On Thursday (19th) I drove into town (Huddersfield) to take Blakely for lunch.  I was stunned by how busy it was plus

a delivery truck was parking on nearly three disabled spaces.

It seems disabled peoples' needs for parking aren't important.  Eventually, I did actually find a space.  Changed my ideas for lunch location but where We went to was great.

A couple of weeks ago I drove my step-daughter for an orthodontics appointment.  There was no parking available around the orthodontics building but there was parking space a few feet from that building.  So, I put my car there.  Put my disabled blue badge on the dashboard with the time I parked.  My car was there less than an hour but I got a ticket because that part of the parking required a pass (not resident pass).  I appealed saying I'm disabled so I cannot walk far and I was there a short while.

My appeal was rejected.  My being being disabled wasn't worth caring about.  I mean, I have multiple sclerosis.  Benefits groups officially know I cannot walk far.  But that doesn't count for anything.

I get a ticket because disability isn't important for some organisations/people.

Here today, I'm writing this while I'm sitting next to my disabled daughter (Tabitha) in my house.  (Medical people don't know yet why she's slow in development.)   We're waiting for a special cot for her, which is brilliant.  Excellant support

I was told this cot will come between 9am and 4pm.  That's a pretty broad range bearing in mind I that day I

• fed my two daughters, then changed their nappies and changed their clothing (from 6.15 to 8.00)
  
• dropped off my daughter, Blakely, at nursery (8.20)
  
• did shopping at nearby supermarket and got petrol for car (8.25 to 9.00)
  
• got home, made Tabitha comfortable, fed the cats so they wouldn't get in the way (9.05 to 9.30)
  
• started making my breakfast when visted by nurse checking on Tabitha's well being including weight. (9.30 to 10.30)
  
• went to nursery with Tabitha where specialists measured her for a frame which encourages her to stand upright to aim bone and muscle development in her legs. (10.30-11.30)
  
• So finally had my soaked breakfast (cereal with milk left for an hour when I was called the nursery!) and I could rest to recover.
  

The cot came at 3pm brought in by two big blokes as this cot is metal and electronic so it weighs a LOT.

Full compliments to them especially with the weather being drizzly.

Nice break from the unpleasant discrimination disabled people often get.

Let's face it most parents at some point in their lives face depression.

It's unavoidable.  In face I looked at some figures about depression. (Don't worry I'll get onto talking about my children soon!)

I looked at interesting data from the Mental Health Foundation.  In 2016

Quite major considering we're coming up to Xmas.  Many people find the Xmas time stressful and depressing.  Even worse if you're on your own.My Mum sent a message to my wife saying if we didn't want her coming over for Xmas that's OK.  My step-daughter was taken aback and expected her to be at home during Xmas time!  She likes her step-nan!

Not everyone is as lucky as that I think.

As for my two baby daughters.  Well, like about 3/4 of children (and parents) at the moment various bugs are swanning around.  So plenty of coughs, sneezes and dribbly noses.  Plus diarrhea and vomitting as well. 

Thankfully, my daughter, Tabitha, is out of hospital so now she's home or in a nursery recovering.  My daughter, Blakley, was taken out of nursery for a couple of days with the vomitting and diarrhea.  She's better now.

It's my step-daughter's turn instead.

Yes, both my wife and I have had a stuffed nose etc but we're surviving...

I think only the cats are okay apart from the increasingly cold and windy weather.  So they had to rough it by being inside and fed when they could...