In support

Dedicated to the emergency services in the UK, the brave, the kindness of strangers and the 99.99999% of the UK's population with a sense of humanity.

Mr Jesse in the morning at the library (well only just... very late). Callum loves storytime with Mr Jesse. Then to the beach for brunch. Picked Reuben up. Realised bringing two little boys in the post office waiting in the queue was possibly the worst decision I've ever made. They would quickly turn from hugging and kissing each other (tongues often come out and they fall over each other in fits of laughter at their naughtiness) to wrestling with each other right there on the dirty floor. I'm trying to make up a parcel at the time. All eyes and words on us. I often hear gasps from passersby about their antics. I grew up with two brothers also a year apart. The wrestling between them was unrelenting.

Contemplating the news from yesterday's second opinion Dr on his neck surgery/halo. His neck's described as being "dangerous", say in the event of a blow from an accident. The bones are partially fused congenitally and the surgery would realign his neck after breaking it and reinforcing it after which he'd wear the halo for 3 months screwed to his skull. Yesterday's assessment at Children's Hospital left the surgery up in the air: the tilt of his neck may be only partially addressed leaving us quite disappointed. We now have to determine if his neck is stable or unstable as it currently stands. Having bone fusions from birth means that he doesn't have the same flexibility in his neck as us. Think of it as a result being more brittle. News also came that the neck tilt (torticollis) may not promote scoliosis which was one of our deciding factors in going ahead.

Thanks to everyone who's offered support on FB as we try to find a way to sort all this out in our heads and hearts, do the right thing for Reuben and keep his safe.

I make a hash of getting them to their swimming lesson on time several hours already of driving today. With the pool closing early due to being cleaned, they have all of 10 minutes, 5 minutes of which Callum is having a tantrum through. Probably picking up on my tension. I get very frustrated later and as they're sitting either side of me on their potties, Callum reaches out his hand and places it on my knee. Amazing.

Reuben reads the bedtime story: Mac and Up Pup from the Bob books. He's a great reader but interestingly after always loving his letters, he holds back so much more now on what he will do. I know he could read most of Go Do Go or Hop on Pop (Dr Seuss) if he wanted to. I wonder what's holding him back. I wonder...

Backblips:
The aftermath
Mason