Monday 04/06/90 Returning home to Gaborone

In 1990 we had just returned home to Gaborone, after a trip to The Carel du Toit Centre in Cape Town. I wrote this letter to Vanessa at the Centre.

Dear Vanessa

Thanks for all your help and guidance you gave me on my visit to Cape Town. I must say it was a wonderful feeling being back again. Also thanks for working with me with Hughan, I learned a lot from it.

Jamie sat watched the video three times and then insisted we made your sticky biscuits! I think he also learnt by watching it.

Willem and I sat and watched the video together and Willem was pointing out my mistakes which I felt was great and now he is also more aware of the way he talks to Hughan.

Before I left Cape Town I went shopping with Hughan, which he loves. He started saying mum-mum-mum at everything, which is the first time he has said this.

The last night in Cape Town I stayed with Willem’s Uncle and Aunt. Hughan was vocalising well there as they have dimmer switches on the light and he was always asking to be picked up to alter the lights and to switch them on and off.

Hughan was very good on the flight home and it was also nice to be back in Gaborone. Willem and Jamie were still in Zimbabwe when we arrived in Gaborone.

Hughan and I went and met them at the airport the next day and Hughan stood in absolute shock when he saw Willem and Jamie come through the doors. In the car on our way home Jamie and Hughan laughed and played nicely.

(I started this website to help other patents with deaf children through our experience. Our son Hughan was born in 1988 and was diagnosed profoundly deaf at 14 months old. We kept a Diary, so his progress could be tracked between our lessons, as we were living in Gaborone in Botswana and traveled every 3 months to the Carel du Toit Centre in Cape Town.)