Louisa Clark works in The Buttered Bun tea shop, a job she loves. When she suddenly loses her job her comfortable life is thrown into chaos. Her parents rely on the assistance her salary provides to care for her granddad, her sister and her sister’s son, Thomas, all of whom live under the one roof.
Desperate to find a job and under pressure from the job centre to take anything that comes along, Louisa agrees to care for Will Traynor, a quadriplegic. She has never been a care worker before, has had no previous training and has little idea of what is required of her.
Louisa is hired by Will’s mother, on a six-month contract, before she has even met Will. Mrs Traynor insists that Louisa must not leave Will alone under any circumstances.
Will Traynor, a former city worker and thrill seeker was left a quadriplegic after a motorbike accident two years ago. After the accident he moved from his London bachelor pad back to the country to live with his increasingly unhappy parents.
Will turns out to be a surly young man with a bitter chip on his shoulder. From the outset he makes it clear he does not want anyone to look after him. Louisa does what she has to, she feeds Will, cleans his room and does his washing, but is often left to sit in the kitchen with a magazine as Will listens to the radio or watches a film alone.
As Louisa gets to know Will their relationship unfolds. Louisa, a bright, outspoken, effervescent young woman adds a spark to Will’s day. She begins to encourage him to get out of the house and Will in turn, frustrated with Louisa’s low self esteem and lack of ambition, encourages her to broaden her horizons.
Moyes describes the life of someone bound to a wheelchair with great insight. The descriptions of the many difficulties that arise once Will begins going out will resonate with anyone who has been in a wheelchair or been a carer. T
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By: Sophia Whitfield,
on 4/25/2012
Blog: Sophia Whitfield Children's Book Publisher (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Disablilty, Children, Books, Add a tag
It has often been said that parents of children with disabilities isolate themselves from the outside world. As someone who fits into this category I put my hand up and admit to having built a life I feel comfortable with, one that lends itself to isolation. Being a parent of a child with a disability suits me.
I am unable to socialise with the social clicks that come with work, school, book clubs and all the rest. I attend a few events, but am always happy to return home to my safe haven. I am far too busy ferrying one of my three school children to or from various activities, running my eldest son to and from doctor’s appointments or hospital depending on the week and supporting my eldest daughter, who after numerous failed auditions is still determined to follow her dreams.
In his recent book, Family Consequences of Children’s Disabilities, Dennis Hogan writes ‘parents often remark that their social lives disappear’. For a self confessed introvert this does not pose any great threat.
There are choices: to socialise with friends who are in a similar situation which can become overwhelmingly bleak or to socialise with friends who at least from the outside look to have the perfect life. This is also flawed as friends often struggle to understand the ramifications of caring for a child or adult with a profound disability.
My solace has always been books and music. They formed the fabric of my childhood and like trusted old friends keep me company through the good and the not so good times. They don’t talk back to me or reassure me that everything will be fine, when clearly it will not. I can simply lose myself in someone else’s story.
Surprisingly even these friends can pose difficulties. In recent months I have had to refrain from listening to music when alone in the car. I began a nasty habit of crashing into other vehicles when thoughts wandered into harrowing territory. My solution has been to switch off all music, a lifelong passion, and listen to audiobooks instead. It has worked a treat. In recent months, Jim Broadbent became an adored companion as he read The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fryand the latest, I’ve Got Your Numberby Sophie Kinsella, kept me smiling through six and a half hours of driving between soccer fields, drama workshops, hospital trips and gymnastics competitions.
Isolation can causes introverts to spend their lives on the fringes, but maybe this is not always such a bad thing. Some time out and rest from the madness of the world around us to recuperate and restore our
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By: Sophia Whitfield,
on 12/8/2011
Blog: Sophia Whitfield Children's Book Publisher (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Children, Disablilty, Add a tag
Every so often someoneperforms an unexpected act of kindness. It usually comes from nowhere and isadministered by a total stranger.
Yesterday I was therecipient of one such act. Late, as always, for an appointment at Royal NorthShore hospital I was racing through the final process of disembarking from thecar. Unfastening my son’swheelchair from the bolts that securely pin him to the floor of the car, Islowly began to drive him out of the back of the car using the attendantcontrol on his power wheelchair. I then made the mad dash from the car park tothe hospital. I placed the wheelchair on high speed and dartedtowards the hospital entrance making it in good time, only to wait for the lifts.
As I stood waitingwith my son a lady, clearly out of breath, came rushing towards me pushing ayoung child in a pram. She informed me, between quick breaths, that she hadchased me from the car park to the hospital. I had left my sliding car doorsopen and she was concerned that it might rain. She had run after me assuming,as I was pushing my son in a wheelchair, that the beaten up wheelchairaccessible people mover belonged to me. She was, of course, right. I thankedher kindly and went back to close my car doors.
This time of year exhaustionhas really set in and my brain rarely gets up with me, it lingers in bed formost of the day. I will never see this total stranger again, but will rememberher kindness as she panted her concerns after chasing after me.
We must have lookedhilarious - a mother pushing a pram chasing a mother pushing a wheelchair attop speed.
Yesterday this totalstranger made my day.
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By: Sophia Whitfield,
on 9/23/2011
Blog: Sophia Whitfield Children's Book Publisher (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Disablilty, Children, Books, Add a tag
It’s been another busy week. The LittleTreasures have arrived and we are so excited!
Here they are:
Four specials books by Peter Carnavas. Eachbook has been reduced in size and comes with an envelope for easy postage.Instead of a birthday card you can now send a book.
We hope you love these books as much as wedo.
