text:
wikiHow is a "wiki," similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time.
This article has been viewed 30,265 times.
Learn more...
Spotlight is an exhilarating and adventurous game to play at night with friends, school colleagues or family, and can be played in a variety of outdoor locations including parks, reserves, beaches or even in suburban areas with plenty of corners and cover. This guide will help you to successfully hide and move undetected by the 'seeker' as a player in Spotlight.
Part 1
Part 1 of 4:Knowing the Rules of Spotlight
Download Article
1Understand the rules before you dive in. Here are some common rules to playing Spotlight, if you don't already know how to play or would like a fair, classic set to use.
- Spotlight is played with a group of people in large, dark environments.
- One (or more in a large group) player is designated as the 'seeker'. The seeker is given a torch/flash-light and loudly counts a number of seconds (thirty is a good number). During that count, the rest of the players must run and hide.
- When the seeker is finished counting, they search for the rest of the players using the light of their torch. They can tag a player 'out' of the game by shining the light on them and declaring the player's name (if the group is too large and the players unfamiliar with each other, it is common for declaring a player 'spotted' as sufficient, rather than calling their name)
- The game is over when the seeker has tagged 'out' all hiding players. Spotlight can be played so that tagged 'out' players can also become 'seekers', albeit without torches. This rule should be used if more than ten people are playing, because otherwise each round may go for a very long time while the lone seeker searches for the last hiding players.
- When the game or round is over, the first person to be tagged becomes the seeker for a new round.
Part 2
Part 2 of 4:Choosing a Good Hiding Place
Download Article
1Use some strategy in your approach. Hiding places can be effective or ineffective dependent on lots of different factors! It isn't always about whether or not it's hard for you to be seen.
2Hide somewhere that is hard to get to. If there is tall grass, rocky terrain, a stream, spiderwebs, mud or any other obstacle between the seeker's position and your hiding spot, they might not even bother to examine your location and move on (especially if they think you are lazy and couldn't be bothered either!). Take care that you don't go outside the boundaries.
3Hide somewhere with firm ground that you can move quietly on. This is especially important if you intend to change spots or circle around a large object, such as a stout tree trunk.
- Grass, sand and dirt are ideal.
- Asphalt/concrete/tarmac, stone and metallic surfaces are great. (Just make sure you haven't got gravel or wet sand stuck to your shoes, as it will crunch)
- Watch out for thick snow and gravel, which will squeak and crunch respectively.
- Walking in a stream will cause splashing and will probably cause you to trip and fall.
4Hide somewhere unexpected. Right next to water, in your or your friend's car, even inside a bin! The more surprising and ridiculous your hiding place is, the less your 'seeker' may consider searching it.
5Hide somewhere where there isn't room for someone else to hide with you. Two people make twice as much noise and movement, and they may get you both out.
6Hide somewhere where it is hard to be seen. Pick a spot in which you can stand behind a branch, or a wide tree trunk. If the ground undulates or has hills, use them to your advantage. Also, use levels - People usually forget to look upwards, so trees and climbable structures make excellent hiding spots. Also, it is possible to hide below the 'seeker' under benches, cars, branches and in depressions in the ground. Just take care that you can see so that people don't tread on you!
7Scout your spots out ahead of time. If you are really committed, you can arrive in the daytime before playing to stake out the area. Search for spots that would be difficult to find without light. If you plan on climbing trees, it is best that you practice first in daylight so that you can find handholds and routes up. Also, it is best that if you fall at all it is during the day. At night, if you fall and are rendered unable to move or even call out by your injury, it may be difficult for your friends to find you. Additionally, it is frighteningly difficult to safely land from a fall when you can't see what you are landing on.
Part 3
Part 3 of 4:Changing Your Hiding Place and Moving About Mid-Game
Download Article
1Consider whether you really need to move. It can be amazing what people will fail to see if they are not expecting to see it there, and often remaining stationary can keep you hidden even under a full beam from ten or fifteen meters away. But don't take too long to decide. Count to five and go with what your instinct tells you.
2Try to decide on your destination before you begin moving. You should minimise the time spent out in the open, especially if you don't know where the 'seeker' is.
3If the 'seeker' is far from your position and it is safe, run as quickly as you can. The noise usually carries far less than you might expect, especially if it is a windy night, so you might as well cross the distance as quickly as you like.
4If the 'seeker' is close enough to hear loud noises, move quietly. It helps if you have warmed up and stretched. Some people's knees can crack or creak if they haven't bent them in a while, so you can crouch until they crack before the game to prevent the sound from being made while sneaking.
- Crouch a little and lower your posture.
- Take care where you place your feet. With each step, touch the ground with your heel first, and roll your foot forward. This will make your steps quieter.
- Don't be afraid to crawl on your hands and feet if the ground is soft, because if you fear you will be seen you can flatten yourself against the ground to reduce your visibility from a distance.
- You can toss a stone or stick into a branch or hard object distant from you to create a small diversion before moving, but you have to be careful that the 'seeker' doesn't notice that it was thrown.
5Try to trick the seeker. A clever trick that works best when there are many players tagged out and multiple 'seekers' is to confidently stride out of cover and walk past a seeker. If you are a good liar, you might even ask them "Have you found James yet?" or say "This round is going on forever." You can also walk out of cover and blend with a group of people already tagged out to avoid detection. This is occasionally successful and even if you are called out, you will usually be praised for your stunningly bold and creative play.
Part 4
Part 4 of 4:Working as a Team
Download Article
1Play fair and friendly. Being friendly to other players can be very important to winning in Spotlight. If you are unfriendly, protest when it is your turn to be the 'seeker' or snitch on other players by telling the seeker where they are hiding, you will be disadvantaged in that:
- Other players may tell the 'seeker' where you are hiding out of spite.
- Other players won't team up with you to perform misdirecting or cooperative techniques.
- You will be distracted by your feelings about other players and will make mistakes.
- You will not have fun playing Spotlight.
2Cooperate with others. Cooperative tricks can be performed if groups hide in the same place.
- If one of you is tagged you can jump out, feign irritation and move along, prompting the 'seeker' to leave without catching your friend. In this way having multiple people in the same spot can prolong the time they are hidden. This can be very effective if you can hide lots of people in a place like a tree, because the 'seeker' will not expect four or five people to be hiding in the same location)
- If you are a rough-and-tumble, adventurous group of roguish scamps and not above a little foul play, you can all jump out from behind the tree, rock, trench or bush you are hiding behind and simultaneously throw sand into the 'seeker's' eyes. This will make it hard for them to identify more than one or two of you as you all run away and find new cover.
3Partner up. You and a mate can help each other by hiding at opposite ends of the space and making a loud and distinctively human noise whenever the other is close to being discovered by the 'seeker'. The 'seeker' will usually immediately turn and investigate the noise. Alternatively you can create misdirection by creating a noise distant from your location by throwing pebbles, or if you live in Australia, gum/honkey nuts at metal or plastic signs or playground equipment. Be careful that if you do this you won't hit someone close to the target of your throw.
- You and a friend could swap jumpers or jackets, or wear the same clothes, to confuse the 'seeker' and cause them to call out the wrong names.
Community Q&A
If you are proud of a spectacular trick or being the last found, it is okay to mention it, but don't shout it arrogantly or put down the 'seeker'. People will be most impressed if you are good at winning the game and ALSO a smooth and sensitive talker.Thanks!
Dress warmly so that you don't get cold, and if it is rainy or wet you may want to bring a spare pair of socks, especially if you will be sleeping over at someone's house afterwards.Thanks!
You can use your hands to lean on objects and maintain your balance so that you don't fall while sneaking. Eg) Circling around a tree trunkThanks!
- If you have been hiding for an unreasonably long time, it may be that the others have forgotten about or given up on you and ended the game. If you fear this may be the case, abandon your hiding spot and go looking for them.Thanks!
- Try not to be too loud and wake people up if you are playing in a place where lots of people live. In many western households children can go to bed as early as 5.00 or 6.00 pm.Thanks!
- Make sure you know and can recognise any dangerous animals that inhabit your region, particularly snakes and spiders.Thanks!
About This Article
To avoid detection in a game of Spotlight, hide somewhere that will be hard for the seeker to get to, like in some tall grass, on top of a big rock, or across a stream. Also, hide somewhere that the seeker will have a hard time seeing you, like behind a car, under a porch, or up in a tree. Try to avoid hiding with other people since they might end up revealing your hiding spot. Then, if you see the seeker coming toward the hiding spot you found, quietly move to a spot that's farther away. To learn how to work as a team with the other players to avoid the seeker, scroll down!


text:
Gas Grill Vs Charcoal Grill – Which One is Better?
Nothing can beat the feeling of coming home after a long day and preparing a delicious meal on a grill with your family. Everyone has their unique way of barbecuing…Read more »
Rougette Bonfire Grilling Cheese Perfect For Barbecue Season
Champignon North America has introduced a new no-melt Rougette Bonfire Grilling Cheese in different formats for grilling. Since grilling is popular summer trend in the U.S., the company wanted to…Read more »
Pittboyz BBQ Creates Miami-Style, Slow-Smoked Pork
Erick Briceño and Michael Honore, two 35-year-old owners of Pittboyz BBQ, have created delicious Miami-Style barbecue pork for their customers, using Jupiña pineapple soda. This new BBQ eatery has opened just…Read more »
McDonald's Getting Sweet n' Spicy With its New Honey BBQ Glaze Tenders
Chicken lovers, mark your calendars! On Monday, Aug. 20, your favorite fast food chain McDonald's is going to officially release its new creation called Sweet N' Spicy Honey BBQ Glazed…Read more »
Rising Grill Korean Barbecue Allows You to Cook Yourself on Tabletop
While there are many restaurants that serve good quality mouth-watering barbecue food, Rising Grill Korean Barbecue Restaurant in Cleveland offers barbecue-it-yourself tables to the restaurant guests. It is a perfect…Read more »
NoCo Q Brings some Award-Winning Barbecue meats to Fort Collins Streets
Over the past few years, Levi Stoakes has earned himself many trophies and awards at various BBQ competitions. Now the award-winning pitmaster is bringing some of his best meat recipes…Read more »
Herbivorous Butcher's Summer Grill Pack is Plant-Based BBQ Kit for Vegans
For vegetarians, vegans or barbecue lovers-turned-vegan, Herbivorous Butcher, Minneapolis' first vegan butcher shop, has created the new "Summer Grill Pack," a plant-based BBQ kit for grills. This meat alternative has…Read more »
PizzaRev is Back with its BBQ Pulled Pork Pizza for Enthusiasts
If you have been to PizzaRev, you must have tried its BBQ Pulled Pork pizza. But for quite some time they stopped making this delicious pizza. But if you missed…Read more »
This Weekend Head to Westland for Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival 2018
Barbecue lovers, rejoice! It's time for the Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival 2018 in Westland. At this fun event, you can expect everything that you could guess from the name…Read more »

subset: commoncrawl


text:
CoffeeBreak is an e-newsletter distributed to Averett faculty and staff to keep them up to date on campus activities and information.
