Study of PWS Residences in UK and USA by Linda Thornton (PWSA NZ) 1999

 In 1999 I was awarded a Winston Churchill Scholarship to study the residential options available in USA and UK.  At the end of this, I wrote my report.  You can see it here.

It is now 2024 and things have changed. A lot. In the 1980s much was done to investigate to give the best possible lifestyle to people with mental impairment, various syndromes, and a lot of too-hard-to-handle designates who were living in huge mental hospital type accommodation.  So with the breakdown of large institutions came an upsurge of smaller residential options.  Some good, some not so good.  And very few catered for those with PWS.  You see, putting people with PWS into a group home (no more than 5 residents) meant  putting rules and regulations around security of food, security of personal items, security of money etc was now impinging against the other 4 residents.  And, in spite of all the good intentions and all the changes in funding, separating people with PWS into mixed residences was failing.  And so is the case with my daughter.  

Quick dash to Melbourne

 In April 2021 the borders between Aus and NZ were opened.  We took advantage of this and booked ourselves on one of the first Qantas flights out of Wellington to Melbourne.  We wore masks on the plane, but didn't seem to wear masks anywhere else.  We surprised the grandchildren by knocking on the door around 7pm - what a reaction from them!!

We had a quiet time, not going anywhere else but doing a few day trips.  We went up Mount Macedon and to an amazing garden built by two guys with fantastic foresight.  This is my most favourite place.  

Hip 2 Op

 Exactly to the month, 10 years ago (24 July 2012), I had my first hip operation and I've just read the blog describing it and the recovery in some detail.  A fortnight ago, 5 July 2022, I had the second hip done.  It followed pretty much exactly the same procedure and outcome as detailed in my earlier blog.  The funny thing is, the way I remember the first hip op was that it was absolutely painless, hassle-less, with a smooth, non-eventful recovery.  I kept telling everyone that this second op would be the same - painless with a quick recovery.  Weird how the mind plays tricks.

This operation, with a different surgeon, has been painful and slow - and I've kept harping on how good the first hip was.  I'm so glad I documented that because I've just been lying to myself and anyone else who would listen.  Oops.  

We're now in town (Masterton), having shifted from the country about 4 years ago.  Settling in was fairly easy although to begin with I missed the country very much.  Our new house is lovely, catches all the sun, has been completely re-dressed with new carpet and paintwork inside and has loads of room and I love it.  So recovering in this home has been easy (if painful) with separate bedrooms and bathrooms, a 'media' room for the tv with a highbacked and high-seated chair for those in hip recovery.  I have to say, Pip has had the benefit of the high-seated chair both this year and last as she has also had both hips done.  It's bloody wonderful that we have the benefit of not only advanced surgery, but insurance as well.