How I became a mummy bear

Here is the picture that made me decide to start writing this blog. Because I never set out to become a mummy bear. I was such a nice Christian woman. Not that assertive despite being a lawyer. Likely to accept what others told her. Now there is the wonderful and nearly 5 year old Nathan who popped out a bit special. He has cerebral palsy on the right side of his body meaning he cannot yet walk without support and he struggles to use his right arm at all. On top of that the muscles in his mouth don't work well and he struggles to express all the thoughts his bright little brain is thinking. An independent and rather determined young man he is still vulnerable and needs protection and support. 

I first became aware of the need to become a mummy bear when he was just 4 weeks old. He had come home from hospital a week or so before and was discharged on anti-convulsant medication as he had neonatal seizures. In hospital he had been getting special paediatric alcohol free medication. Now he was 'in the community' suddenly that was not available basically because the computer said no. At first I accepted it, but it niggled away at me. One evening I did the maths and worked out that he at 4 weeks old and weighing less than 4 kilos, with a liver that was already recovering from whatever trauma had also damaged his brain, was being given the alcohol equivalent of half a pint of beer a day. In a health care system that dictates that children must be given drugs full of artificial sweeteners because sugar is bad for their teeth they happily gave my baby alcohol. I got A Little Upset. Which cumulated in me having a tearful meltdown in a busy Boots chemist. 'I Just Want The Best For My Baby'. With a sympathetic pharmacist on my side I found out about special, handwritten prescriptions for more expensive drugs that are not on the computer. She found out what drug Nathan needed and gave me paperwork for the GP. I wrote a heartfelt letter to the GP. I got my handwritten prescription from the GP and my tiny son could now supplement his breastmilk with alcohol free medication. I sat back a bit stunned. Pleased with my achievement but shocked at this need to fight.Blightely having assumed that everyone else would also do their best for my baby. Little did I know that the fight was only just beginning...