We're famous!

Not long ago Dad wrote to the Craniofacial Australia Foundation in Adelaide regarding our history and progress. The editor included the story in the latest newsletter.

You can see where my love of writing has come from...

It takes a village

November 25th marked Joanie's yearly review and yes our wins continued from my last blog as she passed her review with flying colours. The Surgeon was more than impressed with her development and head shape and classified it as "normal" which is awesome! Jb freaked out when she was in his office though as she must associate that room and Surgeon with a time of pain . Will be interesting if she still freaks out next year when we visit in the new PMH? Will the Surgeon regardless of the environment still make her anxious?

At this stage the Doctor didn't think further surgery would be necessary but saying that  if one day Joanie feels she would like her scar to be reduced or her forehead ( which in a small section is slightly concave) to be rounded she could have surgery done. This would be in her teenage years at the end of her head growth and regarded as "elective/ cosmetic" surgery not essential like her first surgeries. Only time will tell .

Unfortunately my wish of hassle free flights didn't come true. Well the flights down weren't bad, in fact some of the crew took a special shine to Joanie and one Japanese flight attendant took Joanie to the cabin to show her how to make origami which she really enjoyed. Koby sucked on his dummy and slept for the majority of the flight. But the flights back to Broome was nightmare worthy.

The three of us were a bit coldy the day before our flight so it was to my frustration but not surprise when we woke on the first morning in Perth Koby's eye was stuck shut with some gunk and what was later diagnosed at the GP with conjunctives itis. Joanie picked it up the next day and the both of them and myself cold worsened.  Joanie has been pretty lucky as despite her having a rough first year she seemed to skip a lot of the kids colds and flus that many little ones get . Despite her cough and sniffle she was a happy toddler in Perth and loved staying and Gg and Ju Ju's house. Koby had a few hairy nights sleep  and took to sleeping draped on his mummy.

So the day of the return flight I was very nervous , and for good reason as Joanie was very grumpy and her ears were giving her grief  so it was a very un relaxing flight. At one point she pushed me off our two chairs and fell into a deep sleep leaving me to walk up and down the isle with a sleeping Koby. A lovely lady came up to me and said she was trying to catch my eye and offer her an empty seat next to her on the other side of the isle from Joanie, She was in a row of three so we weren't on top of each other, I accepted graciously and had a peaceful 30 minutes nursing Koby and watching over Joanie as she slept.  Poor Joanie's throbbing ears woke her up and she was groggily in pain, that same beautiful lady offered to take Koby for me so I could sit with Joanie and stroke her forehead and shhhh her . This went on for the rest of the flight, leaving that life saver holding my infant ( I prayed she wouldn't get sick from Koby but at that stage he was over the worst of his gunky eye). When I asked the lady if she was a Broome Resident as I'd love to arrange to drop her off some mangoes and fish she said she was visiting her daughter and no gifts were necessary as she would like to think someone would help her daughter if she was in the same situation as myself and travelling alone. So thankyou lovely traveller if it wasn't for you I possibly would've had a melt down. I am guilty of taking on too much at times and forget that it takes a village to raise a child, so I shouldn't feel awkward in the future in accepting help from others.

Big shout out to my ill ( more than likely from us) Mummy who took the Broome Chest Ward under her wing and fed us up on comfort food! I hope you are back to normal soon xx

Our Perth home, getting some TLC from Gg and Ju Ju