Wednesday's Words on a Friday

 

The original Words for Wednesday was begun by Delores and eventually taken over by a moveable feast of participants when Delores had computer troubles. Sadly, Delores has now closed her blog forever due to other problems.

The aim of the words is to encourage us to write. A story, a poem, whatever comes to mind.

If you are posting an entry on your own blog, please let us know so we can come along to read it and add a few encouraging words.

This month the words/prompts are supplied by David M. Gascoigne and can be found here

* next month is my turn and the words will be right here on this blog*

This week's prompts are: 

1. afternoon 
2. furrowed 
3. enchanted 
4. knowing 
5. organised 
6. singing 

and/or: 

1. clutched 
2. beyond 
3. metaphysical 
4. symbiosis 
5. vital 
6. father

Here is my story:

Deidre had been born with Down’s Syndrome and speech was hard for her, she called herself DeeDee, so we all did too. We had learned that some children were only mildly affected, while others were more severe. Deirdre was in the severe category. Knowing her limitations was crucial to us guiding her through her early years, each day had to be carefully organised with most hours being routinely laid out. This was a vital key to her learning, if everything went the same as the day before, she would begin to remember and anticipate. 

I had noticed this happening from the age of three, each afternoon DeeDee would hold her teddy clutched tight as she toddled across the floor to sit near the front door. Without knowing how to tell the time, she was uncannily accurate. Within five minutes of sitting down, the door would open and her father would announce, “DeeDee, Daddy’s home!” Her face would light up as Richard scooped her off the floor in a giant hug. This routine had begun when she was one year old and he hadn’t missed a day since. Even on weekends, Richard would go out to the shop or just for a walk and come home at the same time as always. 

DeeDee loved music and listened closely to The Wiggles on television each morning as they sang their songs. She would try singing along and while she missed many words, her high voice enchanted me. We had been told she may never talk. Hearing her try to sing was beyond all expectations and her Doctor was very pleased with DeeDee’s progress.

 At the last home visit, she’d watched closely as DeeDee sat by the television and nudged me with her elbow, “watch for the furrowed brow, Maureen, it indicates she is concentrating, you may find she learns a new word soon.” Hope sprang in my heart as Doctor Russell said, “DeeDee may not be as severely limited as we thought.”

Comments

  1. I always worry about the Deedee's of the world when Mom and Dad pass on.

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    Replies
    1. Mike; me too and I always hope there is at least one sibling to step in and help.

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  2. This is great telling of a Down's Syndrome life. Super.

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  3. Lovely, and very true in many families. I share Mike's concerns.

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    1. Elephant's Child; thank you, I share those concerns.

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  4. Compassionate look into the lives of not only the person with Downs but those who love her and try to help.

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    Replies
    1. Arkansas Patti; thank you, I hope I 'got it right'.

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  5. Glad Dee liked her music.
    Coffee is on and stay safe

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  6. Continuing to pour love and therapy and words and songs into a child can work wonders, just like with my Bigger Girl.

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    Replies
    1. messymimi; love, and music can work wonders when partnered with therapy.

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  7. It must be so hard for both sides.
    This model with Down Syndrome, I can´t remember her name, she has a mild version and always has to explain and defend herself. And reckon also those with severe systems understand they are "different". And also the parents always have to defend themselves.
    I have a half-cousin. Back in the day doctors couldn´t help, the umbilical cord was around her neck during birth, nearly strangling her. She is mentally disabled.
    Now that the parents need help... who helps whom. She lives in a home, as far as I know.
    When we were kids, it was difficult with her. Life can be tough for whole families.

    Sad story, but with love. Love helps, and music. Also with stuttering! I remember that movie with .. darn it, Bruce Willis and....? The stutterer needed to tell they need help at airport Heathrow. He couldn´t. They said, "sing it, sing it" - eh, voilà... he could!

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    Replies
    1. Iris; music and love are so important for so many people. My sister is mentally disabled, but not severely, she lives alone with her dog and has carers who check on her and take her shopping if she needs help. Mostly she likes to do things on her own. She has a fear of water, like you with fire and the oven, so she doesn't wash every day and doesn't like to use the washing machine in case she hurts herself and she is a hoarder, never throws anything away. She doesn't live in my town so I don't see her often, but we write letters.
      I've heard stutterers are often able to sing what they want to say. My brother in law stutters but not when he is telling jokes.

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    2. We have a friend with an appalling stutter. He is also an actor and never stutters on stage.

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    3. EC; on stage he is someone else :)

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  8. Iris; I had a long comment here but when I clicked on publish it said "page not found" and now it is gone.

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  9. My Mum, we found out after just guessing, was a messie.
    In our old kids-room, after she passed, we found... she kept everything, from used teabags to egg-shells and everything. She was a child of war.
    The brain can trick you, even if you are "mentally OK" (define that).

    Well, I manage the oven now, but real fire... burnings... just the thought of the latter makes me nearly faint.
    Hope your Sister leads a happy life all in all!

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  10. Shoot on the long comment. Always STRG A and STRG C ;-)
    It´s so much a habit I do that even when not needed! As STRG S.

    I wonder how we will communicate in the future!

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  11. Mine is up. Forgot to link it Here earlier yesterday because I had to do errands.

    https://runningoncoffeeandcusswords.blogspot.com/2022/09/wednesdays-words-on-friday.html

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  12. In the fading afternoon light, River sat in her window with a furrowed brow. She was, as usual, enchanted by her crossword. Five across was "knowing". Eleven down was "organised" . The clue for thirteeen across was "What choirs are famous for" and of course the solution was "singing".

    When ever River completed her daily crossword, she felt she had been clutched by something godly, beyond the metaphysical state of being. It was as if a magical symbiosis had occurred making a vital connection with her late father who was also a crossword addict. Finally, she scribbled in "daddy" for twenty six down. Once again, it was done.

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    Replies
    1. Yorkshire Pudding; I have just this minute finished six puzzles in today's paper, October 6th.

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  13. This made me think of the Down's Syndrome gal who loves Wonder Woman, and Hick finds such items to save for her at his Storage Unit Store. He puts them out where she can find them, and she loves to go on a hunt through his shop. I hope her mom finds Hick when he moves to the new flea market. They don't come every week, but maybe they'll be in before the end of the month to hear the news.

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