After almost three years housebound we are beginning to get back out into the big wide world.
Covid and stroke had severely clipped our wings but despite the cold there is no excuse to stay indoors any more.
My recovery is far from complete and I still have targets and goals to achieve. Now I am back driving we will be getting out and I will hopefully get used to walking about again.
The other day we went to the coast. The car park was free when a blue badge is displayed and there are one or two well placed disabled parking bays.
This particular area is National Trust. One of their vans was parked up and a very helpful lady got out and told me about the amenities mentioning that all National Trust properties offer free parking to blue badge holders. She also warned me that in season things get very busy and it isn’t so easy to find parking.
Pictures by Hilary Ready for adventure. At the coast with car and rollator.
A cold wind was blowing so we decided to turn around, go back and perhaps try again on another day.
On the way home we popped into a supermarket and bought a pizza. Nice to be back in the warm again.
When we got home I ordered a wind and waterproof coat.
Hilary bought hers up in the Lake District about twenty years ago. It is still providing good service. So having one for myself seemed like good sense.
Hi, glad to hear you are getting out and about in this big wide world. I look upon every trip out as a part of my recovery and a step in the right direction. Well thats my excuse anyway . I’m out tonight with my girlfriends and really looking forward to socialising like the old post stroke days.
Hopefully this is one of many new adventures for you and Hilary.
The nice National Trust lady gave me a leaflet with a map of National Trust sites, quite a lot free to enter, with car parking. You don’t necessarily need membership to use them. So an inexpensive day out.
The National Trust app has a Guide to 500 days out.
Ok, this has got to be the highlight of the year on this forum for me.
To actually see you out and about after so many years…independently…that’s just made my day, and a well earned celebration
What part of the coast were you on, will I know it
It is 5 am again @EmeraldEyes and the rest of you. Thank you for those encouraging words.
I drove, accompanied by my wife, about 10 miles from home to a place on the coast in the North West of England between Southport and Liverpool.
The car is a small electric automatic vehicle which has adjustments to pedals and steering as my right side limbs only function in a restricted manner. It is great fun to drive by the way.
Getting out of the house for a bit has been one of my goals finally achieved after almost three years housebound. It is wonderful to gain that freedom and great to get behind the wheel again.
Another goal, which I have yet to achieve, is to actually get onto the beach which is several hundreds of yards from the place where I had parked up. At this time of year weather conditions make it an inhospitable place so other activities will probably occupy my attention for now.
Just being able to get out to the supermarket is rewarding enough and gives me a feeling of triumph. I am still very limited but my evolution from being a chair and bed bound creature is very satisfying. The hope that I still could progress further is energising and encouraging.
It is too easy to compare oneself to others and sink into feelings of being so far behind. To be honest just to have survived is a huge bonus anything else is extras. I’ll take any extras when and if they become available of course.
I’ll mention here that at times it can all seem a bit of a struggle. It is easy to imagine that the gains are tiny and the restrictions are insurmountable but I’ll try to tell it as it is
@Bobbi I’m with @EmeraldEyes it is so great to see you out & about. It shows just how far you’ve come & the morale boost it has given you must be enormous.
I can imagine you in the supermarket slinging all those ingredients for your wonderful baking into the trolley & @HHilary having a fit when they bill is racked up at the till
I look forward to seeing a pic of you on that beach. It’s not that far away now sure.
Its great when you experience the freedom of getting around by car for the first time. Its also a bit nervy as you tend to drive slowly at first and other drivers are sometimes impatient. My wife used to accompany me but now she is happy for me to drive on my own.
I am fortunate that my stroke recovery is going well and Bobbi so will yours.
Merry Christmas to all
Bob3
Just about to start the trek over to Hilary’s daughter’s place for Christmas dinner. It’s an adventure, new address to find, but sat nav will help.
Thanks for the best wishes,
Happy and/or Merry Christmas to all,
from us too,
Hilary & Bob
We didn’t go far. About a 30 minute local drive.
Sat nav told us there were road works and took us down roads I’d never travelled before but we arrived okay and had a great day.
Tried the car in sports mode and got shouted at as the bowl of trifle we were transporting was in danger on some of the corners. It was fun though.
The trifle arrived safely.
Liked the auto dip head lights, wipers that turn themselves off and on as needed, and parking proximity sensors, quite posh really.
The image of trifle in danger of spilling over amused me and I am glad you all arrived safely. This time last year I was in the stroke ward and Christmas day all the family visited and wheeled me by chair to the coffee shop for hot chocolate and a muffin. They then left to spend Christmas together leaving me with my new friends in the ward and their individual challenges.
By contrast this year we managed a two hour walk through the forest followed by an hours kip on the settee. Onwards and upwards and best wishes to all for 2025.
Bob3
. I’m out tonight with my girlfriends and really looking forward to socialising like the old post stroke days.
And yet locally I have no problem.