Willy Whiskers

This Weekend was filled with alot of soccer (if thats what you could call it).It was My husbands 35th birthday and being the crazed soccer lover he is we all trooped off to a park, ate lots of crappy food whilst some very unfit males ran around on the grass trying to relive the soccer skills of their youth. The next morning there was alot more from where that came from!!!!! Corporate games seemed to bring out a whole new breed of 30 + men wistfully imagining they were playing for the socceroos.It was sad and sometimes cringeful, however, team spirits were soaring .Thankfully - because there was nothing else soaring I can asure you!!! Will was the team captain and in true Willy fashion he was positive and supportive of his sore and sweaty team.In honour of my true team leader and him turning 35 here are few things about the birthday boy.

1. He is the third William James Davey in his family.
2.He is strangely obsessed with the series "scrubs"
3.He adores his "girls" - that includes me - hee hee
4.He has very short fingers - stumpy would say!!
5.He has very small feet but could drive a car with his big toe!
6.He is an insulin dependant diabetic
7.He often considers a seachange and wants to buy a "subway" franchise
8.He is a proud kiwi
9.He makes the best homemade hamburgers ever!
10.He always wanted to be a comedian
11.He refuses to make the takeaway order phonecall
12.One of his nicknames is " Willy Whiskers"
13.His favourite food is my mums Ball Curry
14.His 2nd favoutite food is bread - in any form
15.He is a crazy and fearless goalkeeper
16.He is very funny and has an infectious giggle for a man
17.He is exceptional at wrapping presents and will not let me do any
18.He used to own a mesh top ( and wear it!)
19.He is adopted
20.He has a Calvin and Hobbs tattoo
21.He is not interested in listening to Music (strange I know)
22.He can jump incredibly high for a short man
23.He has followed the NZ Cricket team around and sold Cricket merchandise at their Venues
24.He used to play soccer for NZ u/19
25.He used to do ballroom dancing
26.He has a strange repatoire of gymnastic moves
27.He has never smoked a cigarette in his life
28.He is a folder not a scruncher
29.He is the only one not to accept that our dog is part chihuhua
30.He rarely goes to bed before midnight
31.He always smells good
32.He keeps every box that any appliance/electrical good comes in
33.He is almost always incredibly calm and rational
34.He has great taste in women
35.He is a fantastic Catch.


Happy Birthday Willy.

