Day Procedures - you've got this!

I have a few tips that help day procedures run more smoothly.

1/ If someone offers to come with you, say yes (even if you want to say no because you don't want to "bother" anyone or put them out) .  I used to do it on my own but every time I had to go to the bathroom I had to search for a nurse, get them to watch Owen and tell them where I was going.  One time I could not find a nurse, we were alone in the waiting room and crossing my legs is not my favourite pastimes.  I always have heaps of stuff too, so going into theatre or recovery meant I left them unattended.  So now, when possible, I take someone.

2/ Take your own nappies, wipes, food, formula, syringes and other feeding paraphernalia with you.  They tend to keep you for a minimum of an hour once you get back to the day procedure unit (depending on your child's issues) .  Whilst they have supplies for "Average Joe" they don't have easy access to special milks, tubes, purees etc. So you spend time waiting around for them to find what you need, when you could have fed your child and gotten out of there.

3/ If it is easier to weigh your child at home, do so in the day or so before you go (they are generally happy to accept the weight you have taken) or if they have been weighed in the last few weeks, mention that.  Make sure you know the current medication and doses that your child ison.  Take your child's medical folder in case you have to refer to it.  If you haven't seen my post about medical housekeeping you can find it at http://hintstipsandhacks.blogspot.com.au/2015/06/medical-information-housekeeping.html   

4/ Take some snacks for you and your helper.  It's a long day after all!

5/ Get as much of the above organised on the day before, so you can just pop it all in the car and go.

6/ Take a deep breath.................you've got this!

Sandpit anyone? Beach anyone?

I can not lay claim to either of these ideas however they are both too awesome not to share.

Sandpit in a tent

The picture below is doing the rounds on Facebook and Pinterest.  I have no idea who originated the idea or this picture.  But you can see they use a tent as the sandpit.  There is build in shade and you can zip it up, when not in use, to keep cats out.

Beach chair

Again not my idea.  It came up in a Facebook group I am a member of.  People have bought the below chair from Aldi ($60 and some stores still have some left) and depending on their child's core strength have added tomato chairs or old car seats to the seat area.  They have been able to actually access the beach (wheeling them across the sand) and also sit them the waters edge and let them enjoy the waves.  We bought one but haven't used it yet.

For more awesome ideas you can also join Facebook group  https://www.facebook.com/groups/DisabilityBudget/

What can I do to help? It starts in the kitchen.

Over the last few years there have been RAOK challenges doing the rounds on Facebook, where you challenge 3 people to do a random act during the year and in return you will do something for them. They then challenge 3 people and the RAOK movement grows.   When I saw these posts, I thought what a a wonderful idea but I didn't feel the need to put my hand up on Facebook.  I decided then and there that I would, cook a meal or something, when I saw an opportunity to help someone or to brighten a day.  I am pleased to say I have been doing it and I think it has made a difference for the people I have done it for.  For me it was also about "giving back" in some way for all the support our family receives.  

So Next time you want to help someone (whether that be a special needs parent or not) and just don't know what to do, cook them something and that will really help.  Make a family meal or make some cakes, slices or biscuits. Find yourself a "signature" item that is easy for you to make.  It does not have to be anything fancy,  just something you can whip up with (eventual) ease.

There you have it, you should never feel you can't do anything to help someone, especially a special needs family.  You may not be able to look after their child for them but you can cook for them.  As a special needs parent this is something you might be able to do to help others (I do acknowledge in some cases, due to the intense medical care your child requires, this might not be possible).

Go forth and cook.

PS. This is not a call out for meals for my family.  We are doing just fine :-)

Appliances that help

There are a couple of appliances I have purchased that really save me time and make my life easier.  I would like to note (as always) I am not affiliated with any of these products or the companies that sell them.

First issue:  Owen still spends a lot of time on the floor, we have a cat that drops hair, an elder child who drags in all sort of things from his sports training, Owen is a messy eater. We have carpet and wooden floors in our main area, so sweeping is not enough but I obviously need to keep the floor clean.

Solution: I bought a Dyson upright rechargeable stick vacuum.  I leave it charged up in the cupboard and do a quick vacuum of our main areas each day.  It is quick, easy to use and I'm done in 5 to 10 minutes.  Best of all it actually works and does not lose charge gradually (works 100% until the battery needs charging again).  I'm not going to tell you what model I have but there are heaps of them to choose from and I'm sure if you do your research there are possibly other brands that do the same thing, with the same performance too.

Second issue:  Owen eats mainly purees and has a restricted diet.  I often have to make him individual meals, custards and rice puddings with special ingredients, then pureeing what needs to be pureed.  I don't have time to sit there and stir these things and hate having to transfer a cooked meal into food processor to blend. The result can still have lumps and I hate the extra dishes.

Solution:  I bought a "thermo" style of cooker (Target's Bellini version of the thermomix).  With that I cook a meal (risottos, pasta's etc)  and puree in the same jug, so I only have one dish and lid to wash.  I make custards, puddings etc and don't have to stir while they are cooking  I can carry on feeding or bathing Owen whilst the machine is doing it's thing.  I can even add calorie laden "extras" to what I make for him.  They do lots of other things like mix cake batters, grind nuts, knead dough etc.  I won't list them all. There are a huge range of options out there that range in price from around $230  to over $2000.  Really up to you as to what you afford but I have had no real issues with my Bellini (currently $229 at Target).  I have had to replace one under warranty but Target replaced it, no issues and I got a whole new warranty.