Gosh, it has been a while since I last blogged. People used to call me in worry that Wills was unwell when my blog went quiet. Hopefully, most people will now guess that it is due to thing being particularly busy and, this time at least, they would be right. Long may that last! William remains unbelievably well and things have been hectically busy. William is a new child, he really is. He is very healthy and things are really settling down. We are enjoying the stability and enjoying hanging out and being a family together. It is fantastic having all my children together. It is an amazing feeling being outside in the garden, feeling the beginnings of summer and believing that we could actually get the opportunity to enjoy it together this year and get out and do things. In the last two years, those summer garden days were generally numbered only a few, a week perhaps at least, before they were snatched away and we were back in hospital and separated from the girls again for many long weeks. I am loving the fact I can make plans and write things in my diary, knowing that it is more likely they will happen that not. The girls are having a great time going out with their friends, having fun with Wills and I and, generally, having some stability to grow up in and start to spread their wings - which they are both doing.
Having a more predictable life is critical at the moment as I have lots going on. I am getting back up to speed with work and catching up time lost with so much disruption over the last few months and years. In my 'spare time' I am working away at the 'Gifts of Life' project. Things are moving very fast and, if you see another gap of more than a few days with nothing new on here, you may want to check the Gifts of Life blog to see what has been taking up my time and keeping me away from blogging here. I am really excited to have Holly on board now. Holly had a living donor kidney transplant last year and is using her photography to explore the relationship between transplant recipients and their donors. Her images will form part of the 'Gifts of Life' exhibition which...drum roll please...is opening in a fantastic gallery in London. The Menier Gallery on Southwark Street near London Bridge Station. The exhibition will run from 14th-19th December so do put it in your diary and come and see us if you can.
We have some really exciting plans but, as ever with this kind of project, we are looking for funds to make it all happen. Among our many fundraising plans, we are offering the chance to sponsor one of my images in the main exhibition. The cost of each image, incorportating absolutely everthing from travelling to the photo shoot, printing and mounting the image, its share in the cost of the gallery hire, publicity...absolutely everything is £250. We are inviting individuals, families, businesses or groups the chance to sponsor an image or images. In return, we will acknowledge them with the image in the exhibiton and in the photo book. We will also invite them to the private viewing on December 14th and present them with a complimentary copy of the accompanying photo book. If you, or anyone else you know could help with this then please do get in touch.
If that were not enough, I am getting well and truly back into writing. I am back at the City Lit adult education college for a couple of hours on Wednesdays for a writing workshop. It is fantastic to be back with people after so long in isolation with William. Not surprisingly, there is an awful lot of material that has to be attended to before my brain has the space to work on anything new so I am writing mainly about my experiences over the last few years. One project is to compile all my thoughts, photos, letters and some of the art work I did with William (and some of his photos too!) in a journal style autobiography. Thanks to Holly for that idea and giving me a purpose for the huge box of stuff I have accumulated. I am also using my experiences as the foundation for a heavily autobiographic, yet fictional novel. This is great to be writing as it give me the chance to really explore some of the situations I found myself and some of the issues I was faced with.
Wow, now you can see why I have been quiet on here for a week - I promise not to be so quiet for so long again.
5 comments:
These days I take quiet to mean "good" - but I am glad you posted to confirm it!
It is so wonderful to read that things have been going so very well and that William is benefiting so very much from the transplant, and that everybody else is benefiting as well!
God Bless, take care.
Richard.
So pleased to hear that William remains very well, long long may it last! And that your'e enjoying life as a family.
Best Wishes
Emma x x
So glad that everything's going so well; long may it last! Love, Becky xx
Really pleased everything is going well for you all :o)
I'd love to come to see the exhibition. I will have a bit of spare time in the autumn so if you need an extra pair of hands to do anything I'd be happy to help.
How long is it until William is able to be out and about properly again? It can't be that long now.
Jx
So pleased to see that 'normal life' is becoming for you once more normal. I too took the lack of bloging to mean that you were busy enjoying having time/freedom to do things and as there is no dramatic change in Williams health no need to blog as often.
It is great to hear how well William and in fact all of you are doing, it is great that your peoject is going so well.
Looking forward to hearing the next update on how things are going.
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