I am Cheryl Thompson, born in Birmingham, England. I emigrated to Canada in 1988 after living a year in Edinburgh, Scotland. Becky is my daughter, born in Etobicoke, Canada. She was permanently disabled in a car accident in 1992. We now live with our cat, hamster, and mouse, in Mississauga, Ontario.
Becky is now working towards independent living. She was awarded funding in November 2011 to move ahead with her goal. Becky moved to a condo in May 2012 where she could be more independent, and safer, than in a house. Unfortunately, it did not go well. There were problems with staff, the condo, and Becky herself. We retreated back to the house in September. Thank goodness we didn’t sell it!
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So sorry to hear about your daughter. I think being a caregiver for someone who is disabled sometimes is more difficult than being disabled…maybe not more difficult, just difficult in different ways. Writing can be a great stress reducer, and a good way to connect with people. So nice to “meet” you.
It’s nice to ‘meet’ you too. I’m loving your blog.
Being a caregiver is hard, but I think I would make the same choice if I had to do things again. I almost lost Becky twice. That would have been harder to cope with.
Hi Cheryl- so glad to connect with you here on WordPress. My “Small Stuff” seem so tiny compared to what you and your family have endured. I love your writing, and your Valentine’s Day post was great! Keep a smile on.
I’d hardly call your ‘stuff’ small. I’m really finding a comfort in reading how others have coped with crisis. I’m glad you found some of my blogs entertaining.
I am so glad you found my blogs. Thank you for commenting on it today, it gave me a chance to find yours. My youngest son has epilepsy and while it’s different from what you’ve been through there are similarities in the whole caretaker/mom make up. Looking forward to reading more of your posts. Deana
We certainly seem to have some things in common. I love your attitude and look forward to reading more of your blog. Thanks so much for stopping by.
Hi Cheryl,
I hope your daughter is making it and becoming independent. Just a suggestion, but you could put a link to your blog on your gravatar profile. I live north of Birmingham in the Black Country! 🙂
Hey, Mike. Thanks for stopping by and giving your support. I’ll definitely look into the Gravatar link.
Nice to see someone from the Midlands! Yahoooo!
So glad you found my blog and allowed me the opportunity to “find” yours in return. I am hooked already. Looking forward to getting to “know” you and Becky and to share in your experiences on your journey.
I found you through Karaboo at whoorwhatwasthat blog. I’m so glad we connected. Looking forward to following your story too. 🙂
what a touching story! I hope all is going well in your daughter learning to become independent. Small world, I was born in Birmingham but now live in SF. Take care and Happy New Year!
A fellow Brummie. Yeah! You have also landed in a beautiful part of the world. Happy New Year to you too!
A fellow Brummie indeed! 🙂 Thank you, Happy 2013! 🙂
What an utterly charming blog! I have read several of your posts and my heart goes out to you (from south of Birmingham in Oxfordshire) for everything you are doing for your daughter, Becky. I shall follow and support your blog with interest. Best wishes to you both.
I’m glad you found us, Lindsay. Thank you for your kind words and support. We really appreciate it.
Hello! I nominated you for a Liebster Award in my own acceptance post today, hoping I can get new people to check out your blog. You can click through my avatar for a link.
Thank you so much for the nomination!
Thank you for dropping by my blog. I’m quite sure that Becky will achieve that independence she seeks, given the support she clearly has. I’ll look forward to reading about her (and your) journey.
Many thanks for your words of support. I hope you enjoy our journey.
I enjoyed reading your blog immensely. I’ll be visiting often.
Hi, a fellow Brummie here too! I also have family connections with Edinburgh and Canada (but West Coast!)
I hope you find help to make reality all those little things that will make your lives easier on a daily basis. After having children I realise now that there is no love stronger or more powerful/heartbreaking/emotional….
I loved your recollections of letters too-I miss writing letters. I loved the anticipation and joy they brought.
Hey Brummie, glad you could join us.
I think a few people miss letters. It was always great to find one in the mail, especially if it had Air Mail written on it. Such simple pleasures…
Glad you found my blog today, gives me a chance to read yours 🙂
I haven’t blogged about my disability; probably should. It might help someone but I don’t want to seem all ‘woe is me’… not that you do, far from it, I could learn from you 🙂
I have Friedreich’s Ataxia if you wondered!
BTW, I was at University in Birmingham!!!
Two connections with Birmingham in one day! Yahoo.
Becky has ataxia as part of her injury. Surprisingly it has improved over the years. I think she just enjoys proving doctors wrong. I don’t know where she gets it from…
Thanks for joining us.
Hi, Thanks for stopping by my blog. Wish for you and your daughter lots of love and courage on the journey you both are taking bravely together. Btw, I lived 3 years in the Midlands in the UK and moved to Mississauga too. It was nice to discover your blog.
Many thanks for your warm wishes, and for stopping by. I hope your experience in the Midlands was a pleasant one.
