Dorset 2011

we are back at the Dorset farm for a weeks holiday. As with the cruise, the success of last year prompted us to book this year's holiday as we left. And as with the cruise I really didn't know whether I would actually make it. This break is actually more challenging than the cruise where everything is on hand without having to go anywhere. Travelling in the car has become pretty difficult. Even though the outdoor wheelchair copes well with compensating for the car's awful suspension, it can't counter the effects of the physical forces involved with accelerating, braking and cornering. So with ever weakening neck muscles, its fairly exhausting. To complicate things, wearing a neck restraint isn't an option because I need to tilt my head forward in order to swallow saliva without choking. The two and a half hour journey was spent fighting the acceleration forces, trying to control tilting my head forward every 30 seconds to allow me to swallowing and then struggle to lift it back up again. I try to coordinate all this with accelerating and braking to assist with movements. Trying to lift my head up while braking and going down hill is impossible, as is trying lower my head while accelerating. Needless to say, I was shattered when I arrived and my neck felt like I had been trying to balance a sack of spuds on my head for two and a half hours. I can't think of a solution and I am not looking forward to the return journey.


The rest of yesterday was ok, the hoist we had rented had arrived and my carer, Rasa arrived shortly after us having driven down in tracy's car. The whole carer arrangements had been a nightmare. I had found out only 4 days ago that funding for a carer hadn't been approved, and without which no carer would be provided. Also even if was agreed they wouldn't provide her with a car. Many emails later and with less a day to spare, we got everything sorted.