I have decided that summer is finally here. We’ve had typical hot days with thundershowers at night which have given relief to the garden and ourselves. Mom says there is one more cold front before our winter coats are put away for good. I wonder if she is right considering we’re almost in November.

It’s been a slow and steady week with Mom and I feeling out some schools and some approaches to my education. Every now and then I throw the old folks a curve ball and give them some piece of information that makes them think it’s a different approach. I’ve gotta keep them on their toes you know. It wouldn’t be right for me to allow them to let down their guard now.

Monday was physio day and I love physio. In actual fact I did quite well with Granny coming with to watch. I received an Orca tattoo for my efforts and to be honest I have looked after it well and it’s still in great condition.

After physio Mom, Granny and I went to a place for a coffee and a bit of a play. Ironically it is called Granny’s Garden. It’s really the only place on a Monday that’s open. I played in the ‘beach’, on the stage and outside. It was great fun. After a snooze, I woke up to find that Gran was babysitting me while Mom was restoring furniture again. I did my best to help but really only managed to redistribute the dust from the sanding.

Tuesday was music and we had a really good class. I managed to listen for most of the time, with Mom talking straight into my ear so that I could distinguish the instructions. It really helped. Mom got me a nice reward for my efforts and she allowed me some new Lego (Cars) and an indoor jumping castle, because I’ve been a little scared of the trampoline in the last 3 weeks – probably owing to damage to my vestibular nerve from my stroke/TIA in May. The jumping castle is Mickey themed and I’m in love.

Wednesday was an OT day and I managed to colour, cut and paint a cow with Lauren. I also did some work on my vestibular system and had some discussions for the week ahead. Mom needs to work on my Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex which involves pulling me by my legs. We’ve done it before so we’re cool with this. Perhaps something you don’t know is that part of my daily regime is to do exercises. I do lots of movement or rather bouncing in 3 different directions and stretches and stair climbing as well as slow bending down to collect things. Sometimes we do these exercises twice a day but it depends on how I am feeling and how well I did with my concentration activities.

Also on Wednesday I had an appointment with Doctor Anthony. I have been coughing and Mom wasn’t sure if it was a good or bad cough. Coughs are the body’s natural protection against infection in the lungs but this was a serious cough. We headed off to Doctor Anthony’s rooms with great glee to show him one of my toys. He takes great delight in talking to me.

Before Mom and him had finished talking, I was on the examining bed and asking him to look in my ears. I wanted to show him I was getting bigger and wiser as I didn’t need Mom to hold me while he examined me. He said it was just a serious post nasal drip. Whew! I was able to go to cooking – yah. Mommy had arranged for Granny to take me, because she believes that Mom and I are tired of each other. We’ve been working on the ‘me’ project for a 3.5 years and I am not responding well to her requests at the moment.

Mom came with us and drove us there, but Gran supervised me in class. I was in high spirits and Granny had to literally pull things out of my hands to give my co-cooks a chance. We did delightful things, in the spirit of Halloween. We made creepy-crawly jelly and Pumpkin and Chocolate Brownies. Delicious! First we made jelly and added crawly jelly worms and spiders and the like to our jelly, then popped it in the fridge. We mixed a variety to ingredients into our brownies and popped them into trays to take home. I was delighted with my achievement for the day and I managed for a whole 30 minutes to concentrate with Gran’s help.

Thursday Mom had a meeting where I first fell off the step, hit my head and then quietly fell asleep to recuperate. It’s not like the old days where they kept you awake after a fall, it’s about the brain recuperating now. It was a blissful healing sleep, and I was ready to rock and roll when I woke up. We played outside for most of the day and on the patio. We built a tent out of my new jumping ring and ended up have a heartfelt discussion in it, staring up at the sky while some clouds floated by. We did some ‘Art Attack’ and when Dad came home and we sampled some of my brownies. Wow we were all quite impressed.

Friday, Mom and I tidied and cleaned the house and didn’t do much else. It was a free day so I just acquainted myself with all my toys. When Daddy came home he said Mom could have some quiet time and took me to Orango Tango’s. We had such fun, Daddy even let me drive the bumper car on my own. I slept on the way home and for the next 12 hours.

Saturday was a different day with Mom not joining us for Kyliegh’s birthday but Dad and I going on our own. At the party I did lots of exploring of the natural African environment in which Hobo’s Hide is situated. I climbed rocks, felt the trees and their leaves, and looked at all the different types of seeds strewn about. I also had a wonderful ride on a really big horse. Unfortunately a little later a swing hit me on the back of the head which resulted in my screaming and throwing up. It was our cue to leave, and Daddy drove us home quickly for my afternoon snooze.

While out shopping Granny bought me a little iDog Amp’d that dances to my iPod and iPad – she couldn’t wait for me to see it. I have to keep it happy, by stroking its muzzle and fed with music all day. No trouble for me on that one. I also got a Handy Manny DVD. I am in my element.

Mommy was really impressed that when the doors were closed at dusk, I asked her to open them again, and I went and retrieved my tools, without prompting or asking. I tidied them up and popped them into their container and brought them inside. Unfortunately a little later in the evening I broke one of my eye teeth – looks like another dentist visit.

It poured with rain on Saturday night, and Roxy, who now sleeps inside, was up and down because of the thunder. I kept saying to her, its ok Roxy, its only thunder. She didn’t understand. Mommy eventually gave her some calming medicine to help her cope. We watched DVDs in bed with snacks, it was quite a treat listening to the rain in Mom and Dad’s bed.

Sunday was a lazy day and eventually we got up and Mom insisted we go to the shoe store in Hyde Park to get new summer shoes for me, that fit my orthotics. Mom has been making me wear my takkies all day, and it’s been so hot. So I got some sandals and some new art work. I managed to do some cutting out and some dough work. I ended the day with jumping, bouncing and general giggles and lots of love.

We have a bit of a tough week ahead of us. During the past week Prof Fourie’s offices phoned and asked that we urgently meet with Prof Fourie, as he would be retiring at the end of November. We always knew this day would come, but I guess we’ve been in denial. Subsequently, we are somewhat on edge – he is one of two, possibly three, people in the country that can do this type of surgery. We met with his counterpart in Cape Town a couple of months back but he will not touch this case, so we’re at a loss as to who will be doing my brain surgeries in the future!

Lots of love,

Jarrod

Photo 1 Need to keep hydrated in this heat

Photo 2 Playing on the ‘beach’

Photo 3 Earning my keep

Photo 4 Its way too hot to even wear clothes

Photo 5 Cooling off in the sprinklers

Photo 6 Breakfast please

Photo 7 My new Cars Legos with a track Daddy improvised

Photo 8 Lightning McQueen takes the bend

Photo 9 Cooking

Photo 10 Granny lending a helping hand

Photo 11 Into it now

Photo 12 Creepy-crawly jelly

Photo 13 Chocolate brownie pumpkin pie

Photo 14 Getting in touch with nature

Photo 15 Peeping

Photo 16 Ooooo, horses

Photo 17 Sonic and I watching the Highveld thunderstorms

Photo 18 Cow I made at OT

Photo 19 Roaaaaar!

1 Comment on Bounce, Bounce, Bounce

  1. Sharon says:

    Your mum is a clever lady. I also told Joshua that there is just one more cold snap before summer is truly here. It usually arrives before 16 November so not long to wait.

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