What do you think of Mississauga? We really like it.
I still make visits to the UK as my family lives there. I haven’t discovered much of Mississauga yet though, guess it has it’s own beauty 🙂
I am glad that you found my blog because I found yours. The road to independence is a long one, but so worthwhile.
I’m glad we found each other too. 🙂
I know the road to independence is the right road, and I’ve had a lot of support with that decision, but sometimes it feels like we took the wrong route! I’m glad to hear its all worth it in the end.
Best wishes,
Cheryl (Cheb)
What a lovely blog. This is particularly interesting to me as my brother is autistic and will most likely never be able to support himself. I wish you and Becky all the luck in the world and I hope you achieve your goals 🙂
Ellie
Hi Ellie. No-one thought Becky would ever live independently either, but sometimes life turns out differently. I wish you luck with your brother too. Thanks for stopping by and thanks for your support.
An amazing story, I hope all goes well for both of you. I just wanted to thank you for stopping by and liking my post ‘The Magnificence that is Trees’ – your support is appreciated – more so now that I know the obviously limited time you have to wander the land of blogs! Take care – my best to Becky – thanks again, Stan
Hi Stan,
Looking at beautiful images helps me escape for a few moments each day. The pleasure was all mine. 🙂
Cheryl
Thanks for stopping by and liking recent posts 🙂 Hope you all are well !
Thanks for stopping by Rafferty’s Rules. I like your blog.
Thanks for stopping by Minkyweasel World. Yes, I am so sorry to learn about your daughter’s accident but I can see she is very dear to you and I know she will be well looked after by her mom. You take some lovely photographs don’t you? There is something special about black and white photos isn’t there? I wish you all the best in you condo.
Shirley Anne x
So happy to have found your blog! Can’t wait for you to read more on my blog about my dad 🙂 I am glad you two are striving for her independent living. I long for the days when I was a child and my dad and I would tool around town on the back of his chair. God bless the both of you!
Thanks for sharing such a happy memory. I look forward to reading more about you and your Dad. It sounds like such a wonderful relationship 🙂 Have a great weekend!
Hello Cheryl,
I’m hard pressed for words. Little I understand of life and for all that I can, Becky is a vision of God and you are her guiding angel.
Warmest Regards
Arjun
Thank you, Arjun. I am speechless.
Looking forward to reading more of your blogs and looking at your lovely photos. We never know what life is going to throw at us and how we will cope.
Thanks for visiting. Your renovation suddenly makes my life seem simple. 🙂
You found my blog about Birmingham and I am now following yours. I send you my good wishes from Birmingham to both of you. I have lived in Birmingham most of my married life. I have m s and use a wheelchair. Good luck to us. Good to meet you. Do read my blog lizseville@wordpress.com
Hi Liz (?) glad to have you join us. We’ll be following your story too. 🙂
Take care.
Cheb and Becky
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Being a caregiver makes for a difficult, yet rewarding life. My wife was disabled 5 years ago and I have watched her live through pain and difficulty, happiness and joy. I can only wish you all the best and hope Becky finds the condo much easier.
Thanks for stopping by my blog…much appreciated! 🙂
Many thanks, Craig. We’ll keep on trying till we get it right.
Thanks for sharing your story. I hope life is going okay for you and your wife, too.
Best wishes.
Cheryl
Hi Cheryl and Becky – thanks for commenting on my website (hope you found it interesting)!
Good for you Becky – independent living sounds great and freedom is such a think we all take for granted (until its taken away)… you don’t / can’t describe the feeling of isolation and having to rely on every one and every thing.
I was involved in a accident in 1997, its taken a long time to get to were I am today, but I hope you get your dream Becky – and hope you too Cheryl! (people never talk about the families and how they it effects them and how they cope)!!! – thinking of you!
Sx
Thanks for sharing, Stephen. I’m glad to hear you have (mostly?) recovered from your accident. It is a long, involved process that takes a lot of determination and stamina. We don’t get to choose our lives, we just to get to live them. 🙂
Many thanks for your support and understanding.
Cheryl
Hi Cheryl and Becky! Thanks very much for finding my disability blog and for liking my post! I’m just starting out in this blogging world so hopefully in time I will be able to provide some interesting discussions etc. I see you are originally from Edinburgh? I currently reside west of Glasgow. I’m afraid to report that the weather hasn’t improved at all! I will make sure you follow your progress in your blog. I wish you and Becky all the success with the blog and with moving into your new place!
Cheers!
S.P 🙂
Im not from Edinburgh, but I lived there for a while. I’ve been back several times to visit, so I was very excited to see your blog. I remember struggling on and off the buses in Edinburgh. All the drivers were great. They got off the bus and helped me, Becky, and folding chair get on the bus. I hope things are a little better now. I look forward to reading about it in your blog! Wishing you the very best,
Cheryl and Becky
Thank you for the feedback on my little blog.
There are many aspects of your story I can understand (and no doubt my mother could also).
