The Illawarra Mercury photographer, Adam McLean,
took these amazing photos! Thanks!
Read their article here.
Inspiration for Peace Fundraising Concert. Thanks, Jane!
Look at this! We're so lucky! The Illawarra Mercury photographer, Adam McLean, took these amazing photos! Thanks! Read their article here. Mum loves this photo, because I look so happy. With Jane, the lady behind the Peace Angels Inspiration for Peace Fundraising Concert. Thanks, Jane! Thanks Adam and the Illawarra Mercury.
We've posted on here about the Illawarra i98 Camp Quality Truck Convoy
(in November each year)... Well, Townsville are having their own convoy very soon! It's the Zinc 100.7FM Camp Quality Convoy and its on Sunday 15th September 2013. My friend, Lenny, has a donation page. All money raised will go to Camp Quality. You can find Lenny's page here: http://www.mycampquality.org.au/Lenny_Convoy Someone, and we've not been told who - but we have a sneaky idea, paid to have Dexter's name on the Townsville Peoples' Truck. People really are kind! You can find out more about the Townsville convoy here: https://www.facebook.com/TownsvilleConvoyForKids?fref=ts Wow! I was in the newspaper again! The lovely people at the Illawarra Mercury came over and interviewed us and a lady named Jane Hardy. Jane saw me on the WIN news a few months ago, and now, she's organising a concert to raise money for my therapy treatments! Things like this mean so much to us! We're so grateful! Jane is a Peace Angel and the concert is called 'An Inspiration for Peace fund-raising concert'. We just met Jane and want to thank her for thinking of Dexter and being so helpful and generous. This article was written by Lisa Wachsmuth and it was published on the 21st August, 2013. This is one photo Adam McLean took: Thanks, Lisa and Adam.
To read the story published by the Mercury, click on this link http://bit.ly/19y3BcB There's a video, a story and another photo, with Jane in it. (We couldn't get that photo off the Mercury website, but were able to get this one off their facebook page.) Tickets for the concert can be purchased at Wollongong Town Hall box office on 4227 5088 or www.wollongongtownhall.com. How cool is my ‘little room’! My uncle Rik made it for me. It has three walls, a roof and a floor. Mum put some mats on the bottom and along the sides, then covered them all in a black mesh. The mesh is black, to make the ‘little room’ really dark and the mesh is great texture for me to feel. A black sheet covers the open side, to make the room really dark. Mum has put some lights and bells and texture toys and equipment in it. It’s my chill out room and it will help me learn about spatial awareness and to play with toys. A ‘little room’ is great for kids who can’t see. It’s a chill out place, with no distractions. I love it. I was so still and quiet in my little room today that Mum had to check on me and make sure I was ok! All little boys like cubby houses made from blankets… I guess this is my cubby house. Because I can’t see and I have cerebral palsy, I can’t make a cubby house in the lounge room. That’s why Mum got me one. The little room is small enough that I can touch the sides. This will help me to learn about spatial awareness. I have some toys in my little room. Most of them make cool noises, and a few of them have flashing lights. The idea is for me to learn to explore and play with toys. That’s a bit tricky for a boy with a vision impairment and cerebral palsy! It’s best for me to learn to find and pick up toys all by myself… and in the little room, there is no ‘helpful’ grown up ‘helping me’ pick up the toys. If I find things by myself… and do this often enough, my brain will build up a new memory and I will be able to pick up and play with toys all the time. Everyone needs a quiet place to study and learn new things…
this little room is perfect for that! Read more: https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/fr/fr31/4/fr310416.htm I had a poem written about me, for me, on twitter tonight.
You only get 140 characters to write on twitter. Here is my poem: You're The reason For each morning The conclusion to each day You are in all That mum and dad do And in everything they say Thanks to @RocketStarPoet - https://twitter.com/RockStarPoet I didn't know anything about RocketStarPoet, until tonight. Somehow, RocketStarPoet found out about me, and my 'ghost writer' noticed a lot of poetry was being tweeted... so, my ghost writer asked for a Dexter poem. This poem was delivered about 30 minutes later! Do you like it? Find Dexter on twitter. Mum says I was a bit naughty this morning.
I was not well and I cried and cried. I don't usually cry much, and I can't tell mum what's wrong. She has to guess. She worried so much. She didn't know what to do! She even called Aunty Terese to come check me out. As soon as I saw her, she gave me a cuddle and I felt better! I'm ok now, but mum is still a little stressed! It's bad because every time I complain or get a bit sick, Mum has to wonder whether I need to go to the hospital or not! Then, she has to work out what made me sick or sore, so we can avoid me getting sick or sore from the same thing again. And remember, I don't have the words to help her! Lucky she loves me! But, look how sweet and innocent we look in this photo! I went to the circus today. I loved it! I thought the clowns were funny and I loved the different lights. I could see them flashing against the dark circus tent. I thought it was very cool when everyone clapped. I thought they were clapping me! I laughed and smiled the whole time! What a great day! We went to the circus today, thanks to Camp Quality and Lake Illawarra Authority.
