It’s been a tough weekend. I can’t say quite why but emotions have been high and tempers fraying. Linda, a Williams Syndrome adult, has been pushing at boundaries all round and collecting leaflets with a vengeance. I know this sounds trivial but believe me, pausing at every doorway to collect more paper gets to be […]
Honestly Sister!
What a day! For Linda is was last day of term at her numeracy and literacy classes. She’s been attending these for a year now and certainly has improved. You can read her writing now, most of the time! More importantly, she actually took a maths exam some weeks ago and was eagerly awaiting the […]
Nothing Less Than Perfect
Williams Syndrome, that cocktail party personality, sweet and friendly. People rarely tell you about the compulsive and persistent aspects of that story! Linda is over 40 but in many ways delights in the same things as a 4yr old. For some time she’s been lusting after a bicycle… not possible due to her lack of […]
How to Earn a Quick Buck!
In the post yesterday I was dreading the fact that Linda didn’t have enough money to buy her newspaper today… We had several goes at “Sister, can I ask you a question?” followed by “Oh, no. Sorry, I haven’t got enough money to buy a paper.”. We passed the newsagent as we went out and […]
All Out of Money
Following the Buried Under Paper episode, I’ve just realised that I’m facing an even bigger crisis tomorrow. We give Linda enough money each week to buy her agreed newspapers and magazines, to pay for various classes or events and to buy a drink and a snack as needed each day with a little left over […]
Buried Under Paper
Linda is a Williams Syndrome adult. While she has some intellectual disabilities she possesses many remarkable abilities, including the ability to read. And Linda reads avidly. While being very proud of this skill I’m realising it is also associated with a darker side. Mothers of younger Williams children be warned! Obsessive behaviour comes in many […]
A Worthy Prize for a Williams Syndrome Adult?
For most of her life, Linda has never handled money. As an adult with Williams Syndrome she was, typically, very poor with any numerical concepts. Counting up in ones was about the limit of her skills. When it came to money, every item in the world could be bought with a one pound coin or […]
With An Eye to the Future
Linda looks forwards to things… Meeting people, birthdays, pocket money day or her next meal. All seem to be anticipated with equal, sometimes intense excitement. One of the things that I have grown accustomed to is sitting down to a long anticipated meal, sometimes something that in it’s own right was celebrated as a special […]
Lighting the Blue Touchpaper
How do they do it??? How do they always seem to know just how to get under your skin, to find the spot, to light the blue touchpaper and set off the fireworks? Oh I know it’s not personal and it’s not that bad really but just sometimes it feels like it! Today we had […]
Headless Chinese?
I met Linda in town yesterday afternoon. She and her carer had been visiting the museum while I went to work for the morning. Like many people with Williams Syndrome, Linda has certain interests that are consuming, bordering on obsessions.