Please send information you would like included in CoffeeBreak via this form by 4:30 p.m. May 22 for a May 27 publication.
Spring Graduate in Germany
Marina Da Silva '15 is making the most of her Equine Management degree in Marburg, Germany. She is at Reitsportanlage Hofgut Dagobertshausen doing some riding, grooming and stable management. Marina loves being abroad and hopes to stay for an extended amount of time. At Averett, she was a student ambassador and member of the IHSA team. She is originally from Santa Barbara, Calif. Congratulations (or Glückwünsche) Marina!
Arnold Wins Quiz Challenge
Amanda Arnold was the overall winner of the 2015 United States Dressage Federation/Intercollegiate Dressage Association National Quiz Challenge held April 24-26 at the IDA Nationals. Amanda scored 100 percent on both the qualifying round and the championship round in the First Level Division of the competition. She was the only student to score 100 percent in both rounds. As the grade prize winner she received a four-week internship at Hilltop Farm, Inc. in Colora, Md. Also a winner in the quiz challenge was Jessica Stipic, who won at the Introductory level.
The competition allowed participants to compete in two rounds of events. The first round took place online through USDF's eTRAK, and focused on classical dressage theory related to the rider's seat, position and aids. The six highest scoring individuals from the first round, in each of the four categories (Introductory, Lower Training, Upper Training and First Level), competed in the finals at Nationals, which were held at Otterbein University's Austen E. Knowlton Center for Equine Science in Westerville, Ohio.
Student Accolades
Since the fall, the Student Life Department has been recognizing students who go the extra mile in whatever they are doing on campus. Each week during Student Life Staff meetings, staff members nominate students whose dedication to the university they want to recognize. Students are notified about the recognition and informed of their chance to win a $50 Visa gift card at the end of the semester.
The students nominated this week are Adeline Bova, Ryan Gardner, Taylor Booze and Jewel Dale.
Save the Dates!
Save the dates for next year's Engage service opportunities! Week to Engage will be held September 14-19 during the fall semester. Day to Engage will be held April 11, 2016 during the spring semester.
May Staff Meeting
The campus-wide staff meeting will be held tomorrow (May 21) at 11:15 a.m. in the multipurpose room of the Student Center. During the meeting, ballots will be passed out so that you may vote on four new members to join Staff Council.


text:
Although the number of requests for WSPR QSO's has decreased, it maybe friendly to have a QSO fm time to time, whith the guys you see beaconning for hours, days, weeks or monthes...
for those QSO's I would like to suggest to use JT4A 'srather than WSPR.
The decoding limit of JT4A is around -25, thus 3dB below WSPR, but it is better than the WSJT-WSPR decoder anyway... taking into account that transmitting period are roughly 1/3 of WSPR period, you may increase your power by 3dB and still have less stress on your transceiver PA.
Compared with WSPR and JT65 the JT4 mode offer the following advantages:
- it is a narrow band mode compared to JT65A, just a bit wider than WSPR
- it uses the same message structure and same 40s period durations as JT65
- periods are easy to identify (unlike WSPR) even minutes 00, 02, etc are first period, odd minutes 01, 03, etc are second
- Unlike WSPR-QSO mode there is no compromise on callsigns transmission (CALL between brackets), so anybody can monitor and identify both stations, even if he missed the beginning of the QSO...
- decoding is fast; so you have near to 20s to get ur message ready for the next period
- and of course a JT4 QSO take half the time of a WSPR QSO
Last but not least
- both programs can run in // using the same TRX frequency - the audio frequency of JT4 is 1270Hz so it won't interfer with the WSPR band segment (1400 to 1600Hz)
From now and until further notice I will run JT4, when running WSPR
- I will reply to CQ's if I am at the station
- If I am not at the station, you'll be spotted on w6cqz page http://jt65.w6cqz.org/receptions.php so you have better chances to find a correspondant replying to your CQ
Just a few tips about the auto-spotter:
- Make sure I am not transmitting in WSPR; in this case of course I won't hear anything...
- Freq tolerance is set to +/-100hz around 1270hz (0 DF), so call within those limits if you want to be spotted...
If you hear a CQ
- put WSPR on RX - and select the opposite period of the CQ'er in WSJT
- to get HF standard messages auto-generated (with numerical signal reports), double right click on the call (and it will switch AUTO-ON)
- just after message decoding tick the box in front of the message to be sent next
- That's it ! (if for some reason you did not decode a message, repeat the same message until you get something decoded)
A typical QSO should look like this:
0804 F6IRF LA3JJ RRR (Then the QSO is complete)
0805 TNX JON 73 or LA3JJ F6IRF 73 (something like this is recommended as it confirms that you have received the RRR)
you may add msc infos like (13 characters max)
0807 10W 2EL BYE (OR PSE QSY 12M / SUNNY 32C / or whatever you like...)
Please refer to the WSJT manual for further details


text:
Zoe Cousins, Independent Investment Consultant; UAE CISI National Advisory Board Member:
"I went to an amazing talk Kathy did at Women in Professions. It was one of those ones where everybody just sat silently at the end because they were so awestruck by it all - and then the applause erupted. It was fantastic!"
Emma Mauger, Managing Director, Lucid:
"Not only is Kathy an absolute pleasure to work with, she is also a top professional in her field. For me, what makes her so distinct is the range and depth of her expertise across organisational systems, adult learning and development and human behavioural theories and practice. Her erudition is brilliantly balanced by a hugely practical, results-focussed and fun approach. I have had the pleasure of knowing and working with Kathy for over 10 years. If you haven't worked with her yet, I highly recommend that you meet with her and take the time to consider how she can add value to your organisation."
Xero People Experience Advisor:
Feedback on Kathy's session today was really positive. They enjoyed the session as it reminded them that everyone works differently and that we must take that into consideration. It also gave them some things to go away and work on which I really liked. I like Kathy's style today, felt she understood Xero, and connected with the group.
Managing Director, Facilities Management Sector:
"I don't know what you are doing with these guys, but it certainly works. We've seen a huge change! Great result. Thanks" (Feedback on a coaching programme for senior managers)
Jon Buckland, Chief Officer at Education Department States of Guernsey:
"Kathy is an inspirational coach who has helped me work on areas of weakness to improve my performance. She does this extremely effectively through insightful questioning and encouraging practice to see what works."
Managing Director, Charity Sector:
"I found the coaching sessions gave me clarity about what my key objectives actually were and what I needed to do to achieve them. I then found myself motivated to get things done."
Maureen Moss, Teacher & International Tour Leader:
"Kathy is an inspirational leader and a witty and committed teacher, who is fully present to the needs of others. Working with her will open up new possibilities for yourself, your career and your life."
Thinking Spaces © 2013 | All Rights Reserved


text:
Friday, December 30, 2011
Blogging rocks!
Sunday, December 18, 2011
I ranted at a pregnant lady
Over the years there have been many instances where I've wanted to cry, leave or just scream, but haven't. You see, Moms of Multiples LOVE to talk about their pregnancy, particularly how HUGE they were at 39 weeks pregnant begging their doctor to order their c-section. Or they like to talk about having 2 babies in their hospital room with them when all they wanted was a little bit of rest. Or about how difficult it was to nurse two newborns at once.
If I let myself be sensitive (or am just having a hard day), I can find these moments a bit hard as I didn't get to experience this. It's hard to listen to them complain about what I wish I had had.
But I deal with it. Mostly because I look around the room and make eye contact with the other moms like me who delivered early and don't get to complain about these "seemingly" mundane things. Instead, when we get together (on our own...away from the moms who delivered full-term twins), we complain about NICU stays, not getting to hold our babies until they were days or weeks old, and how difficult those early days were. And some of us go even further, we "complain" about kids who don't walk, or talk, or eat on their own.
But...like I said...we keep these conversations to ourselves. Not because we're weak, but because usually there are pregnant moms at these events and really there is no reason for them to know what we've had to deal with with our twins. Not yet anyways.
Well...last week's event was different. I didn't keep my mouth shut. In fact, I'm afraid that I did a bit of ranting. And I didn't mean to rant. But I just couldn't keep quiet anymore.
I met a new member that night. She's a very nice girl who is 29 weeks pregnant with twins. Let's call her Sally. A few months back Sally met another local mom who was also pregnant with twins...and only a few weeks further along than her. And they connected. Let's call the 2nd mom Jane.
Well...Jane ended up delivering her twins last week by emergency c-section at 32 weeks. Sally and Jane have chatted via facebook and texted since Jane had the babies. And according to Sally, "the babies were doing great and they were going to be fine."
Hmmm. I thought to myself. At this point, they are still only at 33 weeks. And yes, they may be fine, but at this point, there is no way to know that for sure. But...I held my tongue.
The conversation went on. And then she said it again.
"The babies are going to be fine."
Well. I couldn't help it. This is probably the ONE thing that drove me the most crazy after I had the boys. Everyone kept looking at stats and concluding that because they were 30 weekers, then the stats were good. It was very likely that they were going to be fine. So. Therefore. My boys were OK. They didn't have to worry.
Well. That's not the way it turned out, did it? Ben and Daniel spent 8 weeks in the NICU. And yeah, even though they didn't have the worst NICU stays, it certainly wasn't all sunshine and rainbows either. Ben had 2 collapsed lungs, spent 4 days on a ventilator, and many more on CPAP. He had a Grade II brain bleed and PVL. He had an infection and multiple blood-transfusions. He stopped breathing more times than I can count. He even had a positive screening for cystic fibrosis. Pretty scary stuff. And people kept saying "I'm so glad to hear that they are doing so well".
