Lorna and I met a long time ago, in fact 14 years ago, when Lorna
was only eight and I was still at school. These days I don’t
really remember what I did with my weekends before I met Lorna.
Way back then Lorna lived in a house for children and was looked after
by nurses from the “sick children’s hospital” and I
was lucky enough to get a work experience placement there from school
as I was thinking of a career in nursing. I don’t really know
how Lorna and I became such friends, it just happened, probably due
to us sharing the same ever so slightly sick sense of humour. My two
weeks placement finished and I didn’t quite know how to say “goodbye”
- so I didn’t.
Lorna and I have seen each other through many difficult times such
as winters when Lorna was really poorly and nobody was sure if she
would make it, the dreaded move from children to adult services, to
my stressful moans about house moves and men.
However we have also shared many happy times, holidays in York, Blackpool
and Wales, many Christmas’s and Birthday’s, loads of shopping
trips and a few outings to the pub.
Over the years I have had different titles attached to me; volunteer,
befriender and more recently Citizen Advocate. I made the change to
become Lorna’s advocate in 1998 when her move to adult services
become a reality. This wasn’t because the title sounded grand
or that I had just graduated from law school but because I felt it
was important that there was someone who knew Lorna well, someone
to attend meetings where decisions were made about her life.
Throughout my time I have tried to do what I think Lorna would want
and get her services which I think she would enjoy. One such battle
was to get Lorna a day service away from her home environment. Lorna
left school at eighteen. However due to her complex disabilities she
needs the support of nursing staff; this means that where Lorna lives
is classed as a hospital. This sounds simple but you wouldn’t
believe the repercussions this has, for example your benefits are
affected and nobody would recognise that Lorna needed something to
do like everyone else during the day.
After four years of battling numerous letters and contact with the
Mental Welfare Commission, earlier this year Lorna was given the funding
to attend Longstone Centre. Here Lorna is regaining many of the skills
lost in those four years such as using a standing frame and different
switches to control her environment as well as meeting lots of other
people and generally having fun.
Regardless of my role I hope Lorna and I will always
be friends. She has taught me and my family such a lot about life
and valuing others. My own little boy is growing up understanding
people are different but still the same. He's often the one to nag
“can we go and see Auntie Lorna?”
We hope that you have enjoyed our story but wanted to add there is
never time to rest, we still have to sort out the benefits situation
for Lorna!
