.Tomorrow is Maggie's the last day of school before Spring Break. The vacation is set for next week, but Friday is another furlough day in the San Francisco Unified School District. Furlough days for those of you who live in financially viable states, are days that have been cut because of budgetary problems. There are several this year. Teachers and staff are not paid, and students are not taught. It's a lose lose situation. But I digress.
When Maggie does not go to school it is up to me to entertain her. We go out somewhere every single day, even if it's only a shopping trip. She loves to go out and has a great time no matter what we do. When she's not out, she is using her dynavox to chat with everyone or to request what she wants. Her most frequent request if for me to play her music, which I happily do. That communication device is her life line.
And, just because she will be all mine to entertain, the device is acting up. Arrgh. It will be a loooong week without it. Maggie operates her dynavox by hitting two switches on her tray. The switches allow her to navigate around the device. Right now the receptors on the side where the switches plug in are very loose. The plugs won't stay in one place and the device won't respond when she hits her switch.
Hopefully Tammy,Maggie's AAC (adaptive and augmentative communication) guru, can work some magic tomorrow or even get us a loaner while this one is repaired. For now, however, we are using the low tech repair method - rubber bands. This very expensive machine is literally being help together (or at least the switches are being held on) with rubber bands.
I feel like Emmit from Mayberry RFD. He ran the local fix-it shop. Hmm, I wonder if he worked on communication devices. Maybe we can stop by his shop for one of our outings next week. I better come up with something, that's for sure. We are going to have to find a whole new way to keep Maggie entertained.
Oh well, we will figure it out. After all, my name is Necessity and this is my daughter, Invention.
I'm sure you'll figure it out, and I hope it happens quickly. If not, you might have to make a citizen's arrest, like Gomer Pyle did.
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