Huh? Doing well? What part of my email update said that? It totally ticked me off. And by the time Ben was diagnosed with CP, I almost felt like yelling to the world "I TOLD YOU SO!!!".
Anyways...back to last week. So after she said that the babies were going to be OK two or three times, I finally stopped holding my tongue and said "I'm sorry to say this and I don't mean to scare you, but do you realize that they may not be OK? And it's pretty likely that they won't know for sure that they're going to be OK for months or even years?"
I really didn't want to scare a pregnant mom of twins at just 29 weeks, but I just couldn't hold it in.
And so I went on to explain what the NICU days are really like. That every morning when Jane goes in to visit her babies, the nurse or doctor will meet her to tell her what went wrong over night. The babies will have trouble breathing, maintaining their temperature and eating. And THOSE are just the MINOR things that occur in a NICU.
I, of course, went on to explain more of the things that happened to us in the NICU. I even went on to tell her that my son has CP (I usually don't tell pregnant moms these things). Yeah. I ranted.
I feel bad that I ranted. I'm glad I said something but I shouldn't have gone on like I did.
In the end, I think it was OK though. Sally seemed to take it all really well and was even grateful that I told her what it's REALLY like to have preemies.
Hopefully I didn't scare the pants off her.
So what about you? Does this stuff happen to anyone else? Or is it only me that goes off on a pregnant woman?
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
8 things I want you to know (cross-post)
1. First of all, I am not super-mom. Nowhere near it. I am just like other mom's out there...except I ended up with a child with a disability. I am doing EXACTLY what you would do if it happened to you.
2. Our life is the same as yours, but different. In some ways, I don't want you to think that we are any different than you. We have the same joys and struggles that you have. Most days, we are just like you. We get up in the morning (way too early in my mind), go to work,. take the kids to preschool, get groceries, do laundry and make dinner. We watch cartoons (probably too many) and play with lego and play-doh and Thomas. We go on vacation and then have to deal with paying the credit card off later. But then again, I do want you to know that our life is different than yours. Harder. More complicated. We have appointment upon appointment. We have to think about wheelchairs and walkers. We have to schedule therapies and surgeries. It sucks. We also have to think about accessibility whenever we go somewhere new. That's probably what I hate most. Every time we go somewhere new, it's such a struggle to figure out if (or how) it'll work for Ben. Sometimes we just don't go. Sometimes we do go and end up leaving because it just won't work (and usually tears ensue). And then sometimes we go and it works wonderfully.
3. Everyone has their THING. I have to believe this. Life sucks sometimes and sometimes it feels like it only sucks for us. Then I remember a friend who lost her mom WAY too early. Or another who lost a sibling. And another who has had a miscarriage or two or three. I have friends who have actually lost a child. I now know many, many people just like us, who have a child with a disability. So yeah, I believe that we all have struggles and problems and loss. We just happened to be the ones that has a child that can't walk.
4. Don't jump to conclusions. A six-year-old in a stroller may not be able to walk. A child having a meltdown at Wal-mart may have Sensory Processing Disorder.
5. You already know that your child is not the same as the next child. Your child is unique and special. Well, it's the same for children with a disability. One child in a wheelchair is not the same as the next. One may be able to speak, the other may not. One may be cognitively-delayed, the other not. Remember that just because a child (or anyone) cannot speak, that doesn't mean that they can't hear or understand you. Treat everyone with compassion.
6. It's not OK to stare. OK. You probably already know that. But maybe you don't know that it's OK to say "Hello". Especially to a child with a disability. It's even OK to ask questions. Really. Please teach your children that those with disabilities are the same as anyone else. And are just as worthy of your time.
7. Statistics are (almost) meaningless. Especially to people dealing with a medical condition of some kind. I remember when the boys were born at 30 weeks. The statistics seem so good for 30-weekers so those on the outside assume everything will be OK. For example, 90% of premature babies turn out OK. That seems like a great number. But that means that 1 in 10 are not. 1 in 10 develop a permanent disability such as cerebral palsy, chronic lung disease, blindness or deafness (and yep....we ended up being the 1 in 10). Imagine being told that your child had a 1 in 10 chance of having one of these disabilities. Would you think that everything is OK? This applies to anyone in your life. Many (or most or all) of you will at some point have someone in your life that is diagnosed with cancer. Perhaps this person will be told that the survival rate is 90%...sounds great...at first. Remember that they have just been told that 1 in 10 people with their condition don't make it.
8. And finally, no one wants to be pitied. Please do not pity us. Have compassion for us, but please do not pity us. Our life is good. More than good. We are blessed. We have two wonderful boys, good jobs, lots of help and support, a beautiful home and really more than most. We are happy. In some ways, I feel like we have MORE than you. Does that seem strange to you? Probably. But it's true. We have learned what is really important in life. Every night when I go in to the boys' room and see them sleeping, I am full of gratitude. Because I have two healthy, thriving children. We could have lost Ben. But we didn't. Aren't we lucky?
(I struggled with whether or not to press "publish" on this post. I'm hoping it doesn't sound preachy. My intention is only to share what we've learned as parents to Ben.)
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
The scoop on SDR (cross-post)
Soon after Ben was diagnosed with CP (he was diagnosed a week after his first birthday), I read about a surgery called Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy ("SDR"). From what I read, I could already see that Ben might be a candidate for this surgery.
To understand this surgery, you need to first understand that Ben doesn't really have anything wrong with his muscles. Really what is wrong is that his brain doesn't send the right signals to his muscles.
Very basically, a neurosurgeon will selectively cut a number of sensory nerve fibres that enter Ben's spine from his legs. The surgeon will test the nerve rootlets to determine which ones cause the spasticity and only those will be cut. The surgery can take up to 8 hours.
After the surgery, the spasticity in Ben's legs will be gone. Hopefully he will be able to get his heels on the ground (currently he is very high up on his toes...basically as high up as a ballerina is) and he will be able to stretch his legs straight out without a bend in his knees.
However, because Ben has been dealing with very tight muscles since birth, his leg muscles have not developed properly (and neither has his joints). So after the surgery, he will be very weak and will not be able to do what he is able to do now. He will need to relearn how to roll and sit and stand and "walk".
The recovery is very intense. He will need to remain on his stomach for 2 days after the surgery. After that, he will be allowed to lay on his side. Eventually he will be able to be on his back again.
The surgery itself will occur at Montreal Children's Hospital. From what I am told, the surgery will be on a Wednesday or Thursday. Ben will have a number of pre-operative procedures earlier that week. He will remain at Montreal Children's Hospital for 5 days. After that, he will be transferred to Montreal Shriner's Hospital. This is where he will have 6 weeks of rehabilitation.
Now you're wondering what we can expect from this surgery. You're wondering (and likely hoping) that this will mean that Ben will be able to walk.
Well. That's difficult to say. We know that there will be improvements. Perhaps vast improvements. But it's hard to know for sure. Of course, independent walking would be wonderful. Beyond wonderful. But we're not sure if that is realistic.
My hopes for this surgery is that Ben will be very functional with forearm crutches. My hope is that this will be his PRIMARY mode of getting around. My hope is that he can walk independently indoors. But I'm not sure if that is likely out of doors. Regardless, Ben will not come home from Montreal able to do all these things. This will take months, if not years, of therapy and work on Ben's part.
I am in touch with a wonderful mom whose little girl, Nina, had this surgery just 6 months ago. Nina was very similarly affected to Ben. She now can take steps independently at home. To me that is amazing progress.
Remember though. Steps do not mean independent/functional walking. Ben will never walk like you or I. That is not the point of this surgery. The point of the surgery is to do everything possible to allow Ben to be as independent as possible.
To read the full details of SDR, click on the link below:
St. Louis Children's Hospital
The deal with Ben (cross-post)
- The brain injury that caused the CP cannot be cured or reversed. It is permanent.
- Treatment options involve managing the spasticity (or tightness) in his legs. To date, Ben uses braces (also called AFO's - ankle-foot orthotic) for walking. He has had botox injections in his muscles to alleviate the spasticity and he has had serial casting done on both ankles to help stretch his calf muscles. All of these treatment options are temporary. Botox wears off quickly (within 3 months) and serial casting is something that is done over and over, mainly because as Ben grows his muscles get tighter and tighter.
- There is also a lot of therapy out there to help Ben learn to use his body to its optimum. Ben gets physiotherapy twice each week for an hour. He has also seen occupational therapy (as needed) and speech therapy. Other therapies that we have done include hippotherapy (horse-back riding) and conductive eduation. All of these HELP Ben to move better, but will never "cure" him.
A new blogging adventure
There are 3 people in my real life that know about this blog: my husband and two real life friends who also have a child with CP. These people "get it" so I'm OK with them reading it.
Ben is about to have major surgery (SDR). People in my real life want to know what's going on. They want to be able to follow our adventure. So I decided to create a new blog. A private blog where I can post more personal details and not worry about the whole wide world seeing it. So I've invited my real life friends to join my new private blog.
I'm going to cross-post the posts on that blog to this blog (with maybe a few tiny edits). So far I've done a few "information" posts on the new blog basically to explain what CP is (and how it affects Ben) and also what SDR is (and how we hope it will help Ben).
Basically, I wanted you (my followers) to know what's going on with us. I'm going to be loading a few of my posts tonight so you don't miss a thing from this SDR-journey we're on.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
CP and personality
Ben is definitely my more-difficult child. Life just seems so easy for Daniel and his personality seems to match that. Whereas Ben struggles just to move around. It's harder to get from room to room. Harder to do puzzles and play games. Harder even to eat supper. So I worry. I worry that this daily struggle is affecting his personality. Changing him. Making him cranky and difficult.
Or is that just his personality? Would he be that way without CP? Not all kids are easy-go-lucky.
But I hate that I even have to think this. Wonder this. Because then I'm not sure how to parent. Not sure how to discipline. I do try to be more understanding and mindful of how difficult things are for Ben. I try to make sure that he gets lots of sleep and rest. But sometimes, he just goes off the deep end and I have to be the parent. I can't let him get away with this behaviour. And it kills me.
