Update Blogeroonie

It feels weird to be blogging again after so long. My first ever blog post was in 2010 and it was all about being in love, well my definition of love back then.

Since 2010, so much has changed but the change has been better than I could have ever imagined.

To catch you all up to speed, here is a small but definitive timeline.

2011:

-          I found out I was pregnant (Aged 15)

2012:

• -          I gave birth to Izzy (Aged 16)
• -          We found out Izzy was blind and cried a lot.
• -          I sat my GCSE exams
• -          Izzy had two operations
• -          We moved to Norton
• -          I started College
• -          Izzy started nursery

2013:

• -          All Izzys eye checkup’s were well.
• -          Izzy’s new diagnosis, Bilateral Retinal Dysplasia
• -          Entered second year of college

2014:

• -          1^st of January ‘fuck it’ moment and applied for community Drama at LIPA.
• -          Izzy had lots of genetic testing done.
• -          Izzy started talking more.
• -          I finished College
• -          We moved to Liverpool for me to attend LIPA
• -          Izzy started her childminders (I cried, a lot).
• -          Izzy started to walk(DECEMBER)

2015:

• -          Izzys new diagnosis, Familial Exudative Vitreoretinopathy
• -          I got engaged.

2016:

• -          Izzy started school (I cried even more)
• -          I started my last year of university

2017:

& this is where we are up to now!

Izzy is enjoying school. She is currently learning braille and learning to use her cane, whilst also doing all the other lessons that the other children in her class are doing. This includes her favourite lesson.. P.E! Which she practices on a daily basis whilst at home. She has many friends (& boyfriends as she always reminds us) and always does her best at every given opportunity.

Since Izzy has been born, one question is repeatedly asked to me, “What can’t Izzy do?” This question always upsets me, why ask what she can’t do, why not ask what she can do?

So, before I finish our ‘update’ blog, here is a list of things Izzy can do:

• ·         Izzy can use the toilet by herself and contrary to belief, she does know how to finish wiping ( what a weird thing to ask me about?!)
• ·         Izzy can see in the dark, I tell her this so she eats her carrot and if you think about it properly, she can.
• ·         Izzy can dress herself, sometimes not the right way, but she can still do it.
• ·         Izzy is able to feed herself foods like soup, yes it’s sometimes messy but since when are kids not messy?
• ·         Izzy can play with all toys, the same as any other child and put them away too!
• ·         Izzy is able to nod & shake her head for yes/no & can stick her thumbs up. I taught her this on a train journey as it’s not something she will learn from visual cues.
• ·         Izzy can put her own shoes away ( thanks to Adams fancy blocks of wood)
• ·         Izzy can put her own shoes on
• ·         Izzy can put her shoes on the correct feet
• ·         Izzy can tell who you are by certain things, such as the watch you wear. She was upset that my friend Ian changed the watch that he wore when he first met her.. 3 years ago!

There is so much more that Izzy is super capable of doing, so please if you read this, stop asking me what she can’t do and start asking me what she CAN do, you’ll be surprised. She likes to try anything and everything!!

Although this has been a brief blog, one mainly full of updates of the past years, I hope you enjoyed reading it and will consider following my page. This way, when I release new blogs surround adventures with Izzy, tips on parenting the blind and many more, you’ll get to know.

Thanks to anyone reading this, feel free to leave a comment!