Guess who loves a ride on the bus...!

Look who's getting good at standing up!

Since our young man Jack has had his big hip surgery, he's getting much better at putting weight through his legs and is feeling more and more confident about it.  Here he is in his standing frame, lifting his head up and all!!

 And this wonderful gain means that he and Lucy can actually play together, as a container of water with some dishes in it keeps them entertained for ages!  And this is great for Jack's legs to get stronger too.  It also means he can do things at kinder while standing up - he even stood up at kinder one day for 45 mins which is amazing for Jack!!  It's interesting what a bit of distraction from other kids can do.....

And here he is with his proud little sister...



Our little ballerina...

Miss Lucy has decided that she'd like to try her hand at dancing this year so she has been going since September and is doing really great!  She's having so much fun and it's so cute to watch!



The New Mullan Mobile!!

Well after the purchase of the wheelchair for Jack, it became very apparent that we had to get moving on the wheelchair car.  The wheelchair is incredibly heavy and I have been pulling it apart and putting it in the back of our station wagon since June but it got to the point where I couldn't (and really shouldn't) be lifting it on my own which restricted me a lot, unless I asked perfect strangers to help me lift it in and out!!  So we'd done some research and decided on a Volkswagen Caddy Maxi and agreed that we'd get Advance Disability Vehicles to do the conversion for us and they have done an awesome job.  I even managed to get a manual car which I prefer and I just love it!

 I will have to take more photo's but here it is in the workshop when it's about half way done.  Essentially the main bits are done in this photo and you can see the plate on the floor which is a docking station that the bottom of Jack's wheelchair actually locks into, to save me doing up the belts.  I figured with my height, it was going to be a pain to have to bob down and sort out belts and I've decided the extra money was worth every cent!! 

We've only had it back for a week but it has truly changed my world - makes transporting Jack so much easier and he likes it and so does Lucy!  Huge thanks must go to my wonderful husband for working so hard in order for us to try and afford it - you've saved my back and my sanity honey!!

Melbourne Marathon

The Melbourne Marathon was back at the start of October and was a great day!  We had some new members in 'Team Jack' this year and it was wonderful to have them involved.  See below some of the team, namely Jack's kinder teacher, Belinda, kinder assistant Coral, his aide Susan, Lucy's kinder teacher Shar and my two lovely kinder mum friends Shannyn & Kristy and their kids (and Jack's kinder friends) Ellie, Kyla and Cameron.  We also had my best friend Melissa, and the old veterans (!) Eri (who ran the half marathon in 1hr 55 mins or something ridiculous like that!!  You're a bloody star Eri!!), Nicole (blitzing the 10kms!) and Sam. 

Here we are at the start line - CPEC team everywhere!

 And here we are entering the 'G' (Melbourne Cricket Ground), one of the best parts!!  This year I was lucky enough to be joined by Sam's husband Andrew and the kids Hamish & Bella on the walk.  Normally Drew is part of the support team, carrying bags and cheering us along but I dragged him into it this year.  And he was awesome considering he was the only bloke other than Craig!!!

And here is the legend herself in Sam!  This gun of a woman ran the half marathon this year and raised well over $2,000 for CPEC by requesting donations from family and friends as well as baking treats to sell at work!!  We think you deserve the BOG/MVP award Sam ... Jack is very proud of you and so are we!!

 Thank you to everyone who sponsored us and made a donation to CPEC.  We're truly grateful for your support, as is CPEC - Jack has really made great gains from going there and it's wonderful that we can support them in order to continue receiving their wonderful services.
Awesome awesome job Team Jack!!!

Jack's new wheelchair

Here is a post I've been meaning to do for a while so it's a bit long overdue.  Jack has finally got his first wheelchair which almost feels like a real achievement in itself!  This is a rather expensive piece of equipment (to put it lightly!!) which for a manual/push wheelchair seems a lot however it is very necessary.  We managed to get it fully funded which I was really pleased about and the largest portion we were lucky enough to get from the John Maclean Foundation which was also in conjunction with the Robert & Jack Smorgon Family First Foundation.  If you visit John's website, Jack is on there at the moment!!  We had to attend a presentation to receive a great big novelty cheque which was a fun day. 

We're now just waiting on our brand new VW Caddy Maxi to be converted and we'll be set to get around with the wheelchair because right now, it's very heavy and I/we have to lift it in and out of the back of our Subaru. Can't wait for that!!! 

Another great gain for Jack!

Another exciting thing that has happened in our family this year is that Jack has started toilet training.  We have to admit, it's something that Craig and I never imagined might be possible but he's really taken to it!!  The chair he is sitting in (in the photo) is a shower and bath chair that doubles as a commode.  I put off trying for a long time as I was so pessimistic when one day, Jack's physio Matt came over for a home visit.  Jack told Matt with his communication book that he needed to go to the toilet and so Matt put him on the toilet.  Nothing happened that day but it inspired me to try again.  Well, not that we're counting or anything but we're up to 44 poo's and 46 wee's!!!!!  He seems to very happy about it and I think he feels better for it too.  And of course it's another thing for him to be cheeky about, as I always know that he's done something by the giggling I hear coming from the bathroom!!  We're soooooo proud of you Jack!!