St. Louis Children's actually states the following "Parents often note that their children become much less irritable and more loving after selective dorsal rhizotomy. We attribute this to decreased mental distraction by tight muscles."
I can only hope.
(We are still waiting for our surgery date. I spoke to the surgeon's administrative assistant last week and she said that we should get the date this week.)
Thursday, December 1, 2011
On not being alone
You see...for some reason, the real world only seems to have normal people, normal couples, normal kids and normal families. And for me in particular...normal twins.
But the special needs, blogging world? Well, it has people with cerebral palsy, people with autism, people with down syndrome and spina bifida and on and on and on. It has kids that need wheelchairs, and walkers, and crutches. It has adults who need communication devices, guide dogs, and adapated vehicles. It has families whose homes are filled with medical equipment. And it has families whose calendars have multiple medical appointments week-in and week-out.
And even though, I know it's not really true that the real world only has normal families, it is certainly how it feels. Like last week, I took the boys to their first introduction to kindergarten (an-hour long "session" in the classroom) and of course, Ben was the only one who arrived in a wheelchair. And needed to be carried between tables.
When I'm in the "blogging" world, I can talk about botox, and surgery, and appointments and it's "normal". I don't get pity looks and comments like "I don't know how you do it". In the "blogging" world, I can celebrate the tiniest bit of progress and know that the people "listening" will really "get it". In the real world, I feel like I have to explain so much about what the progress really means that I usually don't even bother.
In the "blogging" world, I can actually call up another mom (yes, Ellen - I'm talking about you here!) and get all sorts of fantastic information on what it's like when your child undergoes selective dorsal rhizotomy. In the real world, people don't even know what cerebral palsy is, let alone what SDR is.
And for some reason, most importantly (for me), in the "blogging" world, twins don't always do everything together. Moms don't complain that they "can't keep up with their twins as they are always running in opposite directions". Instead, there are twins that are both affected by special needs or twins where only one is and the parents don't know quite how to handle that. There are twins that go to different schools and twins that don't really get to "play" together.
I guess what I'm trying to say here is that I would hate to imagine my life without this amazing community that I've found myself in. Without it, I would feel alone and on the outside of "normal". But with it? I feel "normal". My kids seem "normal". And our life seems "normal". Because in this community, special needs are the norm.
How cool is that?
(I'm blogging as part of "CP Connection". Click on the image above to see where it started and find other blogs that are participating.")
Monday, November 28, 2011
Still waiting (plus some random stuff)
It's frustrating waiting for this surgery to happen. Ben hasn't had any spasticity intervention (i.e. botox or casting) since June and he is CRAZY tight. We continue to work on getting his quads as strong as possible before surgery, but otherwise aren't seeing any real progress at this point. He walks very well with his quad canes but it isn't functional as he's quite slow and his endurance is pretty much non-existent.
We're also trying to come up with some sort of visitation schedule...which is hard to do without an actual surgery date. It's such a blessing that so many people want to come and visit and help us out during Ben's surgery and rehab. It's wonderful. I'm beginning to wonder if I may actually complain that we've had too many visitors!
We are gearing up for Christmas here at our house. We're hosting the office Christmas Party this year at our house so that just gives me even more excuses to decorate like mad. The boys are super excited about Christmas and Santa and presents. And pretty much ask me every day is Santa come tonight. I'm working on an advent calendar for each of them so we can start counting down to Christmas. Hopefully that will help them understand how many days are left before Santa comes.
I don't know about you guys, but we had major issues with the time change this year. Daniel has always been our early riser but was getting up around 6am before the time change. Well...after the time change, that became 5am and didn't change after THREE whole weeks. So I started looking for solutions. And found this...the Gro Clock. It's AMAZING! And totally worked. Basically the parent sets the time that he/she wants the child to get up. During the night, the screen is blue with a sleeping star on it. When it's time to get up, the screen changes to a yellow sun. At first we set it for 6am. It started working the first night. Now we have it set for 6:30 and neither kid will get out of bed before they see that bright, yellow sun. It was expensive though...$60! YIKES! But totally worth it for more sleep each morning.
I don't think I ever really posted about Ben receiving his wheelchair. Bad me. Well. We FINALLY got it at the end of October. Yep. It took over 6 months to get his wheelchair. Crazy. However, he LOVES it. LOVES it. And we love it. He's independent in it. He's at the right height (and can even reach all the elevator buttons now). I can even walk BESIDE him and talk to him like a regular 4-year-old instead of being behind him pushing him in a stroller. Yes. People look at us more now. But like his walker, people can't help but smile when they see him in it. He's just so happy! Plus, his front 2 wheels light up when he gets going fast.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Ben had an all-day evaluation at the Shriner's Children's Hospital in Montreal last week to determine if he is a candidate for SDR. Ben saw OT, PT, an orthopedic surgeon and the neurosurgeon...all with the goal of figuring out if and/or when Ben should have an SDR.
(For the details on Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy, check out this great link from St. Louis Children's Hospital.)
First of all, Ben was an absolute trooper. What a long day it must have seemed to him. Everyone wanted to see all that he could do...and more. And everyone wanted to touch and prod him...and get him to walk, just one more time. This started at 8am and by 3pm when Dr. Farmer (the neurosurgeon) asked to seem him walk again, he just couldn't do it. It was a full-on meltdown and so The Backyardigans finally came out.
But that was OK though...as PT had taken many videos of him walking earlier in the day. With a walker, with quad canes, with shoes and AFO's and in bare feet. Like I said, he was a real trooper.
And the unanimous opinion was that YES, Ben is an excellent candidate for SDR and should have one as soon as possible.
I have been hoping that Ben would be a candidate for this surgery since probably the 1st week post-diagnosis...when I was still in that google-as-much-CP-stuff-as-I-can stage. The main criteria for a patient to undergo SDR are (per St. Louis Children's Hosptial Website):
At least 2 years of age
Diagnosis of spastic diplegia, spastic quadriplegia or spastic hemiplegia
Some form of independent mobility; for example, crawling or walking with or without an assistive device
History of premature birth; if born at full term, child must have typical signs of spastic diplegia
No severe damage to the basal ganglia on MRI examination
Patients exhibit potential for improvement in functional skills after dorsal rhizotomy
And Ben meets all of these criteria. Dr. Farmer prefers to perform SDR on children under the age of 5. It's a balancing act between doing the surgery before major deformities occur and doing the surgery when the child can excel at rehab.
Check out Ben's before video...walking barefoot with quad canes. I am still amazed that he can do this in his barefeet.
So...we are waiting for the phone call to hear the actual date that Ben will have his surgery. We asked to have the surgery as early as possible in January...and that didn't seem to be a problem. Hopefullly we will get the call in early December.
We met with the social worker while there as well to discuss how our family with be able to handle Ben being in Montreal for 8 weeks this winter. Yep, 8 weeks. That's what is stressing me out more than anything else at this point. Luckily, I don't work any sort of real job. I take on contract work when I'm able to...so I just won't take on any more work. Also, my husband basically works for himself so he's also able to take off some extra time. And we also have a great nanny that will be able to care for Daniel while I'm away in Montreal with Ben.
There were a couple of highlights from our visit to Montreal. First, when describing Ben's medical history to a doctor, he interrupted to ask "if I was a nurse or in the medical field". Totally made my day...and impressed my husband too. I've been bragging about this ever since!
But the super-dooper big deal? We met a 16-year-old girl who had had an SDR at 5 years old from the same doctor. She was back for a follow up. I saw her earlier in the day. She was walking completely independently with her mom. I noticed a slight limp and immediately knew that she had CP....but totally thought that she had a very mild case. It turns out that at age 5, she was very similar to Ben...walked with a walker and way up high on her toes. She now walks completely independently! I cried while talking to her and her mom. She says that she does tire more easily than her friends and can only tolerate 2-3 hours at the mall...how amazing is that!
I did try to get some idea of what Dr. Farmer expects Ben's results to be. Of course, it is hard to say exactly. At this point, Ben can walk with a walker and quad canes, but neither of these are at a functional level. He tires extremely quickly and usually ends up in his stroller (well, now his wheelchair...since it finally arrived!). Ben was a Level 2 on the GMFCS until he turned 4. Now that he's over 4 and can't walk without an assistive device, he has moved up to a Level 3. I don't think that independent walking with no assistive device is the goal for Ben (although I think it is in the realm of possibility), but I do think that he should at the very least be very functional with loftstrands (otherwise known as forearm crutches). And I would be THRILLED with that result.
The way things are going at the moment Ben will be in a wheelchair. Able to transition well and be fairly independent, but in a wheelchair. The thought of him being able to walk (albeit with help) is absolutely thrilling.
Dr. Farmer also talked to us about the long-term results. 75% if his patients require no further surgery after the SDR. That statistic amazed me as I was certain that Ben would need additional orthopedic surgery(ies) after an SDR. Turns out, this is not at all certain at this point.
I'm also excited to be (hopefully) done with botox and serial casting. Yes, these are great tools for delaying surgery, but I will be thrilled to leave them behind. Over 60% of Dr. Farmer's SDR patients don't even require botox after surgery.
I think I've managed to mostly recap our day in Montreal. I'm sure I'll think of more details...and I'll try to post those too as I think of them.
And now the wait begins...
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Christmas Cards
She is taking orders throughout the month of October so that people can have their cards with lots of time before Christmas. Go and check her out!
Friday, September 16, 2011
Do you live here too?
There are many awesome blog posts and essays out there that are written for the parent of a newly-diagnosed child, but this one is meant for your family and friends...as a way to explain how life really is now. Love it.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Everything is good with us. Actually my new mantra is "Life is good today" just like the main lyric from The Zac Brown Band's song "Toes".
Because really life is good. Really good.
If you've been a long time follower and would like to still keep up with me (and Ben), then by all means, send me an email at aboutthesmallstuff at hotmail com and if I feel like I know you well enough we can be Facebook friends.
If anything big happens, then I'll be sure to pop back here and update you all. We're still hoping that Ben is a candidate for a rhizotomy and are keeping all fingers and toes crossed that it'll happen in early 2012.
