What Dyspraxia means to me

I ran a marathon in my house this morning, or at least it feels like that. My twelve year old daughter woke me up at 5.30 this morning. It was a cold dark morning and I really wanted to stay snuggled up in bed to finish off my lovely deep sleep. Instead, I go into her room and get in beside her, lest she wakes up the whole house and to hopefully keep her in bed for another hour at least. But she's a scratcher. And the minute she's starts scratching and squirming about, I know we're up.
This will happen all the way to Christmas time because the minute she wakes, she can't help feeling excited about the festive season. And she wants to be awake lest she misses anything relating to the same.
She loves Christmas!
Probably more than Santa and the Elves themselves!
So, I take the opportunity to groom her. I'll need two hours at least so this works grand this morning before school, Friday, the last day of the week.
She is just in the middle of her third period and there is blood everywhere. She coped quite well on the discovery of a period beginning at age twelve because she knows it happens to all girls. This makes her the same, not different, which she is happy enough about.
I had noticed her body growing and changing rapidly this year and I was praying that she would be older when her period came. Although she has the same body as other twelve year old girls, her organization and management skills are still aged seven. She has Dyspraxia.
Don't get me wrong, this is not a 'poor pet' story.
 Under her heading of Dyspraxia, she has comprehension and learning difficulties and hyper active behavior but because she has had a lot of help from Dyslexia teaching, Occupational therapy, Speech and language support and pony lessons since an early age, she is doing really well.
I am pretty sure that she can reach her milestones like any other child, albeit a little later than most.
So, I looked at my daughter this morning. I'm going to de-lice her hair again for the third week in a row, pretty confident I'm going to get the last of the nits that have been lurking about. She has a massive thick head of hair which is why it took as long to treat the little devils! I'm using the home remedy this morning of smothering her hair in Mayo and some extra vinegar to be sure. I have used the chemical the week previous, but this method is quite good also. It takes me about 45 minutes to fine comb her whole head which is not easy at 6.30 in the morning especially with the cries of pain from my daughter, oh yes, she has sensory issues too which is the biggest pain in the neck for me and for her too, I know. She hates the feeling of water or soap or anything on her skin. Wonderful.
Her face has the usual puberty spots and blackheads so I've found this lovely t-tree mask in the body shop and gently spread it over her face, she doesn't like that either.
Her nails are long and are caked with dirt so I trim them and her toes to her squeals of torture. I then get her pretty little pink shaver and groom her bits below and underneath her arms. She finds this very funny. (I tell her, I'm the only person who can do this for her) What next, oh yes, she has braces in and because she doesn't like to use the little interdental brushes on them I do them for her once or twice a week. This is the worse pain of all for her but as I said to her this morning, 'It's just as well that I don't fall for the crocodile tears because you would be left scruffy!'
I'm not sure I made the right decision for braces. This has added torturous work onto myself!
She also has sinus problems, but because we do a salt nasal wash each morning, she needs less antibiotics! She's pretty good at this because she knows it really helps!
So then to the shower! I scrub her thick hair twice then rinse and condition through torturous screams and then we're done. I cover her wet skin in silcocks base and then dry it off. This reduces her itchy skin.
I brush out the tangled hair adding the wonderful revlon detangling spray which really does work and she's wrapped up in her cosy dressing gown in the warm sitting room at 8.30 just in time for a good breakfast, of brown bread toast, cheese and chicken and a fresh fruit smoothie, which also helps keep her bowels regular each morning before school, which helps her feel comfortable for the day. If she's comfortable, she's able to concentrate a bit better!
Good nutrition is really important for children with learning difficulties and coupled with her omega 3,6, and 9, she's off to a good start.
I then get myself ready and pack her lunch while sipping a coffee. I have a clean uniform ready for her as because she has now started to smell, so has her clothes! By 9.10 we're all set to go to school which starts at 9.20, (after changing her pad twice and making sure it is comfortable!) I pack some wipes and pads for changes which I'm sure she takes about 20 minutes each time in the school toilet! She has a new male teacher and I'm sure he thinks she has a very weak bladder or bowel!
I do have to remind her to check the toilet seat for blood when she's finished and to make sure she wraps her old pad up and puts it in her bag. I know she will get this eventually.
She is organized and managed.
The school will then look after the rest.
I get back home and can now tackle my house, my dogs and spend some time with my other daughter who is off from college today and needs me to do a few errands with her and maybe have lunch.
And my day is gone.
I think I used to have more hours in my day when I was working full time. Or maybe I just have more things to do now that I'm close to fifty. Life seems to be busier.
I admire the women who can work and take care of their children also.
Being a mother is not for the faint hearted!
Jean xx

Depression

When you're in depression, you look too bad for the world to see you. You don't go to the doctor to tell him because he can't help. Talking doesn't help. Your mind has a flu that prevents your body working and it has to try heal itself and replenish. That's depression.