The Day I dread

Every year when the 23rd of November comes around I get all tingly. Not in a warm fuzzy way but in a yuk,sweaty dreading kind of way. On November 23rd 2003 my 20 month old daughter, Violet, suffered a stroke.There was no warning and no reason behind it.
Violet had a fever for 36 hours that I just couldn't keep under control - a visit to a doctor assured me that there was no visible infection (ears or throat)and to keep on doing what we were doing - which was administering nurofen as prescribed. That night my very upset and frazzled daughter woke up screaming and still hot so I brought her into our bed. This was something that we had never done before as Violet was always such a good sleeper and she always slept in her cot.
The next morning at 6.30am I awoke to look at a very still,listless child lying next to me - her eyes wide open, blinking but she wouldn't move.I noticed a large pile of phlegm in front of her mouth. I knew immediately something was wrong - the look in her eyes was frightening.I woke my husband straight away and we both tried to rouse her but she still wouldn't move.My husband picked up her listless body and she just hung from him.I called and ambulance and managed to get out that my child wasn't moving,she was awake and breathing but wasn't responding to anything. By the time I put on some pants and headed down stairs an ambulance had arrived. I was trying to explain to them what was going on but my words were jumbled and I my voice was breaking. The paramedic sternly told me to calm down and not to panic.Everything was going to be fine.I was embarrassed that I had been told off - everything was going to be fine - I needed to get it together. Another ambulance arrived and after a short discussion and after an initial exam of Violet (temperature,blood pressure,checking pulse etc) the decision was made to take her into the Royal Childrens Hospital. She was to lay on me on the stretcher whilst Will,her dad followed in the car. The new paramedic was alot more gentle and compassionate.He explained to me that it was common for children to have a febrile convulsion because of their temperature and it had probably knocked the wind out of her. I began to relax a little,just a little. We were seen straight away by the emergency doctors and as Violet was layed on the bad she started to have a seizure - this wasn't visible to me but her teeth were clamped together and her body was tensed. She was given Valium which stopped the seizure but caused her to stop breathing on her own - they had to "bag" her and put on a mask that would breath for her.My husband and I were in shock - I was talking to her because that is what the doctors kept telling me to do but I can't remember what I said. I couldn't stop crying and it felt like I was watching a movie - this isn't my cheeky 20 month year old daughter who is full of life and spunk. Who is this lifeless child on the bed? The situation was surreal. Violet started to breath on her own and we were sent to a cubicle.
After more tests a doctor came and told us that it was a more then likely a febrile convulsion and she just needed to rest and get over it - she was probably exhausted. He wasn't sure about admitting us - there were no beds. We were about to go home and then they found a bed and decided to do a catscan just to be on the safe side. Will and I began to relax and the relief we felt was better than winning tattslotto.
Our girl was going to be ok.
By this time some family had arrived and were sitting with us and our still very listless daughter,in her tiny cubicle in the hospital. A doctor came in and shut the curtains and told us that something had shown up in the catscan. I had Violet in my arms,sleeping,still hot and still with a very high temperature.
"Violet has had a stroke." the doctor said.
WWHHAAATTTT???
I didn't say anything but in my mind I was screaming no no no no.
The technical terms started to baffle me - we were told that had really no idea of how much damage was done. She more than likely would have to re-learn to walk and talk and use the right side of her body.The stroke was on the left side of her brain.
what what what - where was my girl? I want my girl back? This isn't happening to us - this is not allowed to happen to us.But it did.
We cancelled everything and met with neurologists,haematologists and physios.Speech therapists,occupational therapists were also at our disposal. Where is my girl gone?? Is this it?? What is her life going to be like now? Will her friends progress on without her? There were so many questions - way too many to write. Unfortunately no answers.
I was trying to get my head around that she couldn't walk and talk.Then she said "hi daddy" We all cried with joy. Two days later she took two steps. We cried again. I hated seeing other children because my bitterness about them being healthy was over-whelming. That was also accompanied by great guilt for feeling like that. I made arrangements for Violet to be in hospital for six- eight weeks.
There were so may needles and tests we lost count. We pinned her down and tried to distract her with Elmo. .Oh Elmo. He made my daughters life a little easier back then. In fact friends brought in all their childrens Elmo toys.
There was a lumbar puncture, A heart echo and ECG. There was an MRI and daily trips to physio and speech therapy.
Day three Violet took 12 steps and started to say a few words. Violet couldn't move her right arm but her right leg started to function.
Day four Violet walked,unassisted and straight down the hall of her ward.
The doctors said that maybe she could go home in a couple of weeks - her progress was amazing.They couldn't explain it.
Friends brought in gifts that said the world - sandwiches for lunch,chocolate rum balls to munch on and toys to fill a toy shop.
Fast forward to day seven and Violet was discharged.
Her recovery was so amazing the doctors couldn't explain it. Violet was walking and talking and although her right side was limp she was ready to get back to life as she knew it.
the next months were filled with weekly physios and appointments with specialists that I don't care to re call. There were specific games we had to play with her to help her regain her strength in her right side. The visits to the Royal Children's hospital were totally draining because of the sad stories that surrounded you. And the guilt that enveloped you because my daughter was getting well. I learned that that was a luxury.
I learnt so much through this time - from things about living and things about what is important. So cliche, I know but very true.
Fast forward to three years on.
Violet has slight numbness on the right side of her mouth - that is it! Her fine motor skills are great and her gross motor skills are perfect. Violet went back to creche two weeks after her stroke and has never looked back. She re-learned to walk and talk ( oh talk talk talk) and now uses her left hand instead of her right. Violet is off to school next year. My gorgeous ,cheeky,fun loving girl is living life like any other little girl.
Although the 23rd of November is still a day I do dread I also realise that we are very lucky to have got through the other side of Violets stroke.

Get your Skates On

I thought I had all the Christmas pressies undercontrol but alas I have forgotten some - so I bet to get crackin! I am trying to work out what are the appropiate gifts to give to kinder teachers and Creche carers without over stepping the line. There was an article recently in The Age that teachers from private schools often recieved French perfumes and weekend away Packages.Yep because that IS IN THE SPIRIT!! nOT!! Well call me a major scumbag but I am having trouble in deciding Chocolates???? or yummy soaps???? I do lovethis shop so maybe I will get some goodies from here........ Support the local Business I say!



I have been slowly trying my hand at some applique - my blanket stitching has been coming a treat - Well I do tend to live in my own craft lunchbox - This was a request from Violet, now she has asked for a mermaid ???

Some new cards ......




PS If anyone is wondering why I didn't post any pics of Oakes Day it is because the camera seemed to add on 5kgs. Don't you hate when that happens??????!!!!

Chocolate

Well Saf had her first taste of chocolate a couple of days ago and although probably not politically correct because she is only one it was an exciting moment for me - you see the apple doesn't fall from the tree in my house! I am a self-confessed chocoholic who has been known to have the last chocolate bar in the house that belonged to my Diabetic husband incase of a hypoglycemic episode. oooopppsssss.

Something is happening to the latte sipping, black wearing Melbournians - it is called Spring Racing. They have now become the floral-dress-wearing,champagne swigging and shall-I-wear-a-facinator-or-a-hat gang. Although I shouldn't be sounding so high and mighty myself as I am going to Ladies Day.I hope it doesn't rain so my fake tan drips all over the grass........

Here are my latest paper finds.... Bring on the Festive season...