This week is also a big week for our family. Our eldest daughter turns 21 – can’t quite believe it. She isabout to head into hospital to watch the rugby with her brother – the perfectopportunity for me to wrap presents. Last week I was hoping to break our sonout of hospital for the 21st celebrations. I didn’t quite manage toget that far, but they have given him a leave pass. We will be running away atlunchtime on the proviso that we return by midnight.
I am currently being trained onmaintaining a sterile environment in the home. I now consider myself an expert cleaner ofsurfaces, hand washer and am quite brilliant at putting on sterile gloves. Allof this is in preparation for our son coming home on TPN –Total ParenteralNutrition. For those not medically blessed it means our son is now fedintravenously and keeping infections at bay is paramount.
As I listened avidly to my instructions I found out some interesting facts about TPN . The backpack we will use to house the TPN and pump wasdesigned in Israel for the purpose of evacuating patients swiftly f
2 Comments on This week I published a few books and had a few lessons, last added: 9/25/2011
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By: Sophia Whitfield,
on 8/18/2011
Blog: Sophia Whitfield Children's Book Publisher (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Children, Books, Disablilty, Add a tag
Our 19-year-old son has been back in hospital. Throughout his life, whenever he has ended up in hospital, reading books together has been our thing. He is unable to use any of his communication aids so I read and he listens. When Luke was younger we read Harry Potter, the Alex Rider series (Anthony Horowitz) and many more. He then graduated to Matthew Reilly – we are waiting in anticipation for his October release and Clive Cussler.
As he is a fan of the thriller genre Carte Blanche was his next choice of book. I read it aloud to him over the last week.
I do have to admit that Toby Stephens, if this excerpt is anything to go by, does a far better job of reading the book. I may have to get the audio for my son.
Jeffrey Deaver was commissioned by the Ian Fleming Publications Ltd to write the next book in the James Bond series.
A bestselling thriller writer, Deaver got the job after admitting, in his acceptance speech for the Crime Writers’ Association Ian Fleming Steel Dagger award, that he was a life-long admirer of Fleming’s work, much of which had influenced his own writing.
In
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By: Sophia Whitfield,
on 7/25/2011
Blog: Sophia Whitfield Children's Book Publisher (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Disablilty, Children, Add a tag
After four weeks in hospital our son is finally home. He has fought hard to stay with us. He endured two lots of surgery, a week ventilated in ICU and masses of drugs being pumped into his body, some of which affected his short-term memory. He went into hospital weighing 45 kgs and came out weighing a tiny 33 kgs. He is 19 years of age and around 5' 5" tall, so 33 kgs is fragile.
Over the last few weeks the doctors and nurse at Manly Hospital have done an incredible job caring for our son. Returning home has been a huge step for all of us. Luke’s siblings decorated the house welcoming him back into the fold. He was showered with hugs as he came through the front door.
Sadly, a little bit of his personality is still missing. He is yet to get back to his usual amiable self. The doctor assured us this morning that it would take at least three months for him to recover completely from such an ordeal, but then he should be back to his usual self.
Last week we tried to settle Luke back into his every day life, it wasn’t easy for him. There have been some tough days. Sometimes when things are very grim a magical moment happens. I have found that to be true over the years.
As Luke settled at home we received an unexpected call from Guide Dogs Australia. Luke had been on the waiting list for a while, not for a Guide Dog as such, but one who had not quite made it through all the testing requirements and therefore was no longer suitable to embark on life as a Guide Dog.
On the weekend we were so thrilled to meet our new dog. It was so very timely. My youngest daughter and I were due to leave last Friday for London to join my family in a reunion. This trip was cancelled, as our son needs much love and care to regain his strength. Romeo, our lovely new dog, has already provided much needed comfort to our children.
We feel very blessed to have our son back with us again. We owe a great many people an enormous thank you for their care of our son - all the staff at Manly Hospital – doctors, nurses, wards men (who diligently turned Luke every night) and many more.
Enormous thanks also to Guide Dogs Australia who put a smile on the faces of all our children this weekend.
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By: Sophia Whitfield,
on 7/7/2011
Blog: Sophia Whitfield Children's Book Publisher (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Children, Books, Disablilty, Add a tag
Over the last week I have read this book aloud to my 19-year-old son. He enjoys a fast paced thriller and it has taken his mind off his current stay in hospital.
Reading is something we have enjoyed together over the years. When our 19 year old is seriously ill and unable to use his communication device or laptop computer we often pass the time by sharing a book. His tastes are understandably different from mine. I always let him select his book of choice.
He was given a Lee Child book for Christmas. I think it must have been the latest book. At the time he insisted that he needed to read the first book before he began on any of the others. His sister went out and purchased him Killing Floor by Lee Child, the first book in the highly successful Jack Reacher series. It had sat unread for the last few months. As his health began to improve and he was more aware of things around him he began asking for a book. Without the aid of his communication device it took me a while to work it out. Once I did I returned home, retrieved the book and began reading it to him. It has taken us a week to read the book together. I have been reading in hushed tones and skipping the particularly gruesome bits so as not to worry the hospital staff. Although I have noticed a group of them gathering just outside our son’s door looking busy writing up notes as I read aloud the latest instalment of Killing Floor.
Jack Reacher is introduced as a wandering, tough ex-military cop who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Reacher disembarks a bus in the sleepy town of Margrave in a spur of the moment decision to pay tribute to a guitar player who died thirty years ago.
However Margrave has had its first homicide in thirty years and as an intruder in a close-knit town with no good reason for being there Reacher is accused of the murder.
Reacher is dragged into an investigation that implicates most of the town’s heavy weights.
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Sophia,
Just had to say I LOVE your blog. It makes me laugh, it makes me cry. Your'e the best, a true inspiration and an awesome human being :)
Love you loads,
Rach F