Wishing you all the best Becky. Keep your mum close, she will be there when others are not.
Looks like the cat won the occupation stakes hands down! Will keep an eye on your blog
LOL. Yep, the cat is the winner in most situations. Thanks for visiting and taking the time to comment. We appreciate it.
Cheryl and Becky
Hi, Cheryl.
Glad you liked my blog. Like yours, too. I applaud Becky and you for striving towards a more independent life. It takes courage, strength and determination on both your parts—for Becky to do it and for you to let her.
I am the caregiver for my sister who is a double leg amputee. Things happen in your life that turn your world upside down. Your daughter—her horrific accident, my sister her failed kidneys, then leg amputations.
There is a strength and resiliency of the human spirit and I see that manifested everyday in my sister and I’m sure you see it in your daughter.
Good luck on the journey…
Things do happen and it’s how we deal with them. It sounds like your sister has had a pretty tough time, but she isn’t alone, and neither is Becky. They each have a supportive family, and they do not travel down the path alone.
Thank you for sharing your story. I hope you find happiness and stay strong.
Cheryl
HI Becky and Cheryl – Thanks for having a look at my blog. It is pretty new but a lot of what is to come is about really cool places in Canada so maybe that will be of interest to you. I haven’t had a chance yet but I am looking forward to looking at some of the posts on your blog.
Brenda
Brenda, your story and photos reminded me of the diversity and beauty of Canada. Love it! I’ll be visiting you often.
Thanks for taking time to visit us. 🙂
Hej from Sweden!
Thanks so much Cheryl and Becky for stopping by my blog and liking my recent post. I hope you enjoyed a lovely Easter Sunday together. I was not with my daughter but I hope you were. As animal lovers, there is a lot to see on my blog, not just food that I post from time to time.
You are most welcome back and I hope you continue to enjoy!
We had a great Easter, thanks, and thanks for taking time to visit us. You look very busy with your farm. We’ll visit you often. 🙂
Hej from Sweden again !
Cheryl, if you would be so kind to write to me at my business address, I would love to send some of my 100% Natural goat milk soap for your daughter Becky. I would live to send as a gift from me, my goats and Sweden.
lilsisgoatmilksoap@gmail.com
Hej då vi hörs ( by for now , hear from you)
Wow! How can we say, “no” to such a generous offer. Thank you for your kindness!
Cheryl and Becky
http://scvincent.com/awards/
I nominated you for the Liebster Blog Award.. if you do not accept them, just know what you do is appreciated 🙂
Many thanks, Sue. Your kindness and support is appreciated. 🙂
You are more than welcome. I have some little understanding of what you share with us. 🙂
Reading your short bio was very inspiring. I have never experienced this type of heartache or care-giving of this kind. What was so inspiring and moving was the fact that you use no negative words and make no complaint. We all need to learn from people like you. Thank you! Poppy 🙂
Hi Poppy,
There’s many ways to be happy. Sometimes you have to look a little harder to find things to be happy about, that’s all. 🙂
Thank you for your positive comment! Much appreciated.
Hello Cheryl, thanks for visiting my blog and I wish you & your daughter all the best. Bon courage!
Thanks, Angelina. Glad you stopped by. 🙂
Hello and congratulations, I have nominated you “Very Inspiring Blog Award”, to accept the award, please visit here: http://journeyaroundtheglobe.com/my-awards/very-inspiring-blog-award/
Many thanks for the nomination, Globe Runner!
Glad you are back – I have missed you – hi from SLO, CA! Some good news – may have my lupus into remission! FYI – had a different email before.
Great to hear from you! I’m glad your health has improved. That’s good news.
I think my e-mail has changed too. So many changes…it happens so quickly sometimes. Please stay in touch.
Cheryl
Hello Cheryl and Becky; I have nominated to for “One Lovely Blogger Award” (please see https://lifeasiinterpret.wordpress.com/2016/06/09/one-lovely-blog-award-2/)- cheers 🙂
Thank you so much 🙂
well deserved 🙂 thanks for your posts
You both are an inspiration to us all. Loving your blog. 🙂
Love your blog; your story is truly inspiring. Best wishes to Becky!
Thank you so much for your kind words and thank you for visiting 🙂
Hello Cheryl, thank you for reading my post on Dave’s blog. I am happy to have come across yours and hope to keep reading about your stories. Cheers.
Thank you for stopping by and taking time to comment. It’s nice to meet you and I look forward to reading about your travels 🙂
My pleasure 🙂
hello ladies, I could not help but nominate you for a sunshine blogger award in my last post (https://lifeasiinterpret.wordpress.com/2017/04/18/sunshine-blogger-award-nominated-and-nominating/). I thought I would acknowledge how much I like your blog, recipes, and travel photos. all the best!
Thank you so much for the nomination. We really appreciate your kindness and thoughtfulness. Hoping you are having a wonderful day. Cheryl and Becky x