On drawings, dogs and dismal data

Well, it seems our dog fancies himself an art connoisseur. The first portrait I've done of the children at C.'s school was blown onto the floor without my realizing. Here is what the drawing looked like after "the critic" expressed his opinion of it. With his claws.

We adopted this 4-legged art critic some 13 years ago in the hope he would interact with C. and give her pet therapy. He never did. For a few years he was pretty cute and endearing nonetheless. But now that he's elderly, the "cute and endearing-ness" have faded and for the most part he engages in activities along the lines of demolishing drawings.

I'm trying to resurrect it. (A snapshot of part of it is over on the right.)

And while on the topic of drawings, here (below) is one of C. during her bout of dehydration, before we took her to the ER.

She is well hydrated these days despite the intense heat. Her seizure count also seems to have dropped a bit, so that we're back to 3-4/day. I'm even considering reducing her benzo a smidgen again.

And now for those excerpts I promised you from the address that Georgette Mulheir, Chief Executive of Lumos, gave during her visit to my country several months ago:

• One study of institutionalized children in 30 states in the U.S. showed that 28% of the children with disabilities died in the institutions. The risk that a child with disabilities will die in an institution is several 100% greater for those with disabilities.
• A study of institutionalized children under 3 in Europe produced similar findings: 0.29% of the children without disabilities died there. 28% of the children with disabilities died there.
• The likelihood of dying in childhood was 100% greater for the latter group.

I'd say that leaves us in no doubt. But those blasted institutions in my country continue expanding - with government subsidies.

Stay tuned for more Georgette Mulheir excerpts.