Ambitions

When I started writing this blog, it was largely for two main reasons:

Firstly, to document our experiences with the council and our fight to get Jude the support he needs. I recognise that we recently won this initial school placement battle but I’m also not blind to the fact that this will be an on-going phenomenon. Jude is at this fantastic school until he is sixteen which frankly, isn’t that far away. I know where I would like him to go for college but also understand that we will have to go through all the paperwork and assessment stages again. Yay!

The second reason was to try and build a community of families like ours. I see how lonely it can be raising a special needs child, how you are always the one left out of parties, how you lose friends because you can’t quite explain why you don’t want to come over/go to the park with the children/take them to dinner together. I get those feelings too. As a special needs parent I know how it feels to have people stare at you on the street, how it feels when people retell that story of how their cousins-brothers-neighbours-half sister has a child with autism so they know exactly how hard it can be for you (course you do, love). Those complete strangers who give you “advice?” – yep, I know that one and how you want to just punch them in the face at times. Ahhh the melt downs. Especially the soul destroying public ones, such as THIS experience. Yep, I’m with you on that one as well.

I’m quite an ambitious person and have varying targets in life. I keep trying to think of ways in which I can help more people as this is always my central thought in everything I do. How can I help more families like ours? I want to do more, help more people and educate more people in all things special needs.

I have nearly finished writing a second book. Writing a book is a lifelong personal ambition of mine so I can happily tick that one off but as with everything, now I’ve done one (nearly two) then I want to do more! This second one will probably get me sued as it stands right now so I’ll probably have to publish it under a fake name. Any suggestions gratefully received. Or I could just take the sensible route and have it checked out and amended by a lawyer but hey, where’s the fun in that?!

My first book!

Another ambition of mine is to complete a triathlon. I LOVE running but at present my knee is still destroyed so I’m waiting for an appointment to have another scan/round of injections. Once it’s up and running again (ha!) I’ll be entering a local event – literally can’t wait to do this! Exercise and healthy living is so important to me.

Knee surgery attempt number one didn’t work…however, I did get to wear this beautiful gown for the day.

I love studying. I really enjoy learning about all the subjects in my mind that have substance, that kind of mean something to me. You never know where they’ll take you and I’m realising that now more than ever as recently I had an opportunity land at my feet that I never saw coming. Next on my agenda – I really want to study for a Masters in law so I can help families like ours with all their council related legal battles. It would continue with that theme of helping people and may begin that next connection in my ever expanding web of knowledge. I don’t like staying stagnant and learning helps me to feel as if I’m ever growing as a person.