My day at the seaside...

[Snow_Leopard]

Went to Southend-on-Sea yesterday… 3 sheltered schemes went together… so this was my day:

Firstly a 50 seater ‘luxury’ coach had been ordered but apparently it had broken down so they sent 2 little buses… NOT luxury by any stretch of imagination.

They picked my scheme up first and then went to the second scheme and one of their tenant’s daughter hadn’t arrived yet so we were forced to wait over half an hour for her! We were furious naturally because quite honestly on a trip like that if you’re not there on time it’s too bad. You’ve missed it!

By this time we had already been on the bus three-quarters of an hour!

Then we went to the third scheme and they were of course furious too as they had all been waiting for the bus. Then because the buses were not ‘luxury’ they had trouble getting a very disabled man up the narrow, steep steps.

So we ended up getting to Southend at 10.45… and we had been on the coach since 8.30! Southend is about an hour’s journey from here!!!

Anyway the weather was lovely and it was fun being with my carer (she’s the lady who does my cleaning) but my goodness it all seemed like hard work. I had really had it by 1pm and the coach wasn’t leaving till 4.30 pm!

My buttock pain started almost immediately we were on the bus… which I knew it would as it always does… and lasted until I got home. I took 4 ibuprofin during the day. (and that on top of Amitriptyline) … 2 in morning… 2 in afternoon… and the most they did was take the edge of it for a while. It went right down my leg and was intense pain.

As usual, the second I arrived home and was on Big Bertha, my recliner, the pain stopped!!!

My carer was very nice to be with but she’s so unfocused some of the time it felt a bit perilous in the wheelchair. One time she let go of it completely on a slanting pavement and I literally rolled forward and off the kerb into the road and a man came and saved me!!!

Another time at a crossing she missed the dropped kerb and hit the kerb and I shot forward and the bag on my lap went flying!!!

She was very apologetic but blimey it was a bit scary.

Well there’s the story of my day… of course it included nice stuff… fish and chips and a double-choc ice cream… and it was lovely to see the sea and be outside in the sun… but at same time it was a nightmare. Although have to say throughout all of it there was much giggling… sort of hysterical giggling… traumatised hysterical giggling…

Going to have a very quiet day today as I’m SO tired and have sunburn on arms AND tomorrow I have a pub roast dinner with 8 adults and 2 children!!!

It never rains but it pours…

Have a good weekend everyone,

Pat xx

[Ninagrace7]

Sounds as though you’d have had a great day Pat, if only you didn’t have MS!

hope you can rest today and be ok for tomorrow.

sending hugs,

Nina xx

[mrsJ]

wow Pat you had whats called a very eventful day didnt you ? lol

hope you have a quiet day today to recharge.

J x

[skippysprite]

Definitely a day needed to rest today Pat, you’ve had what I call a very eventful day, some good bits but also plenty of not so good.

So frustrating when things have been planned like a military precision, and one thing goes wrong, and all hell breaks loose.

Glad you managed to see the sea Pat, that’s always the best bit for me. Take care and rest up today ready to enjoy tomorrow.

Pam x

[Min]

Pat I don’t know whether to say I’m happy for you having an outing and seeing the sea etc or to offer sympathy for a frustrating and scary experience. It’s always nice to have a day away but there are much more pleasant ways of going about it.

Instead I will say that I hope you managed to rest, that the pain has eased and that you have a lovely dinner tomorrow. I also hope this won’t put you off going out again - though I would find a slightly more responsible carer next time.

​Take care.

Cath x

[Steve_Snore]

Well that was a day out!

Seeing the sea is a wonderful thing. I miss it! I used to love hanging round West Kirby and New Brighton at any time. There are some spots on The Wirral where you can see both mouths of the Dee and Mersey.

The coach sounds a nightmare and would really put me off. It’s such a shame how things can let us down. I’m very reluctant to allow anyone but my wife push me about. Two mates of mine have sent me crashing over pavements but we’re still on speaking terms.

I suppose we put it down to experience. Have you read “Last Orders” by Graham Swift? A large part of it includes a drive to Southend.

Best wishes, Steve x

[Snow_Leopard]

Thank you gang for lovely responses.

Feel a bit recovered today as spent all of yesterday doing absolutely sweet FA! (Watched the series 'Grace and Frankie on Neflix… anyone seen it? I loved it!)

My son, daughter-in-law and grandson are due soon & we’re going for pub lunch with an old friend of mine and her (grown up) kids… our kids were all friends when they really were kids!

Steve, no I haven’t read that. I’ll see if they’ve got it on Kindle. Thanks.

Have a great Sunday everyone!

Pat xx

[Robin]

Hi Pam,

What an eventful day. Hope the sea air did you some good at least.

I’m still traumatised after going to Edinburgh at Christmas. We hired a wheelchair and my daughter and husband pushed me about. It was fine when my daughter pushed but it was really scary when my husband did it especially on cobbles. All I will say is thank goodness my daughter insisted I put on the seat belt.

We did have a hoot though.

She asked if we wanted to go to Budapest but I think it would be too traumatic.

Hope you have a lovely easy going lunch out.

Mags xx

[nindancer]

Ditto Cath, pleased for you having a day out but I HATE that kind of disorganisation so I’m really disappointed for you. I hope the pub lunch today was good even tho I guess you’ll probably feel a little frazzled! Big party of you so hope the pub looks ot for you all

Sonia x

[shellyonthebeach]

Hello Pat.

I’m glad you had a good tme it sounded both chaotic and fantastic. its such an ordeal for any of us to go places but well worth it in the end, My eldest son calls us the travelling circus and i feel more and more that the title really suits our family,… its such an ordeal to go anywhere and when your in a wheelchair, the amount of things that can go wrong increases, iv’e had a few near misses, Poor Frazer is always giving me that look I often feel as if we should have to pass some sort of a driving test before we are allowed out… and the stuff that can go wrong when someone else is pushing you …well iv’e ended up in ditches and muddy puddles and stuck in grids and a few times nearly ended up with extra passengers on my knee!!!

Oh well you survived Pat, and i’m glad you had a good time,… Don’t ever stop having the adventures!

Michelle x

[hoppity]

Hi Pat glad you had a good time

XXX Don