Yet another example of how CPEC have supported us in progressing forward with our little champion.

A Busy couple of Months in our family...

 

We have had a busy couple of months in our family now that Jack has recovered from his hip surgery and I have recovered from my latest heart problems - it has been a tiring and crazy time but I think we can say we're pretty much back on the straight and narrow.  As you can see above, Jack is back at CPEC and this is one of his first sessions back where it was all too much so he had to take a snooze...!

And after his big surgery, sleeping was something that was not going well and that was due to the fact that he can no longer sleep on his side (and he's a big fan of that) and that he was continuing to have muscle spasms.  It was decided at his follow up appointment with the surgeon that he should have some more botox injections so here he is (above) with Lucy and Craig in recovery after having them.  I have to say they have made an enormous difference to his comfort level which means more sleep and less grumpy Jack! 

And we've been busy supporting CPEC in their media work and here is Jack with a couple of players from Melbourne (sorry guys, can't remember your names but you were very nice!!). 

CPEC had the opportunity to go and shake tins at the MCG for a match between Melbourne and Sydney.  The Mullan Family decided to step up and help out and here we are collecting outside gate 5.  We had a fun time and were able to watch the match afterwards.  It seems that Jack no longer minds the sirens and the crowd which is exciting as Craig might dare to take him to a North Melbourne match some time next season.

Can you tell Lucy befriended the face painting lady!!

And above is Jack with Michael Osbourne from Hawthorn FC at the Coffee Club morning tea for Cerebral Palsy Awareness week.  Below is my great friend Sam Couper who is a big Hawks fan with me, Michael Osbourne and Steve Gilham.  The guys were really great with the kids and it was wonderful for them to take the time to come and meet us.

Jack having a chat and a cuddle with Michael ...

And lastly we're still loving kinder.  Here's Jack for Sports day at kinder, of course in his North Melbourne jumper and Lucy at a morning tea with her friends. 

CPEC on Channel 10's 'The Circle'

This made me cry today, especially seeing the passion and care that Claire brings to us parents at CPEC.  It truly is a wonderful centre that Craig and I feel incredibly privileged and proud to be a part of.  They've done wonders for our Jack and I don't know where we'd be without them!!  If you wondered what they were all about, well wonder no more - and any donations to them are more than welcome!!!  (see Melbourne Marathon link to the right)

The big hip surgery for Jack

The 3rd May saw us finally come to the day we'd been expecting for a few years now.  Jack had bilateral hip osteotomies where the surgeon cut the top of the femoral head, rotated it to sit in the hip sockets at the right angle, then joined the bone back together with metal brace.  His hips were dislocated prior to this surgery so there was no avoiding it.  Here he is with his Dad, early that morning - as much as I tried to explain to him what was going to happen, I knew he had no comprehension of the surgery which I guess is pretty normal for a 5 year old. 

And here he is, just before they took him in for the surgery - even gave the surgeon a hi 5!

And sleeping like a baby, post surgery the day after.  This is with the help of some serious drugs including a pretty lousy epidural!!

And of course the bad times, there was plenty of this which was extremely frustrating for me as I felt so helpless - not even being able to cuddle him.

But by day 4, he was finally able to get out of bed and here we are having our first family cuddle.  Short and sweet but lovely nonetheless. 

And here is his most excited visitor. Lucy was so pleased to see him as she really adores her big brother, and I think he was just as pleased to see her.

And one of my least favourite Mother's Days - spent in the hospital but at least it was with my little family! 

And our brave little champion, even managed to find a smile before we left.  It must have been incredibly painful but he is just an amazing kid.  Even asked me on the Saturday with his book, 'when is Jack going back to kinder?'. 

And lastly, here is the finished product.  He has 2 great big dirty scars on either hip which have healed quite nicely but a constant reminder of this time.  We seriously have the best doctors looking after us at the Royal Childrens Hospital and his surgeon, Abhay Khot, did a wonderful job and is a lovely guy.  I couldn't help but hug him for taking such good care of our boy. 

Jack's 5th Birthday..

Unfortunately Jack's 5th birthday was spent in the Angliss Hospital.  We had such a lovely day planned with kinder friends and family all coming on Puffing Billy with us only for Jack to have one of his whopping big seizures that lasted for an hour!  This obviously resulted in a ride by ambulance to the hospital and he slept the day away recovering from it all.  The doctors were even keen for him to spend the night in there but as Craig and I have experienced this too many times before, we know our boy and a good nights sleep in his own bed was all he needed.  He didn't even get to open his presents which was pretty devastating, even though he didn't really seem to understand what had happened.  Anyway, a morning tea at Judy's house the next day with a few presents to open slightly made up for it!!  Here's hoping that never happens again on another birthday (or at all would be even better!!!).

Nan's 70th Birthday

This April brought about Craig's mum's 70th Birthday and we offered to make the cake as we did for her 60th Birthday when Craig and I first got together.  In fact the exact same cake only I'm a little better at baking then I was 10 years ago!  Anyway, it was a team effort and Jack and Lucy were happy to help with licking the bowl!       

And the finished product was a success, thoroughly enjoyed by everyone and not a crumb left!!  We had a lovely day to celebrate the birthday of a lovely lady.