Love to all of you. And don't worry, I'll be back.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
The Life That's Chosen Me
The Life That's Chosen Me (written by Karen Taylor-Good and Lisa Aschmann)
We had such expectations, we would soon be giving birth
To the next Chopin, the next Einstein, the greatest child on earth
And we'd be the perfect family, soon we'd have the perfect kid
We'd never have a challenge or a problem, God forbid
Oh but Life had different plans, so I need for you to understand
Don't desert me, don't ignore
I need friends now more than I ever did before
Show compassion but please don't pity me
I'm a parent just like you, it's true
But I have special needs
I need you to notice that my life's different from yours
I need you not to judge me, don't condemn and don't keep score
I'd love an extra pair of hands, or just a hug or two
I need you to acknowledge that I carry more than you
Got the world here on my back, so I just thought I would ask
Don't desert me, don't ignore
I need friends now more than I ever did before
What you take for granted comes so hard for me
I'm a parent just like you, it's true
But I have special needs
I need answers, I need help, it's so much work
And a miracle or two sure wouldn't hurt
Don't desert me, don't ignore
I need friends now more than I ever did before
It's not the life that I'd have chosen, but it's the life that's chosen me
I'm a parent just like you, it's true
But I have special needs
I need you to listen, I need you to care
I need your understanding, I need you just to be there
I need your friendship, maybe a hug or two
Oh God I need a miracle.........
The parts that most resonated for me:
"Show compassion, but please don't pity me"
"I need you to notice that my life's different than yours"
These two sentences are pretty much the EXACT same sentences that I use to explain our situation to my friends.
Did this song touch you like it did me?
Friday, August 12, 2011
On my way back up
I truly appreciated ALL of your comments. Every last one of them. Thank you so much for reading and commenting...it really makes my day. I especially liked Sarah's comment "It doesn't get easier or harder. It just gets different." How true.
Since that post I think the rollercoaster has started to go up again...just check out this video of Ben walking up the stairs with his canes...totally independently!
Isn't he adorable in his train conductor costume? And isn't Daniel a typical almost-4-year old trying to get in the shot?
So yep...here we go...back up to the top of that rollercoaster!
Monday, August 8, 2011
Who said this would get easier?
It breaks my heart to see him holding back and watching all the other kids run circles around him. And I think it's starting to break his heart too.
Last year, he was doing so well with his walker, that I really thought that by now, he'd be using it like crazy and maybe even starting to use forearm crutches to get around...and maybe-just-maybe taking those first independent steps.
But nope. Spasticity totally sucks and Ben struggles more this year than last year. Often choosing a stroller or wagon over his walker.
Last year, I had two happy little boys who really had no idea that Ben was any different. This year, I take one little boy to soccer while the other one asks me why he doesn't have soccer cleats.
Last year, no one really noticed that I had an almost-3-year-old who crawled to get around. This year I feel their stares and unanswered questions.
So yeah...I'm feeling the struggle a bit more lately. I was doing so well all last winter...accepting this CP-thing. Not crying all the time. Actually feeling a little joyful on occasion. I thought I was on the path to "this CP-thing isn't so bad"...but instead I feel like I'm on a detour that has somehow brought me back to those days just after diagnosis. I'm having lots of thoughts that I thought I was done thinking. You know the ones. Things like "why us?" And lots of others along that line.
I guess when people describe our special needs world as a ROLLERCOASTER, they hit the nail on the head, eh? Now I'm just wondering when I start climbing upwards again...
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Dear Daniel
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Playgrounds make me emotional
You see...when you have a physically-challenged child, playgrounds are a completely different experience. No "sitting on the bench and chatting with the other moms" for me. Nope. I'm either helping Ben "climb" or catching Ben at the bottom or I'm on the friggin' thing with him. And if there are a lot of other kids there, well, we usually hang back and watch or just decide to go home and try another time.
So we drive around neighbourhoods and find playgrounds that work for Ben. And we've found a few. Playgrounds with lots of steps and not so many ladders...because Ben can climb steps. Playgrounds with just one big play structure instead of many small ones so I can keep an eye on both Ben and Daniel. And most importantly, playgrounds that aren't very busy. Because bigger kids seem even bigger when your main method of transportation is crawling. And Ben gets easily intimidated by bigger kids.
So yeah. Playgrounds make me emotional. They make me sad, angry, and frustrated on occasion. But sometimes, they make me happy...like when we went to the playground with "Sarah", Ben's CE friend. And it totally worked for THEM.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Father's Day Paintings
Friday, July 8, 2011
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Happy (Belated) Canada Day!
We are in Ontario visiting my husband's family for a week. We went to a Canada Day Parade in the morning. Here are the boys with their Canada shirts and flags!
We even managed to get a family photo of all four of us!
We had such a fantastic family day!
Friday, June 24, 2011
Bad blogger
1. We're still looking into a Rhizotomy for Ben. Really looking into it. Referrals have been sent to 2 separate hospitals for more opinions. So we wait. While we wait, I research and read blogs. I've been totally addicted to this blog as Hannah just had her rhizotomy a little over a week ago.
2. Ben continues to struggle with very high muscle tone in his hamstrings and gastrox. We had botox for the hamstrings 4 weeks ago and had our 4-week post-botox appointment today with his physiatrist. The hamstrings have definitely loosened up but the gastrox are worse. For him, this makes walking with his walker very difficult so he hasn't been walking much lately. The physiatrist is still thrilled with all the progress he's making like: walking with canes, crawling up and down stairs, getting in and out of bed, and being totally potty-trained (more on this later). I think she's even more convinced that a rhizotomy is the way to go for Ben.
3. So...since his gastrox are so tight, he's in casts for the week. They wanted to do a number of weeks of casts, but I just won't do it. It's summer. And in New Brunswick, Canada summer is only about 8 weeks long (if we're lucky). So he's only getting one set. I'm struggling a bit with this decision, but I just cannot cast that boy for half the summer. Summer is the only real time that we actually play outside. Ben LOVES the beach, the pool and the sandbox...three things that don't mix with casts. So we'll hold off on more interventions until September.
4. Yep, like I said. Ben's potty-trained. I really can't believe it. Daniel potty-trained quite easily last fall but Ben was another story. And with our CP-kids we never know what is personality and what is CP. The truth is, he was never dry so we pretty much knew he was nowhere near ready...until about March. He started having dry diapers and our nanny forced the issue (meaning HUGE bribery and rewards) and now he's totally potty-trained. Of course, being potty-trained is not really any easier for us...since he needs so much help, but that's getting better everyday. He can actually walk into the bathroom with his walker, walk up to the toilet, get help from us to pull his pants and underwear down, and then stand up to pee....ahhh, the benefits of having a penis. Really, I'm still pretty amazed about all this.
5. I finally got away with Daniel for the night. For months, I've been meaning to do this. I am always going off somewhere with Ben and even though it's always for appointments, of course, Daniel doesn't realize this. So I've been wanting to get away with Daniel on our own for some time now. On Monday, I finally did. Off we went to Halifax to stay with friends for the night (who also have 2 little boys). He had so much fun and so did I. I feel somewhat guilty saying it, but hanging out with just one kid (who can walk) is just so easy. And enjoyable. We went to the playground...and I GOT TO JUST SIT ON THE BENCH AND WATCH! What a nice change! Now...I just need to figure out how to do this more often.
6. And now for the big surprise (well, it was for me anyways)...BOTH Ben AND Daniel need glasses. We saw their opthamoligist this week for our annual follow-up (due to their prematurity). We've seen her every year and there has never been an issue...so I really thought there wouldn't be this time either. Well, it turns out that Daniel is quite far-sighted and REALLY needs glasses. And Ben has astigmatism (not a shocker - since I have pretty bad astigmatism myself). So off we went to pick out glasses. Honestly, they were adorable, but I'm not looking forward to them arriving. I'm really not. I was pretty OK with Daniel getting glasses, but when she told me that Ben needed them too, it really got to me. Just one more thing for him to deal with. Ah well...the good news is that their eyes (i.e. retinas) are nice and healthy and that of course is the most important thing.
I think that should just about bring you up to date. Sorry, I've been such a bad blogger!
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
I have accepted that Ben has CP. I have accepted that he needs braces and a walker to get around...and that most of the time a walker is actually completely useless. So we checked out wheelchairs for those situations when a walker just won't cut it. And I wrote about why I was OK with a wheelchair.
I said things like "all I want for Ben is happiness and independence". I stopped talking (thinking and hoping) about independent walking.
Ben is almost 4 years old. He is nowhere near walking without a walker or canes or crutches. His hamstrings and calves are EXTREMELY tight. We have done botox and casting ad infinitum (it feels like) with good results (to start) that fade away way too quickly (like in 4 weeks...nowhere near the 3 months they hope for). The step before walking is independent standing...like I tell family members, "you try to stand when you are on your tippie toes and your knees are bent".
Ben's therapists used to say that they thought independent walking at home was a goal for him. That was before spasticity reared its ugly head. Check out this old video of Ben walking with his walker...he's just over 2 years old here. His gait is pretty much perfect...so I see why they used to think that.
Now? Well, he is on his toes always...with knees bent (if the botox has worn off) and his left foot turns in horribly. And he even scissors some. And really? I think his therapist (and I) had stopped thinking about independent walking.
Of course, that's what we continue to work towards. It's why I have Ben doing PT twice a week and doing 6 weeks (plus) of Conductive Education each year.
But to be honest, I had given up hope. I had accepted but I had no hope. I really thought that the most we could hope for would be some independent stepping that would be nowhere near functional. I kept saying how pleased I was that he can do transitions so well and that he should be able to be independent as an adult that would likely choose between forearm crutches and his wheelchair as preferred methods of mobility.
What I didn't realize was was that this was making me very sad. Because I had given up on something that I had really hoped for early on.
And then, Ben's physiatrist said the words "rhizotomy" and "Ben" in the same sentence. And a teeny tiny bit of hope crept into my heart. And took root. I started doing more research. And watching youtube videos like this one of kids walking post-rhizotomy. And talking to Ben's PTs. And that hope grew.
I talked to Ellen from Stumbo Family Story whose little girl Nina had a rhizotomy just 6 weeks ago and is already knee-walking. And that hope grew even more.
