Journey

Our native tree Titoki is held in high regard for its strong timber.  The Maori phrase “peka titoki” is used in proverbs to  compare the wood to people who would not surrender to adversity.  The Titoki fruit and seed feel like appropriate symbols for our life as we begin again in 2024.  This fruit was found in Awahuri Forest (Kitchener Reserve) near Fielding. 

It has been great for Sean and I to have a couple of weeks off work but we haven’t sat still for long.  There have been plenty of big jobs to do around the house/section.  One was to move Rory to the largest bedroom in our house which has an ensuite.  Rory is unlikely to live independently, at least not in the near future.  He is now an adult so needs more space and privacy.  It was also necessary because Rory continues to lose functionality in his legs.  Each month he has less and less control of them.  Their movement is stiffening with jerking to the sides.  When he walks Rory fatigues more quickly trying to achieve forward momentum.  It is a waiting game to see how much longer he will be able to use the walker/rollator in the community.  At some point it is going to become too risky and difficult.  He will need to transition to a power chair.  We hope he will be able to continue to use the walker indoors at home for a while longer.  It will be a challenge for him to manoeuvre the powerchair through the narrow doorways in our house and was not practical in his old bedroom.  Sean and I have moved into the smaller room.  It took us a couple of days to swap everything, spring clean and declutter. 

We made a short trip to see Grannie and Grandad Gardiner in Dannevirke.  Sometimes three adults, one with impairments, and a 13 year old being in close proximity works and sometimes it doesn’t.  This trip there was tiredness, hay fever and irritable personalities.  Even so it was lovely to spend time with Grannie and Grandad and we had an enjoyable days in Hastings.  We rode the slides in Splash Planet water park (with half of Hawkes Bay), checked out the art galleries and devoured real fruit ice cream at The Fruit Shop. 

Next week Sean and I return to work and Rory resumes some of his normal activities which he is looking forward to.  The trial runs with new Support Carer Shaun have been a success and he has agreed to work Tuesdays and Wednesdays which we are all very pleased about.