Wednesday 10 December 2014

Bright eyes.

It is our wedding anniversary today - 14 years! Wow - I am blessed to have the most wonderful man in the world as my partner on this journey called life. My heart is so full of love today that maybe I need to write about that on another day.

Who knew? Who knew that Mr L had dark blue eyes with a green inner circle? The honest truth is that for the last 6 years in his life he has permanently had glasses on and no one ever noticed his eyes. Just the glasses. Yesterday his life changed - he got contact lenses for his right eye. And its not just about convenience or looks. To him, its like having some way of normal sight and the opportunity to learn how to read successfully next year.

Let me explain - up until now he saw everything in double when he has his glasses on - in two different sizes. Not wearing his glasses would have meant totally losing the vision in his right eye. It was the only way that the doctors could keep the functioning of his right eye to give us the chance to do what we are now doing. To make a long story short - his two eyes' sight differs with 8 points - this means that it can never be compensated with glasses only. He therefore has a 4,5 lens in his glasses for his visually impaired right eye making the difference in size of objects already severe. Anything more would have made it impossible for the brain to add it into sort of one picture. The optometrist yesterday gave me a lens to hold in front of my right eye to see how he has been seeing the world up to now - I was shocked ! I would have never coped but I guess if its all you know ....He also has a third of the same eye that is totally blind towards his nose - about that nothing can ever be done.

So we came to the time in his life where we had to do this in preparation for grade 1 next year - get him to wear a contact lens or failing that a lens transplant operation early next year. I was nervous but tried to play it cool. We were sent by his Ophthalmologist to a wonderful optometrist that specialise in contact lenses and is known to be successful with kids. Apparently if the first try is a disaster you miss the chance - at least for a few years so it was critical to get this done and the right way. This is also why they wait until now especially with kids with sensory issues.

We had a long consultation, fitting of two different types and then he had one in L's eye. He told him to open his eyes and showed him a beautiful picture of a fish eagle. I wish I had caught that look on his face with the phone camera but I really did not know that it would make such a huge difference. His whole face lit up and he had a huge smile. He jumped out of the chair and danced around. Oh my heart! I shed a few tears.

After all this we had an education lesson about the do s and don't s and then I had to take the lens out and put it back in myself. It took me close to 3/4 hour to do this properly and many many tries and frustration. This morning I prepared myself for the worst- and guess what? First time lucky! I am so positive that this is going to work. That this is going to make such a difference for him. Here's wishing the best for it.

BTW I knew nothing about contact lenses until now - what a new world. And apologies if that song is now turning in your head - it has been turning in mine since yesterday when it played in the mall after we left the Optometrist rooms.

Friday 5 December 2014

Yesterday was my birthday

It was one of those where you are closer to the next milestone than to the previous, where work had to be done, where an OT session had to be done as per usual and a day off was not an option and one that was not particularly meant to be special in any way.

But it was special in so so many ways. It's been a long time since I have felt so loved, so special and so very happy. I can not quite define the special in single items or words.

It may be all those wonderful messages on Facebook, the many sms and whatsapps and especially the phone calls. I love those phone calls. It may be my 9 year old that made me tea and brought that and their present to my bed as H has swimming at 6 on Thursday mornings. It may be that Mr L wrote a few words on my card - spelled to him by his sister, but all on his own. It may be those very special cuddles from a really sick Mr C in bed just when I woke up. I really do not know.

It may be because I found the time to go to my mom and we had bar-one cake on her patio while the birds played in her water feature and the garden is in full bloom. It may be that my wonderful hubby took me for dinner to one of Pretoria's wonderful fine dining restaurants and we had one of our best nights out in a long time (to be honest, we have not had many in the last year to start with).

It may be another stunning addition to my Jenna Clifford collection but I think that's not that either. It's the love, the calm, the wonder of family. The wonder to love your hubby fully and be loved in return. The wonder of acceptance of where we are and striving forward.I want to keep this close to my heart and feel it every day.

Wednesday 3 December 2014

Just breathe.....

After the craziest of weeks - 2 merit award functions, one Judo grading, one Judo parent showcase, one music exam , one music merit award function and one evening Christmas market (not to mention lots to do at work) - from Saturday morning on we had nothing to do.  Honestly, nothing that HAD to be done, we had to attend, we had to rush to. Just that thought already did heaps to help me de-stress - take the load off of a very tough year. It was fantastic!


In the end, we had a quiet but productive weekend - also one where we relaxed and just let our hair down a bit. I went to the Design Team sale and treated myself to (more than I should have) Olka Polka clothing at wonderful prices. I also bought two beautiful cushions for the big couch and the kids all just one Silly Billy item as at the last sale I only bought them stuff. I was in  there at 8 and out by 8:30 and home just around 9. We also had a nice visit with my mom and A and I tackled her toys and sorted out, threw out and made a box for donating. I could not believe that those overfilled shelves (I forgot to take a before picture), had space left in almost every basket or container. Also amazing at how she re discovered some toys and played with them for the rest of the weekend.

On Sunday night we put up the Christmas tree - for the first time ever we had a happy cheerful no fights event with Lady Antebellum singing Christmas songs in the background.


This year, to save my sanity, I did not make the traditional Advent calender we use - in stead, I bought the Lego City one and the kids are sharing it. They take turns to open a window and build the item behind it. Together they are constructing the whole scene.

 And with that, I hope that your life is slowing down a bit. I am certainly enjoying the easier pace. Or are you still firing at all cylinders?