Well happy April 2007 folks, this last year has flown as it is coming up to one whole year since Elijah was diagnosed with Angelman Syndrome. What a year it's been for us! a year of grief, challenge, some steep learning curves, lots of joy, heaps of hope. We Julie and I are finding our selves needing to continually educate ourselves about Angelman Syndrome, genetics, neurology seizures related matters. There is just so much to learn, and take in and understand and also to act as a catalyst to help educate others. The Listserv for angleman syndrome and the angelman forum (http://www.angelmanforum.org/ ) have helped us a long way in this. We have found ourselves in dialog and discussion from folks across the globe and better able to dialog with Elijah's medical specialists. Still along way to go, but blessed by every minute of it, even the tough ones and there are plenty of them to go around.

NEWS - A new car seat is on order and will be here in 5 weeks - Elijah is too big for the one he has been using - was originally his sister Francesca - this one is being obtained through his Early intervention team - is more difficult for him to houdinise. Also a walker to help Elijah and a new buggy - with him in mind (cause he is getting quite heavy now) and a high chair that is better suited to his needs - again so that he can not houdinise it.

Bed - well we have just taken deliver of some plans for a bed generrously supplied by Walter Smyth who lives in Exeter - NH - he designed and built the bed for Nicholas Swanton - see the following link http://www.seacoastonline.com/2005news/exeter/09232005/news/64442.htm
he has generously sent us the plans and we have a contact in a local technical institute who is a tutor of building and carpentry who is going to look at the plans and see if they would make it for Elijah - this could be at no cost to ourselves. Wooohoooo wouldn't that be great - must fly

until next time - take care Darren

almost two weeks ago Julie and I were able to attend the first Angelman New Zealand conference - held in Hamilton (which is in the North Island) some folks from the Christian Community we are part of got together and and gave us $1000.00 which was able to cover our airfares and registration for the conference. to be continued..

There were 40 people registered for the conference and 7 or 8 were professional people, teachers and other staff who care for children with Angelman Syndrome, the rest were parents or family members. There were 19 children and of those 10 of the Children has AS and were of a variety of ages. The Friday night was a relaxed time after the drive down to meet folk and relax. Well probably like every one else we immediately felt at home a bit like meeting the extended family. The great thing was that there was representation of 4 families from Christchurch.

There were 3 main presentations - one by Dr Elle Smith who is a geneticist from the Angelman Syndrome Clinic in New South Wales in Australia who gave a most excellent presentation about the genetics of AS complete with Powerpoint presentation - I was able to get most of this on video, this was just great. Julie had a couple of questions to ask one ws about her opinion of a mouse model that reduced the impact and symptoms of AS and she responded by saying that she was not aware of it at this point in time and suggested that perhaps we were up with things happening internationally more than she was. This was something that we found to be true with discusssions with other folk - we are reading and researching on a daily basis to gain a better understanding about whta is goin on in Elijah's body and the effects of AS on his brain and development.

To be continued.