I realize that we haven't even spoken to a surgeon yet and of course, (functional) independent walking may not be in Ben's future. But all of the sudden, I have hope again. And that feels awesome.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
A fellow blogger needs our support
Well, today he posted this post. It seems that Baby A's water broke yesterday at just 21 weeks. They need lots of support, good thoughts and prayers (if you're the praying kind). I've been following along on twitter and it doesn't sound like things are going very well...just 30% chance of survival of all 3 boys...and as we all know, very high chances of disabilities with survival.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Video - ONE CANE!!!!!
Here's a video of Ben "somewhat" walking with one cane. I am still in shock that he is at all ready to do this! He's a bit cranky in this video, but this video WAS taken at the end of a 2-hour Conductive Education session so that's to be expected.
I have to say that I LOVE Conductive Education. They just push him so hard. I never think he's ready to move to the next step, but they just keep on pushing. And he just keeps on working and progressing.
Yesterday, I cried. Twice.
But sometimes, I fail at at that. Like yesterday. I gave in to all the negatives. All the CAN'TS. And I cried. Once for just a few seconds until I could get myself under control. And once last night, for a very long time. Last night I cried huge, wrenching sobs. Tears streamed down my face. My eyes got all red and puffy. And I yelled and screamed about how much I hate what CP has done to Ben. To us.
I said things and thought things that I haven't said or thought in a very long time. Why did this happen to Ben? It's so unfair. I just want him to be able to play on a playground on his own. Why does this have to be so hard? Why can't I have twin boys that run, jump and climb together? I fucking hate what CP has done to our family. I am so sick of my whole life revolving around spasticity. And on, and on, and on.
It was awful. A really horrible night.
But today is a new day. And I am back to being me. The happy, positive me. And of course, I can never feel that horrible when I'm watching my Ben play. He's an amazing boy who is making fantastic progress.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
One cane
Well...as I posted a while back, Ben can now walk on his own with 2 quad canes. He's not super at it, but can do it without any help...and can even get down on his own.
This session of Conductive Ed is different that what we've previously done as the Conductive Educator has an assistant now. So instead of us moms staying and helping out with the session, we actually left Ben and Sarah there for their 2 hour "class". What a nice break!
We arrived back with about 10 minutes left in the class...and I just couldn't believe my eyes...BEN WAS WALKING WITH ONLY ONE CANE!!!! Yes, he was slow. And yes, he needed lots of help...but he WAS doing it.
So...I just need to remember my camera tomorrow and hopefully I'll catch it on video for you all to see.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
SDR in our future?
So...Ben was nice and tight again today when she saw him. I, of course, was not surprised as we've been dealing with his tightness since about early April.
I WAS surprised by the discussion we ended up having. You see, Ben's physiatrist is extremely conservative. We've known this since the get-go and had planned to see some other experts early in 2012 to get additional opinions on what the best course of action would be for Ben. Basically, there are 2 options: continue rounds of botox followed by serial casting in an effort to delay any surgery for as long as possible OR do some sort of surgery now (like a selective dorsal rhizotomy) due to his extreme tightness.
Well...today, she actually stated that Ben is an excellent candidate for an SDR. She is going to refer him to another team at a children's hospital to see what their opinion is, but she's really thinking that an SDR would be a great option for Ben.
I couldn't believe it. I think my husband and I are a bit on the aggressive-side and to hear these words from a CONSERVATIVE doctor pretty much convinced me that an SDR is in Ben's future....likely in January 2012.
I am scared-to-death and excited-beyond-measure all at the same time tonight. I feel like we've just been spinning our wheels for the last year and now I feel like maybe there's a light at the end our tunnel.
Let the research begin!
(For information on Selective Dorsal Rhizotomies, check out this page from Gillette Children's Hospital.)
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Too excited not to share...
Now...if only the weather would improve so we could actually go outside...
Friday, May 13, 2011
Family vacation
Last year, I had a bit of a rough time on this holiday... you can read about that here. But I didn't have ANY of those feelings this year. This year, I just enjoyed it. I enjoyed the kids. I enjoyed their 3-and-a-half-year-oldness. We plan to go again next year and it'll be a completely different holiday again...when they're another whole year older.
I actually met a family there. A girl named Lauren (aged 20) and her parents. Lauren has CP. And instead of being shy and not saying anything, I took the opportunity when it arose to talk to the Mom and then got to talk to Lauren and her dad as well. Lauren's CP is more involved than Ben's. Her arms and legs are all affected. She is very intelligent though (she's a sophomore in college)! It was so great to talk to this family. It was so inspiring!
So here are a few photos of our trip. We can't wait to go again next year.
Sorry Daniel...but Mommy couldn't resist taking this one!
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Progress with canes
A few weeks back I finally got around to buying Ben some canes of his own...of course, he wanted red ones, just like "Sarah", his CE classmate.
Up til now, he used canes just at CE and they were tripod canes...not near as steady as Sarah's quad canes. It has taken a few weeks, but Ben is finally convinced that he CAN walk on his own with the canes. I knew he could, I just had to convince him.
So...without further ado...check out this video of Ben walking with his canes ALL BY HIMSELF!
Monday, April 11, 2011
Guest Post - Some advice
Friday, April 8, 2011
Monday, April 4, 2011
The Road to Acceptance
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
It's going to be all right
Sunday, March 27, 2011
It is Sunday evening. The boys are in bed. And I am sitting her reflecting on our weekend. A weekend filled with normal. Sometimes I really try not to use the word normal. Instead I try to use the word typical. But tonight, typical just doesn't cut it. Tonight, I'm grateful for how much normal our family has.
Yes, sometimes our life is filled with stuff that isn't normal. Appointments (so many appointments), walkers, canes, wheelchairs, botox, casts, MRI's, pediatric neurologists, physiatrists, and on and on.
But sometimes, our life is just normal. Like this weekend.
Ben and Daniel spent the night at my parents house so we could clean out the basement.
Saturday afternoon was spent chasing TWO little boys around Costco with dinner out a local family restaurant...with TWO boys who insist on always having "a cheeseburger, french fries, ketchup and apple juice".
Sunday morning consisted of cereal in front of the television, much cartoon-watching, and a trip with Daddy to the "car shower". Two little boys returned home to proclaim that "they weren't scared and they didn't cry this time."
It was then naptime...for all of us. And then we wore ourselves out with fort-building, hide-n-go seek, and watching monster truck crashes on Youtube.
And supper...well pancakes and bacon of course (chocolate chip pancakes for Daniel!).
So tonight, I'm grateful. Grateful for how much normal we have.
(Ben and Daniel watching monster trucks on Youtube.)
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Another addition to our club
It wasn't a surprise to Tracey as it had long been suspected. But Monday was THE DAY for them.
I am in awe of this woman. If you want to see why, then check out this blog post that she did on Monday night. And if you're not convinced then check out this one that she wrote today.
So go and have a read and leave her a comment to show her how awesome this bloggy world that we find ourselves in really is. She's going to need us.
Monday, March 21, 2011
CP Awareness - Guest Post
Thanks Cheryl for including me!!
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Another Ben
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Spring time = bike time
Thursday, March 3, 2011
The Wheelchair Decision
I've been getting quite a lot of questions about the decision to get Ben a wheelchair. The most popular question has been something along the lines of "Ben is only 3.5 years old. And he's so mobile and uses his walker so well...so why does he NEED a wheelchair?". The 2nd most popular question is something more like "HOW can you be so OK with your son getting a wheelchair?".
I'm going to try and answer these questions the best I can. You may be in for a long read!
I've posted a link to this post by Katy about the wheelchair issue before. But here it is again. I first read it right after she posted it...so September 2009. Ben was just 2 years old and we were just one year past diagnosis. I don't think I'd even thought about the wheelchair issue before this post. And even though Katy is fantastic and I love her posts, it wasn't HER words that got me thinking. It was the 2nd commenter. Becca. An adult wheelchair user. She really got me thinking.
The more I thought about it, the more I agreed with her. Basically, her opinion is that is someone's PEERS would be walking, then if the kid was unable to walk on his/her own, then said kid should be in a wheelchair. NOT a stroller. And for some reason, this made total sense to me. I started paying attention. You see, it's pretty easy for me to know what Ben's peers are doing...he has a twin. A typically-developing twin. Every time after this post that I put Ben in a stroller with Daniel walking alongside me, I cringed. I truly did.
A few months after having my eyes opened, I asked Ben's physiatrist about getting him a wheelchair. He was just 2 years (adjusted) at that point. She thought it was too soon. She really wanted him to get better with his walker before he started using a wheelchair. Since he was so young, I left it at that.
About a month after that appointment, he started using his walker ALOT. We started making trips to the mall when it wasn't busy so he could practice. By the summer, he was really moving with it. I was glad we had waited. I'm not sure what the research (if there is any) shows about whether having a wheelchair demotivates a child with CP from learning to walk, but I was glad that we had pushed the walker as much as we had and he had gotten so good with it.
Fast forward til about a month ago. I didn't even know that I was thinking about a wheelchair until I asked one of his PT's about it. The words just kind of slipped out. I think that over the last 18 months or so, I had been thinking about it sub-consciously alot. Ben LOVES basketball. And he's actually pretty coordinated and has a good shot. I remember last year when the paralympics were going on...I thought alot about sports that Ben could play....adaptive skiing, horseback riding, sledge hockey...and of course, wheelchair basketball.
I don't know if you guys realize it, but it's pretty damn impossible to play basketball with a walker.
So I put the question out there last month and an OT came to chat with us about wheelchairs for Ben and how the process worked. And Ben tried out a wheelchair for the first time. I posted about that experience here.
We talked about whether Ben NEEDS a wheelchair. I guess in a way he doesn't NEED one. I could still opt to put him in a stroller if I wanted to. But I don't. So that's where the wheelchair comes in. To many of you, I'm sure Ben seems very mobile. And he is. In a way. Yes, he's great with his walker. But he tires easily. So whenever we go somewhere, if we bring his walker, we bring a stroller too. For when he gets tired.
