Jan

Big Boy School

The heat wave that we’ve been experiencing carried on throughout most of the week. Monday and Tuesday were largely spent finalising things for me to start big boy school. We got my uniform and on Tuesday we popped into the school for a visit and to get some final things. I met one of my class mates, Thokozani, and we immediately hit it off. In the afternoon the neighbourhood got together for a play on the common – it was such fun! By Tuesday evening my excitement was reaching fever pitches for getting to school.

Wednesday morning there was a flurry of activity! I could hardly wait to get to school. I had to pressure Mom and Dad to hurry and get going. It felt like forever that I waited for them in my uniform, hat and holding onto my bag. Eventually we left and we all chatted excited on the way to Japari, my new school.

It was amazing to reminisce in the car that I’ve had 8 brain surgeries, almost died five times, had heart failure and my lungs collapse, and here I was going to school!

At school I literally ran ahead to get to my class and there we met Teacher Janine and her assistant Pumeza. My class only has four learners in it, including me, so it’s really awesome and perfectly geared for me! Only once I realised Mom and Dad were going to leave me there did I start feeling a little anxious. However once I got into things, I started enjoying myself. Both Mom and Dad collected me again, but I was too exhausted to chat. For being so brave we popped into the ToyZone where I got a Sorcerer’s Apprentice Mickey for my Infinity set.

Thursday Mom and Dad again came with to school, as they had an appointment with the head master. I was again a little anxious about being left alone, but it was later discovered I was running a fever and generally not feeling well.

By Friday I really was feeling sick, but I wanted to go to school as it was Thokozani’s birthday party. Mom and I left but we literally drove out of the basement parking and into the visitor’s parking, as I felt I couldn’t go to school.

Later in the day Mom took me to see Nicoletta. She did an in-depth examination of me, and not being happy with what she was seeing, ordered blood tests. We walked across to Morningside Medi-Clinic. I tried to be brave, and I even tried chatting to Dad on the phone as a distraction, but all he heard was screaming as the needle went into my arm. A short while later the tests revealed I had bacterial tonsillitis, hence not wanting to eat and generally feeling under the weather. It felt like I had a permanent fever; Mom and I had a rough night.

On Saturday we headed off to the Clearwater Mall, as we hadn’t been there in a really long time. It was nice sitting in my pram just looking at all the shops. We bumped into Jenni-Lynne and her Mom so we stopped for a chat; it was nice to see her again. It was starting to get late into the afternoon and as we were getting ready to leave the centre suffered a power outage for about 20 seconds. I loved it and although I was a little scared it was all exciting. Walking back to the car we walked through one or two sections where the power hadn’t been restored so I lit the way with Daddy’s iPhone, and so that no-one would bump me!

Driving home I fell asleep in the car, and I slept fitfully, with Mom and I having another really bad night. Sunday Mom took Granny to church and Dad and I stayed home. It drizzled for the morning which was a welcome relief from the heat. We played some Wii Sports Resort and my tennis is really getting good. My new mantra is ‘Trust Your Brain’ and as I hit the ball I’d shout this. There were a number of volleys where Dad just sat out as I took control of the game. Next we played golf and I managed a good few Bogeys and Double Bogeys. In ten pin bowling I scored a couple of spares. The rest of the day was spent chilling around the house, and Mom, Dad and I even managed to get in a few games of Zingo Sight Words. I’m getting good at that too and won all the games!

Well that’s it for this week!

Love

Jarrod