It was an amazing day. We both loved it, even my little sister! Mum and Dad loved watching the smiles on our faces. We got the tickets through Camp Quality and, apparently, they were purchased by the generous, thoughtful people at Lake Illawarra Authority. Thank you! Yasminah was born sleeping... she was a stillbirth baby. Her mother set up Yasminah's Gift of Hope in her honour... and to support the families of other babies born sleeping and the families of premature and sick babies. They shared Dexter's story on their facebook page. Here's the story★ Premmie Stars ★ Introducing Dexter who was born at 31 weeks. At 31 weeks, Dexter's amniotic fluid began to leak and he was born by emergency caesarean. He had half a dose of glucocorticosteroids, to help with his lung development. He came out ok, but crashed during the night and we almost lost him. He battled pneumonia and anaemia and jaundice. He had ultrasounds, echo-cardiograms, x-rays, barium swallows, enemas, electroencephalograms, milk scans, swabs, blood work and loads of tests. When Dexter was 4 weeks old, a routine head ultrasound showed that he had PVL. Brain Damage. They found spots on his gastrointestinal tract so they sent him to another hospital for further checks in case he had to have part of his bowel surgically removed. Then, when he was 2 months old and starting to make good progress, he had his first immunisation injections and 12 hours later... stopped breathing. So he went back to hourly feeds. At 3 months, they moved Dexter to his local hospital and Dexter thrived. His nurses pushed him into growing up. They allowed his mum to breastfeed him on demand during the day. Then when Dexter was 4 months old he had his second lot of immunisation injections. Again he stopped breathing after 12 hours. At 122 days old, Dexter went home. He was breast feeding on demand day and night. He was breathing on his own. Dexter is now 2. He has cerebral palsy and is yet to sit or stand on his own. He has a walker, which he is learning to use, to move with independence. He has a cortico vision impairment. We are not too sure just how much he can see. And, just after his 1st birthday, he was diagnosed with hepatoblastoma (liver cancer). After 6 rounds of chemotherapy, a few surgeries, platelet and blood transfusions, Dexter was cleared of his cancer in January this year. He's a cheeky, happy, patient boy... and a loving, gentle big brother. And, here is the picture... and the comments people left for Dexter. What a superstar!! Goodluck with everything little man Oh my..what a very brave little warrior...I wish you well and keep on swimming..said one little smart fish xxxx Such a beautiful little boy, what a fighter he is! Sending you love & best wishes cute little Dexter! Such an amazing beautiful little Boy what a gorgeous brave little man Such a massive journey for one just beginning xo what a champion fighter he is already xo Thanks for sharing guys. I am touched every time I read Dexters story xx Wow. Amazing boy & amazing parents! What a beautiful little fighter! Keep strong lil man x He actually looks older than two. I think it's the eyes. He looks like an old soul He's always had 'old' eyes - it's like he knew it would be a rough road. But, he's a patient and gentle boy. Thanks for showering him with love and kindness! xx You bring me strength Dexter xoxoxox oh wow, those eyes and eye lashes, just gorgeous!!! All the best in the future.He is certainly a little fighter What an amazing little fighter he is! Thank you for sharing your handsome little miracle boy Lovely story, lucky other people immunise their children, so that will go a long way to protecting Dexter... A brave and beautiful little boy, what a fighter. A lovely and amazing story! May he become a strong and inspiring little man What an inspiration Dexter is!!!!!!!!! Lil Champion xx Yeah he's a little super star:) xx To learn more about Yasminah's Gift of Hope, or to get support, visit their webpage.
I was so lucky! I got another postcard in the mail!
This one came from Orlando, in America. Wow! My friend, Max, sent it to me. Thank so much! Maybe if I'm really good, mum and dad might take me here! Xx The confusing world of Cerebral Palsy rears its head once again! Just when we were getting our head around Dexter's cerebral palsy 'spastic quadriplegia' diagnosis, we now have a new term being thrown around - 'dystonic quadriplegia'. Just once it would be nice to fully understand what is going on in our lives! We had a day of scheduled appointments and discussions with specialists today. This is pretty standard for premmie kids, and more necessary when its kids like Dexter. Dexter's new diagnosis is not so much a 'change' as an updated assessment. Lenice and Andrew were in the hospital all day today, they got bombarded with details and assessments, things to watch out for and likely scenarios. It was a huge day for them all. Luckily, the kids are patient enough to spend another day in hospital. Strangely enough, the updated assessment is like another punch in the guts. Dexter is the same kid he was yesterday, he just has a new diagnosis. Still... it hurts. We haven't gotten our heads around the new cerebral palsy diagnosis yet, or what that means. But, when we get our heads around it, we'll share our knowledge with you. Today doesn't really change anything, it's just been an exhausting day (well exhausting couple of years really!) and it makes us question a lot of the movements he does. It's not going to change the therapies he is getting and we will still be pushing him to be the best he can be. It's just another name to get our heads around! Thanks for listening! (Lots of support was showered on Dexter's facebook page tonight. His facebook family are incredible in the way they have taken on Dexter as their own, and jump up to support and love him and his family. Thank you everyone. xx) |
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