And yes, they tell us that Ben will walk someday. Probably by the time he's 6 or so. But even then, is he going to be able to handle long distances? Unlikely. And if his class makes a trip to the zoo, I don't want him in a stroller...being pushed by a teacher. I want him in his wheelchair. Independent. And in control.
It takes a while to get a wheelchair. We're waiting to see the experts at the Seating Clinic in order to use their expertise to pick the best chair for Ben. Since Ben is so good with his upper body and can sit well, we're definitely going with a manual chair. But that's pretty much all I know at this point. I'm not sure how long the wait is to get into this clinic...pretty long I think. I'd love to have one now (now that he's tried a couple out and I see how much he loves them), but the initial goal was to have one by next year this time so that he could be proficient with it by the time he starts kindergarten in the fall of 2012.
And just because he's getting a wheelchair doesn't mean that we're going to stop working on walking. No way.
I don't think "wheelchair vs. walking" is the real decision here. For us the decision, is "wheelchair vs. stroller" and for me, that choice is obvious. Be pushed around by Mommy in the stroller OR be independent and in control in a wheelchair?
The wheelchair wins every time.


text:
'Is plastic okay?' Local officials say think twice
LAFAYETTE, Ind. — They are as light as a feather, floating like kites through the air, catching on to whatever may be in their paths, which is why Darren Folk said plastic bags are a constant nuisance.
Folk, operations manager with Republic Services, said to combat the issue of stray litter like plastic shopping bags at the Clinton County Landfill, two full time laborers walk along Indiana 39, as well as up and down the landfill, to gather the strays that escape the mound on a daily basis.
"In addition to that task, they also erect and move fencing to better contain the stray trash that floats away," Folk said. "Those two tasks in total eat up between 50 to 60 percent of those workers' time."
Folk said the plastic shopping bags float like a kite when thrown in with trash, causing a never ending game of chase. On particularly windy days, Folk said additional temp workers are brought in to assist in catching the wind blown litter that picks up in percentage.
"The majority of the stray trash we see is plastic bags, but the other big culprit is plastic packaging for single use items," he said. "In the 18 years I have spent working in this industry, along with plastic bags, the small bags from chips and other small vending machine snacks are some of the biggest challenges we face because they are so light weight."
A recent news story of a pilot whale dying after consuming 17 pounds of plastic waste hit the internet, with photos of the over 80 plastic bags cut out of the whale's stomach.
While the odds of any of those bags coming from the Greater Lafayette area are slim, Angela Andrews, assistant superintendent of Lafayette Renew, said local residents' misplacement of trash still affects their surroundings.
"I know sometimes I am guilty of forgetting my reusable bag when I go to the store," Andrews said. "But it is very likely that even if those bags are disposed of properly that they can end up in our waterways."
Andrews said she began the push for #WaterWisdomWednesdays through the social media accounts of the City of Lafayette after noticing stray bags in local cornfields.
"It is sad, you know, whether they blow away or people just toss them," she said. "Knowing our aquatic life can be harmed by our misuse of trash, and recycling services was the real push to get people thinking about their own actions. Because that is our focus, dealing with water quality issues and ultimately protecting our water ways."
The Journal & Courier contacted media representatives from Fresh Thyme Farmers Markets' grocery stores and The Kroger Co. inquiring details of their local plastic bag recycling programs, but did not receive a response.
According to a Kroger 2017 sustainability report, the stores continue to help customers reduce plastic bag use and transition to reusable bags.
"In fact, we have saved over 1 billion plastic bags from being used since 2008 through better bagging practices by our associates and by our customers using more reusable bags," the web page states. "Our stores encourage customers to change their habits by offering a wide variety of reusable bags. (In 2016), we sold an incredible 38.1 million reusable bags — an average of 104,545 reusable shopping bags per day."
No local numbers for plastic bag consumption or recycling were available on the stores' websites.
According to PlasticBagLaws.org, a nonprofit organization founded in 2010 as a resource for cities and states considering laws limiting the use of plastic bags, mandatory plastic bag recycling laws usually require grocery stores to accept used plastic bags for recycling.
"Almost all curbside recycling programs do not accept plastic bags, so plastic bags should be dropped off at grocery stores with plastic bag recycling programs," according to the nonprofit's website. "If you put plastic bags in your curbside recycling bin, they often clog machines at recycling facilities and thus actually hinder the recycling process."
At the grocery store's collection location, you may only recycle clean and dry plastic bags and films such as plastic carryout bags, newspaper bags, dry cleaning bags, bread and produce bags, zip lock bags without hard components, plastic cereal box liners and plastic casing wrappers or shipping packaging, according to PlasticBagLaws.org.


text:
Wet n Wild is one of the budget beauty brands that has impressed the most throughout my lipstick challenge; their matte range is a new favourite, and their megalast collection are pretty good too.
First things first, for some reason I was expecting them to be very drying, but actually they aren't at all and that's particularly true of today's megalast shade, Pinkerbell.
When you first go to apply it, it does initially feel dry but as soon as you start blending, the dryness goes away and you are left with a creamy finish and a gorgeous pigment.
While the colour pay off is brilliant for a budget lippy, sadly today's shade did let me down slightly. From the look of it, I was expecting a bright salmon coral shade, but it is actually much more pink than that, and therefore, not my favourite shade that I've tried from them.
Some pinks depending on the richness, can be gorgeous on, but I'm very fussy when it comes to pink and this one just didn't quite hit the mark for me.
In saying that, the staying power was really good as it always is with these lippies, and I do really like the formula.
Sorcha 💋


text:
https://www.leitrimgaa.ie/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/cat_Ladies.png 100 100 Leitrim GAA PRO https://www.leitrimgaa.ie/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/cropped-Leitrim_Crest_3d_Trans_552x552-180x180.png Leitrim GAA PRO2015-09-14 00:00:002015-09-14 00:00:00Ladies Club Championship News
Ladies Club Championship News
Senior Championship Final: Congratulations to Kiltubrid who defeated Aughawillan in the Coxs Steakhouse Senior Championship Final last Sunday in Ballinamore. It was a highly competitive game with great determination shown from Kiltubrid to secure their first ever senior championship. Final score Kiltubrid 1-09 Aughawillan 0-8
Junior Championship Final: Cloone will face Glencar Manorhamilton in the Coxs Steakhouse Junior Championship final this Saturday the 19th of September at 6:30pm in Leitrim Village. Please support.
Senior Relegation: St Josephs have secured there place in the senior championship after defeated both Mohill and Oughteragh Gaels in the senior relegation playoffs. Both Mohill and Oughteragh Gaels will compete in the 2016 Intermediate Championship.
14-Sep-15 by Claire Rowley – PRO


text:
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says those who make anti-Muslim allegations under the pretext of fighting terrorism are themselves supporters of terrorism.
"Unfortunately, today, certain individuals across the world, under the pretext of combating terrorism, announce that Muslims should not be allowed into other countries and this is while these individuals are themselves among founders and supporters of terrorism," President Rouhani said in reaction to Islamophobic and xenophobic rhetoric by US presidential hopeful Donald Trump on Wednesday.
He added that those aiding terrorist groups should be held accountable for the crimes committed by terrorists.
Trump, the leading candidate for Republican presidential nomination, on Monday called for a ban on Muslims entering the US, the latest in a series of bigoted remarks about Muslims and non-European immigrants on his campaign trail.
Trump, whose campaign has been marked by controversy from the beginning, stood by his anti-Muslim proposal on Tuesday, saying it was a temporary move in response to last week's mass shooting in San Bernardino, California.


text:
Random Thoughts
Did you know Facebook has a group with over 30,000 members entitled "You know you've lived in Spain when,,,,,,"
Here are some of their ideas and some thoughts I have added. Enjoy!
This is a group for everyone who has spent more than a holiday in Spain & for whom some/all of the following are true….
I noticed France has one of these groups so Spain really should too! I lived in the south of Spain for a year and absolutely loved it, so here are some of my observations about life in Spain. I know some may be more true of the south than everywhere, but still, I hope you like them! And I realise that not everyone will agree, so please understand that these are the comments of a young foreigner who spent a year in Spain rather than a Spanish person! I'm not trying to offend anyone, that is the last thing I want to do. These are just some of the things I noticed about Spanish life which makes it different to life in the UK. And it is meant to be taken as 'tongue in cheek…'
1) You think adding lemonade, fanta or even coke to red wine is a good idea.
2) You can't get over how early bars & clubs shut back home – surely they're shutting just as you should be going out?
3) You aren't just surprised that the plumber/decorator has turned up on time; you're surprised he turned up at all.
4) You've been part of a botellón
5) You think it's fine to comment on everyone's appearance. And to openly stare at strangers.
6) Not giving every new acquaintance dos besos seems so rude.
7) You're shocked by people getting their legs out at the first hint of sun – surely they should wait until at least late June?
8) On msn you sometimes type 'jajaja' instead of 'hahaha'
9) You think that aceite de oliva is a vital part of every meal. And don't understand how anyone could think olive oil on toast is weird.
10) You're amazed when TV ad breaks last less than half an hour, especially right before the end of films.
11) You forget to say please when asking for things – you implied it in your tone of voice, right?
12) You love the phenomenon of giving 'toques' – but hate explaining it in English
14) You don't see sunflower seeds as a healthy snack – they're just what all the cool kids eat.
15) You know what a pijo is and how to spot one.
16) Every sentence you speak contains at least one of these words: 'bueno,' 'coño,' 'vale,' 'venga,' 'pues nada'…and often all of them.
17) You know what a 'resaca' is.
18) You know how to eat boquerones.
19) A bull's head on the wall of a bar isn't a talking point for you; it's just a part of the decor.
20) You eat lunch after 2pm & would never even think of having your evening meal before 9.
21) You know that after 2pm there's no point in going shopping, you might as well just have a siesta until 5 when the shops re-open.
22) If anyone insults your mother, they better watch out…
23) You know how to change a bombona. If you don't, you were either lazy or lucky enough to live somewhere nice.
24) It's not rude to answer the intercom to your flat by asking 'Quien?' (or maybe that was just my flatmate…)
25) You don't accept beer that's anything less than ice-cold.
26) You know Bimbo isn't a slutty woman, it's a make of 'pan de molde' (which, incidentally, isn't mouldy)
27) The sound of mopeds in the background is the soundtrack to your life.
