Chapter 176 - Returned from the South
We were in My Old Home Town for my high school re-union during the October long weekend. Although we took her walker, she remained in the motel room during the Saturday, relying on room service, rather than venturing forth as I suspect she intended. However, on Friday afternoon and Sunday we walked about town impulse shopping. She was very pleased with the service from a sewing shop that was able to sell her a foot that had been "on order" at another place back home, a place she will avoid in future. Although she insisted any pain in her lower back was decreasing, she continued to use a special pillow while in the truck and sometimes a small decorative one behind her back.
The following Monday we continued to Batman City where we stayed four nights in a flea pit motel in the suburb where the old company office once was 20 years ago. We remained at the motel because it was within walking distance of the shopping centre, tram terminus & not far from several friends that we visited on two evenings. Also the motel beds were unusually comfortable. On the first day there we took a tram into the City. She coped very well with the modern trams with their entrance ways level with the roadway - there were no gaps as with trains between platform and train and no steps. Neither of us enjoyed the visit into the City with its congestion - we found toilets, something to eat and that the movie theatres had moved and were showing nothing she wished to see, so we caught a crowded tram back to the suburbs.
At the end of that week we relocated down to Pivot City so that we could visit family over the weekend. Three visits to see grandchildren not seen for several years. She celebrated her birthday with them on the Saturday evening. At the motel she found the single bed to be a painful experience so shared the double bed with me sleeping on portion of her special satin sheet and she feeling the air from my CPAP machine. On the Sunday we had time for surprise visits to two sets of old friends. On the way I detoured to take photos of a creek which I wished to embroider but she did not wish to walk along the pathway on the beautiful sunny morning.
On the return trip home she did not wish to have an overnight stay in the Old Home Town, so we continued on to German Town where we enjoyed an expensive dinner & a comfortable room for the night. A fitting end to our holiday. In total we travelled 1700 kms and spent a month's income on a 10 day holiday. As always, most motel rooms are unsuitable for disabled persons even if advertised as such. Grab rails, should they be available, tend to be designed and positioned by the inexperienced, rooms have entry steps or floor discontinuities between wet & dry areas and management seem to think the disabled are only those people in wheel chairs.
And the following day after arriving home we had a birthday lunch with the Ugly Sisters at the club at Highlands Town. Yesterday we re-stocked the kitchen cupboards after seeing the movie "Charlie & Boots" which she found very entertaining even though she sat crookedly in the theatre seat. Even though she kept insisting that the pain in her lower back was diminishing as our holiday progressed, I believe she was suffering quietly. She says that the pain is really only there when seated in the truck. An appointment with our local GP has been made for Tuesday next week at the earliest - she could see someone else but prefers not to.
In a fortnight we plan to head north to Cane Toad country but this will be cancelled if the doctor finds anything serious with her lower back. The day before we went south I had made an appointment for both of us to have the Swine Flu injections; neither of us had any reactions although she still has a bruise on her arm at the injection site. We have been surprised that every one we have spoken to since has stated that they will not be having the injections. I fail to understand their fears.
The following Monday we continued to Batman City where we stayed four nights in a flea pit motel in the suburb where the old company office once was 20 years ago. We remained at the motel because it was within walking distance of the shopping centre, tram terminus & not far from several friends that we visited on two evenings. Also the motel beds were unusually comfortable. On the first day there we took a tram into the City. She coped very well with the modern trams with their entrance ways level with the roadway - there were no gaps as with trains between platform and train and no steps. Neither of us enjoyed the visit into the City with its congestion - we found toilets, something to eat and that the movie theatres had moved and were showing nothing she wished to see, so we caught a crowded tram back to the suburbs.
At the end of that week we relocated down to Pivot City so that we could visit family over the weekend. Three visits to see grandchildren not seen for several years. She celebrated her birthday with them on the Saturday evening. At the motel she found the single bed to be a painful experience so shared the double bed with me sleeping on portion of her special satin sheet and she feeling the air from my CPAP machine. On the Sunday we had time for surprise visits to two sets of old friends. On the way I detoured to take photos of a creek which I wished to embroider but she did not wish to walk along the pathway on the beautiful sunny morning.
On the return trip home she did not wish to have an overnight stay in the Old Home Town, so we continued on to German Town where we enjoyed an expensive dinner & a comfortable room for the night. A fitting end to our holiday. In total we travelled 1700 kms and spent a month's income on a 10 day holiday. As always, most motel rooms are unsuitable for disabled persons even if advertised as such. Grab rails, should they be available, tend to be designed and positioned by the inexperienced, rooms have entry steps or floor discontinuities between wet & dry areas and management seem to think the disabled are only those people in wheel chairs.
And the following day after arriving home we had a birthday lunch with the Ugly Sisters at the club at Highlands Town. Yesterday we re-stocked the kitchen cupboards after seeing the movie "Charlie & Boots" which she found very entertaining even though she sat crookedly in the theatre seat. Even though she kept insisting that the pain in her lower back was diminishing as our holiday progressed, I believe she was suffering quietly. She says that the pain is really only there when seated in the truck. An appointment with our local GP has been made for Tuesday next week at the earliest - she could see someone else but prefers not to.
In a fortnight we plan to head north to Cane Toad country but this will be cancelled if the doctor finds anything serious with her lower back. The day before we went south I had made an appointment for both of us to have the Swine Flu injections; neither of us had any reactions although she still has a bruise on her arm at the injection site. We have been surprised that every one we have spoken to since has stated that they will not be having the injections. I fail to understand their fears.
posted by Kilpike | 7:46 am
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