people a chance

to make things better.

Around 17 million people,

living with cerebral palsy,

are being given the chance

to make their world better…

Or, at least, to suggest

what they would need

 to make their life easier.

Ideas will go on the

World Cerebral Palsy webpage.

Everyone can check the ideas out

 and vote on the concepts

they think will have the most

impact on improving their life.

At the end of September,

a panel will choose the best ideas,

 solutions and inventions…

In November, people will be

 invited to go on-line and suggest

 how these ideas

could be turned into realities.

From December,

the submissions will be reviewed…

And, the best thing…

The products

(currently just wishful thinking!)

will be launched this time next year

– on the 2^nd

World Cerebral Palsy Day.

What an incredible idea!

Check out the ideas here.

Let the Games Begin

The Paralympics

are being held right now.

 

 

Greg Smith led our athletes

 out at the 2012 Opening Ceremony.

 

Australia is winning so many medals…

 But, after the media frenzy

of the “able-bodied” Olympics,

many people seem to lose interest

in what’s happening

with the Paralympics. 

Seems unfair. 

Already, our Paralympians

have won 7 gold medals!

We’ve also won 4 silver medals

 and 8 bronze medals!

Third place in the medal tally

 is impressive…

Our athletes are doing

an incredible job!

The Australian team

includes 161 athletes

and for about half of them,

this will be their first Olympic Games.

The Paralympic Games

are not “new” for all our athletes…

 London will be the 11^th

Paralympic games for Libby Kosmala,

 who represents Australia in shooting.

  11 games!

That is real dedication

and determination!

Our team will be competing

against over 4200 athletes,

from 165 countries.

There is a bit of pressure

on our team…

high standards…

Since 1996, Australia has

 consistently ranked

in the top five countries

 in the medal tally.

So far, it seems

these amazing Aussies

 will be able to stay in

the top five again these games.

 

  Good luck!

Keep up to date: 

Australian Paralympic Team

on facebook.

 

 



Pick Your Battles...

 

Saturdays are meant for sleep ins…

lazy, cosy, peaceful sleep ins!

So, I’m wondering why I am awake…

And why my mind woke up

at half past two. 

For a while, my body

fought for sleep…

I twisted and turned and

rolled over and over and over…

I kicked off blankets

and pulled blankets back up…

 But still, my mind was awake.

I switched on the light

and tried to tire my mind

with some intellectual activity…

 and thought I had won

as I switched the light back off

and snuggled back

into the warmth of the bed.

 But, no. 

 My mind was still awake. 

 Part of my mind was now

calculating the time

and becoming increasingly frustrated

with the other,

wide-awake part of my mind.

More tossing…

more turning…

more restless attempts

at peaceful slumber…

But, no. 

My mind is awake.

  So, I’m calling it morning

– though, at almost five o’clock,

 a load of washing on

and the computer keeping

my awake mind busy,

I’ve not yet given in

to the idea of my first

Saturday morning coffee.

(I am still ignorantly hopeful

 that I may fall into

another peaceful slumber!)

 The birds will be awake soon

– those gorgeous, brightly coloured

 Australian birds that screech their joy

 as the sun rises each day…

before the sun even rises!

Maybe, this morning…

I should go outside

and join the singing birds

as they welcome in another day… 

 

Oh, my neighbours would love me!

 

Bear Cottage

Bear Cottage…

A place I never,

ever want to visit.

(But I’m so glad

Bear Cottage exists!)

BearCottage opened in 2001,

on St Patrick’s Day. 

The idea of the cottage came

from Drs John Yu

and Michael Stevens,

 after they heard of similar places

 in the UK.

Bear Cottage is a

palliative care unit…

 for kids.

Kids who may not live

to see their next birthday. 

Kids who are fighting

a losing battle…

 Kids who may never go home.

Inside the cottage,

kids get the medical care

they need and parents get

the assistance they need.

They live in a Manly cottage,

by the sea,

and every attempt is made

 to bring enjoyment and happiness

to the children in the cottage. 

Bear Cottage is the only

children’s hospice in NSW. 

Bear Cottage cost $10 million

to build and every cent

was donated by the community.

Each year, The Cottage needs

 $2.5 million to operate. 

Again, everything comes

from the general public. 

The families who need

Bear Cottage, stay for free…

While most of us are happy

to be ignorant of places

 such as Bear Cottage,

the families who need it,

find a welcoming home-like

environment where they are

helped to celebrate life…

to create as many

happy memories as they can…

before time runs out.

Bear Cottage - an incredible facility. 

Read more at their website.

A Close Shave

I was sitting in a staff meeting…

paying attention

and showing enthusiasm…

when something

grabbed my attention.

 One of the ladies at work

was going to shave her hair. 

Off. 

She’s been living with leukaemia

 for ten years and needed to

do something big

to mark the anniversary.

  I let the idea float around

 my head a while

and then headed home.

I couldn’t think of a single reason

 not to join her. 

Not one. 

My sisters couldn’t give me

a reason not to, either…

It seemed I had no choice. 

 With my baby nephew

fighting liver cancer

and boasting a cleanly shaven head….

I had plenty of reasons

 TO shave my hair. 

 So, the next morning,

I surrended my hair. 

 A few days later,

my hair was plaited

and three little sets

of fingers each cut off

a section of my hair. 

Dad snipped some off…

and I was left

with chunky hair

at the back of my head. 

 The next day,

my hair was full of plaits…

Kids from my class revelled

in the chance to cut

 their teacher’s hair…

and I was left

with scrappy, messy hair.

  Not for long. 

Clippers soon fixed that. 

 In a blur of crazy moments,

my hair was puddled

on the floor and I was wearing

a short number two style. 

It was amazing! I

 felt younger.

I felt fresh.

I felt clean.

And, I felt good

for supporting a friend

and for supporting Dexter. 

It was amazing to feel

the wind lift the tiny tufts

 of hair on the back

of my head. 

 It was incredible to feel

the water drip through

my shaven hair in the shower…

 Oh, and two flicks of a towel

and my hair was ready to go!

Now, almost a week later

and I can feel how much

my hair has grown.

I love it…

though I have to admit

to the greys

I just cannot cover!

Oh,so many missed days!

Nevermind!

I do have a question

I would like you to ponder…

There are three toilets

in the main area of my workplace.

  There are about 35 of us

there on any particular day. 

 We are predominantly women,

with about 7 males among us.

Here is my question:

What is the likelihood

of me walking into a toilet

 immediately after someone

has left skiddies on the bowl? 

 It would seem

 that the chances

would be low….

But no. 

Remember, there are 7 men

 and about 28 women. 

At the risk of being sexist,

 I am assuming

the skiddie-leaver

is one of the guys.

 There are three toilets.

 There should be a very,

very slim chance

of me walking into

the stinky fumes l

eft from a colleague

 – and yet,

this is not the case. 

 I stumble into and out of

 these tainted cubicles

with increasing frequency.

 I no longer try

to remain polite

and tough it out

– I now walk backwards,

leaving the stinky environment

without fearing how

the culprit may feel,

should they be watching.

 How is it, that

I am drawn so often

to the stinky toilets?

And, how can I change this?

If you didn't know,

I've been neglecting the Cow

and have been spending my time here: http://lovedexter.weebly.com/index.html instead.