28) You know that the mullet didn't just happen in the 80s. It is alive and well in Spain.
29) You know the difference between cojones and cajones, tener calor and estar caliente, bacalao and bakalao, pollo and polla, estar hecho polvo and echar un polvo…and maybe you learned the differences the hard way!
30) On some Sunday mornings you sometimes have breakfast before going to bed, not after you get up.
31) You don't see anything wrong with having a couple of beers before lunch if you feel like it.
32) Floors in bars are an ideal dumping ground for your colillas, servilletas etc. Why use a bin? You use an ashtray when the floor is full.
33) You see clapping as an art form, not just a way to express approval.
34) You know ensaladilla rusa has nothing to do with Russia.
35) When you burst out laughing every time you see a Mitsubishi Pajero
36) You have friends named Jesus, Jose Maria, Maria Jose, Angel, maybe even Inmaculada Concepcion…
37) You know that 'ahora' doesn't really mean now. Hasta ahora, ahora vuelvo…etc
38)When you make arrangements to meet friends at 3, the first person turns up at 3.15…if you're lucky!
39) Central heating is most definitely a foreign concept. In winter, you just huddle around the heater under the table & pull the blanket up over your knees…and sleep with about 5 blankets on your bed! (OK I accept this is probably just in the south!)
40) When you laugh, you don't laugh your head off – te partas de risa.
41) Aceite de oliva is 'muy sano', of course. So you help yourself to a bit more.
42)When women think that clear bra straps are in fact invisible.
43) When it's totally normal for every kitchen to have a deep-fat fryer but no kettle.
44) Te cagas en la leche….
45) To avoid that cheap Eristoff vodka you have to ask for 'un esmirnoff'
46) When you know what a guiri is / have been called one
47) When you add 'super' in front of any adjective for emphasis
48) Blonde girls actually start to think their name is 'rubia'
49) When you accept that paying with a 50 euro note is going to get you a dirty look if you're buying something that costs less than 40 euros
50) If something is great, it's 'de puta madre'
51) You can eat up to 5 times a day – first breakfast, 2nd breakfast around 11.30, almuerzo, merienda, cena
52) You know the jingle for Los Cuarenta Principales…
53) If you see someone wearing a T-shirt with something written on it in English, you can almost guarantee it won't make sense. (Pebble Night was a personal favourite)
54) When you go into a bank/bakery etc, it's standard practice to ask 'Quien es la ultima?'
55) Who needs a dryer when you have a washing line outside the window of your apartment?
56) You know what 'marcha' and 'juerga' are.
57) You are more likely to call your friends tio/a, nena, chaval, macho or even tronco than their real name.
58) Love it or hate it, you can't escape reggaeton.
59) You answer the phone by saying 'Yes', (well, or 'Tell me') and when identifying yourself you say 'I'm…' not 'It's…'. But when you try those tactics back home, everyone thinks you're mad or rude!
60) You carry on buying UHT milk when you get back home and your friends think this is disgusting but you can't understand their point of view.
61) Jamon, jamon y mas jamon….
(Can't say this was my favourite thing, being a a vegetarian and all, but I agree it's very much part of Spanish life!)
62) If you eat a lot of something, you're not going to 'turn into' it, you're going to 'get the face of it,' e.g 'te vas a poner cara de chocolate.' Somehow a lot more amusing!
63) Drinking coffee out of a glass is entirely normal.
64) 'Son las nueve, las ocho en Canarias' is how you are used to hearing radio DJs announce the time
65) You've been to your local town's feria/fiesta/semana santa


text:
What's New
About Beauty Gels
Support your natural beauty from the inside out with NEW Nature's Bounty Beauty Gels!* Our innovative beauty supplements utilize key vitamins and minerals to support your beauty from within.* After all, as the #1 brand for Hair, Skin, and Nails◊, we know a thing or two when it comes to beauty vitamins. Whether you are looking to support skin elasticity or a clear complexion, our beauty softgels serve as the perfect foundation for any beauty routine.*
Hoping to maintain a healthy, youthful glow? Glow for it with Nature's Bounty GlowOn!* Looking to hydrate your skin from within? Treat yourself to our hydrating hyaluronic acid and vitamin E-rich supplement, MoistureTreat.* If you're yearning for a ClearComplexion for non-cystic acne, or to promote SkinElasticity, don't worry gorgeous; we've got you covered.* We even have a vitamin to help support smoother skin called EvenBeauty.* With so many unique supplements to choose from, you can't help but put on a HappySmile. (Did we mention our HappySmile sotfgels help promote oral health from within)?* No matter what your beauty concerns may be, Nature's Bounty Beauty Gels are designed to keep you looking and feeling your absolute best, even while you're getting some rest.* Our GoodnightLovely supplement supports both sound sleep and overnight skin hydration at the same time, taking the term "beauty sleep" to another level.*†
With nearly 50 years of experience, we know that health and beauty truly go hand and hand. Our new, innovative product line combines the latest breakthroughs in nutritional science with the finest ingredients to ensure you're getting supplements of highest quality. So whether you're looking to hydrate your skin or support a stunning smile, amplify your beauty routine with Natures' Bounty® Beauty Gels.* Because Beauty Starts on The Inside.*


text:
Amazon.com – The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw
Goodreads.com – The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw
Barnesandnoble.com – The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw
Bookdepository.com – The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw
Disclaimer: This book was sent to me by the publisher, Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, via NetGalley for an honest review.
Genre: YA/Teen, Fiction, Fantasy
Plot: Welcome to the cursed town of Sparrow…
Where, two centuries ago, three sisters were sentenced to death for witchery. Stones were tied to their ankles and they were drowned in the deep waters surrounding the town.
Now, for a brief time each summer, the sisters return, stealing the bodies of three weak-hearted girls so that they may seek their revenge, luring boys into the harbor and pulling them under.
Like many locals, seventeen-year-old Penny Talbot has accepted the fate of the town. But this year, on the eve of the sisters' return, a boy named Bo Carter arrives; unaware of the danger he has just stumbled into.
Mistrust and lies spread quickly through the salty, rain-soaked streets. The townspeople turn against one another. Penny and Bo suspect each other of hiding secrets. And death comes swiftly to those who cannot resist the call of the sisters.
But only Penny sees what others cannot. And she will be forced to choose: save Bo, or save herself.
Witch hunts, romance, drownings, and the ever-lovely rocks being tied to boots to make 3 women sink to the bottom of the ocean; this one's a doozy.
For my fellow spell casting witches and wizards, I bring you The Wicked Deep.
Every Summer in the town of Sparrow, death marks the waters. Multiple young men are found drowned in the ocean, without any sign of a struggle or foul play. But the residents and tourists of Sparrow are never shocked, because they celebrate this time of year as part of their towns history. As the legend goes, the three Swan sisters (Marguerite, Aurora and Hazel) traveled to Sparrow by boat in 1822 and started a perfume shop. Quickly, the local men started to take interest in the sisters due to their intoxicating beauty and allure. But soon the three sisters were accused of being witches and casting spells on the men of Sparrow. So, the three were taken on a boat with rocks tied to their boots and thrown into the ocean where they drowned. Now in present times, Penny Talbot fears the coming of the new "Swan Season". Her mothers condition has worsened due to the disappearance of her father 3 years earlier, and Penny only hopes that the deaths stop in Sparrow. But with the arrival of a boy named Bo, this Summer proves to be something else entirely.
Guys, this book is WILD! It has an even pace throughout and it kept me CRAZY interested the entire time, but the best part is the twist that Shea Ernshaw throws in! I will admit that I suspected at least part of what happened, but this author took it a step further and left me more than a little shocked. The entire idea of this story feels very HOCUS POCUS, but with a style all its own. We're talking some SCI-FI/Fantasy stuff here guys, and I am loving it! I also want to say that there is a bit of a mystery going on here that the reader gets to participate in. Are the legends true? If they aren't, then why are girls randomly drowning boys? If they are true, how is that even possible?!
Penny Talbot is a tough character for me to give an opinion on, and after reading this story, you will understand why. From what I have gathered of her, she is a calculated and careful young girl. She is compassionate towards her mother and the state that she has left herself in, but she still has dreams to leave Sparrow. I really liked the character of Bo as well. He has a dark aura of mystery floating around him for a while, but he slowly starts to shed that as he gets to know Penny. Their relationship is…*sigh*…so complicated. It is incredibly hard to elaborate with out spilling the beans of the masterpiece that is this story. So trust me when I say, this romance is a heavy one.
The author made sure to keep my head going in multiple directions as I tried to figure out just WHAT THE HELL was going on in this town of Sparrow. It was so eerie yet entertaining to see all of these teenager's party down at the beach as the Swan Season began, bating and teasing the girls to go into the water to be inhabited by a sister. This made me assume that most of the locals didn't believe in the legend…but then. The witch hunt begins. These kids are INSANE. They accuse each other of being a swan sister and for drowning a boy, and then they hold each other captive. What's worse is that the local police don't do anything. That's BIZARRE! I also liked that Penny and her mother lived on a separate section of Sparrow. At first, I was picturing a beautiful mountain range and cliffs with an inviting private dock, but then I was picturing a dark and scary setting straight out of Frankenstein.
I don't want to give anything away because that would ruin the entire story, but I MUST express my distaste for that ending. It was an ending that we have all come to as readers, one that screams "I had no idea how to wrap this story up". How Penny and Bo end up is just bizarre to me, but I guess to Penny it wouldn't be considering the circumstances (I know this is painfully cryptic, I apologize). Regardless…the ending feels like a lie, and I loathe it. Also, these are teenagers. I know Penny's mother is a little out of it since her father left, but honestly. Where is she every time Bo and Penny start hooking up?! Her senses are obviously off…
Apart from the ending, I loved this story. I thought the story line and the characters were riveting, the flashbacks to parts of the Swan Sisters time in Sparrow gave great insight, and the dark and eerie foreboding the author kept up during the read kept me slightly creeped out (in a good way). I love when a story keeps me guessing and questioning what I think will happen. Though some things were explained a bit too late, I was still able to keep up and enjoy every moment. I am definitely going to keep this author on my radar, especially if she keeps with this witchy theme!