Holiday at last!

At long last my husband agreed to us going away on holiday. Not for long - a weekend - and not alone = all the family came too. 

This was our long-delayed 'Mayfest' weekend which should have taken place at Bank Holiday but got postponed due to my stroke.

We picked a converted barn in Ashover with a downstairs bedroom,  old fireplaces and velvet sofas.

The garden backed onto fields and open countryside, but we mainly stayed inside, playing board games, apart from dinner on Saturday evening.

It was idyllic. Especially after such a bad summer.

 

A longer trip to Calke Abbey

Next step was to take a walk at Calke - with the stick. We caught the buggy from the reception desk to the gardens, walked round, then caught it back again. Much easier!

The gardens were quite quiet, the noise of the Summer of Play being contained behind walls. This meant sitting in the walled garden or orchard was peaceful.

From the walled garden we went to see the dahlia display.

Then into the walled garden at the end, where we sat under the trees for a while before heading back to catch the buggy.

 

A Short Trip to Carsington Reservoir

We went to Carsington at the end of July. My first time walking with a stick instead of rollator, which was exciting, but tiring. I walked round the visitor centre, had an ice lolly, and walked a little way towards Stones Island, which was far enough!

The grass was parched, but the water looked high. I muct go back soon and check this, as last September the water level was drastically low, and the met office are saying we need 120% of normal rainfall! Things sound still desperate.

 

Kedleston Hall

Next, I went out to Kedleston Hall with my trusty rollator.

We went down to the cafe first, then wandered into the pleasure grounds.

It was nice to see the flowers but it soon began to feel like too much, and I was glad to get back to the car.

 

Markeaton Park

My first trip out was to Markeaton Walled garden, with the help of my rollator.

The garden was pretty in the summer sun.

And across the driveway into Markeaton was the sensory garden, designed to appeal to other senses such as smell or touch, with lavender and roses.

It seemed like a long walk at th time.

 

Recovery

 My second stroke was worse than the first.. I couldn't use my left side properly; my foot and hand dragged. I came home after a few days, having progressed to a zimmer frame, with two of them and two perching stools for the toilet. A physiotherapist turned up a few days later with better improved ones (I wasn't convinced and soon sent them back),a cushion for my chair, and a stool for my feet. Another came soon afterwards with a bath bar - to help me get in and out easily- and arranged for a second banister to help up the stairs.

I soon started to get around the house - the physiotherapist stopped me venturing into the garden - but then I fell in the bath! Another ambulance ride and a long day in the hospital but allowed home at midnight with no broken bones.

This impeded my recovery. Everything ached and my right leg was useless.

Gradually things improved. Moving round the house became easier. I started taking short walks round the block with a zimmer frame, then with my walking stick, then without. Now I just need to work on distance.

I was left for long periods while husband was at the allotment, with nothing to do. I tried to read - Very slow. I did Sudokas. My daughter had bought me an Indian colouring-in book and I started with that, then another she bought, a book of Penguin covers. It proved very slow at first but I gradually improved.

One thing I wanted to do was my knitting.I was quite worried about this. My fingers didn't respond properly at first, and I was worried I might not be able to knit; able to remember how to do it, but not has the dexterity or remember how. It was another thing which was slow at first but which got quicker with practice and I eventually finished my cardigan and started another.

 

I know of people who are a lot worse than me, but things are looking up and progressing in the right direction. Now I just need to persuade my husband to take a holiday ...

Chatsworth

My next trip out - to Chatsworth   - proved a little too over-tiring, It was a warm day and the exercise was too much.

Along to the Emperor Fountain and up the avenue beneath the trees was okay.

But, once we reached the Strid and headed on to the higher pond things started to get harder going.

From here we headed through Arcadia and back to the top of the Cascade. This involves some short but steep climbs and it was very hot by now.

 I felt okay when we'd done but I think it added to my second stroke.