Friday 28 August 2015

Club Brugge away

So here we go again! 

This morning was manic, I had to pack, get ready, go to the vets and the pet shop oh and do some baking! Some lovely cheese scones for my trip! 

Eventually I made it on my way with my brother and dad in the car, we were off to Birmingham international! We made it in good time and I managed to go toilet before they left, as a wheelchair user train toilets are an absolute nightmare! I was really pissed off for the second ti,e today, first because my prescription hadn't come in so no meds, secondly because I'd paid for a first class ticket and the lady told me I had Togo to the platform with 40 minutes to spare! Anyway I wasn't happy but went anyway, bye bye warm first class lounge! I had a nice chat to the guy who turned out to be a Birmingham City fan! 



The train arrived and as I'm writing this I'm on my way to Coventry! Will have to ring my friend at Watford to find out his location before I know it I'll be on my way to Kent ready for my second journey early tomorrow on the euro tunnel ... Here I come Brugge! 

Well the London leg as per usual took longer than it really should have! After getting off the train eventually! The man decides he couldn't push me and Carry my bags .. I only had 4 and 1 was on my lap and another on my handles!! So had to call for someone else to help!! Then a man came in a golf buggy with my friend!! Then the fun started first having to walk across to kings cross, what is with Euston sort it out your a main line station! Then onto the tube, Victoria line to green park making sure you get on the right bit of platform or you won't get out! Then onto a packed green park and then locating lifts to get on the jubilee line! Then a really packed train to Greenwich! That journey took over an hour .. We got to Kent quicker lol!!

I was excited and nervous going to sleep Tuesday night, my first European away as a wheelchair user and not knowing what to expect or how the rheumatoid would cope .. Lots of unknown!

So I set my alarm for 4:45am which meant I was getting about 5 hours sleep!! I woke up feeling a bit apprehensive and my body not liking this early morning start!

So on we go to Folkestone to catch the euro tunnel another new experience for me. I got really annoyed as was booked on the 9:20 and wasn't allowed on it because they had low capacity even though it had been paid for! So ended up on the 9:50 train to France. The tunnel was quicker than I expected and didn't take long so that was nice!





Next to stop getting off and remembering we was on the other side of the road always throws me!! The drive to Brugge was a lot quicker than I expected it took about 1 and half hours going through France and Belgium! Getting lost once it seemed they had put a roundabout in and it threw the sat nav! Eventually making it to Brugge we then spent a while driving around trying to find the stadium after going through a wood and encounting two police barriers we made it to the stadium yay!



At the stadium we was told that we had to go into the centre of Brugge, so off out in my wheelchair, we decided to go on the concrete instead of loose stones and the police man shouted at us think he though we were going in the stadium! It took I don't know 30 min to walk into brugge at a steady rate!





Brugge is a beautiful place, the market centres, the waterways, the buildings and the shops! I brought myself a magnet and a postcard! Then I got dad some Belgium chocolates, I'm sure he will enjoy them! Had a drink at a bar with United fans every where! Spirits where high, singing loud, best experience I've ever had, I have to admit!





We walked back to the stadium ahead of the police March with the united fans as advised to. Then it started raining so I sat in the car! We were aloud Togo into the stadium early as it was raining!

Well point one, the toilet was leaking rain water so careful if u want a pee u may be rained on lol! We went to see the disabled area and we just laughed it was a big wall in front of us lucky we had gate!





Now I'll tell you first about the torrential rain and we feared we wouldn't even see the game as it was that bad and the wheelchair section isn't under cover, so the club kindly supplied us with blue pac a macs (yup I laughed too!!) then when the rain had eventually gone it seemed we would make it through the game!!



So the wheelchair section .. Well we couldn't get food or drink or even a program so that was a bit disappointing. But then the big yellow door that kept is in didn't seem that safe and the ramp access shall we say wasn't that stable!! However the wall in front of us was the worse, lucky there was a gate so me and others sat there too see the match! 



Was lovely to meet Andy, Scott and Zoe. Also great to catch up with the lady I meet in Southampton last season who I don't remember her name and Alex Jon and his brother. There was I think 7 of us altogether was a fab atmosphere in our little section we even got a match tactical sheet!

The game it's self was fantastic we won 4-0 and our captain Wayne Rooney scored a hatrick yay! Oh and my friend up in the away section was whistling me to get my attention I waved hehe!! 



After the match I needed the toilet which ended up with us being locked in the toilet cage hehe!! Then it was back to the car and waiting for the United fans Togo past us, they seemed happy haha!! Then it was back onto the road we got a bit lost in France near the port lol!! We then got a much earlier train so got back earlier, I was in bed and asleep by 3am!!





Fantastic away match, so greatful to experience these matches

Xx

LegoLand

So the start of August we decided to go on a day trip to legoland, well me, Carolyn, Matt and the littles ladies ended up going!

The journey down wasn't as long as expected so that was ideal, although getting up so early wasn't my favourite thing todo, I hate getting up early!

The day was fab, I was taking lots of pictures on my camera which I haven't uploaded yet, sorry people! My cousin, Matt and the girls were on and off rides they looked like they were having a fantastic time, the girls loved the log flume and getting wet, lucky for us it was a warm day!

My day was spent swatting wasps and flying ants with the legoland Map haha!! 

I loved seeing the model area with Big Ben and such really impressive I did enjoy the Glastonbury bit hehe!!

We left Legoland and my knee was really hurting :( but I thought well we will be home soon! Then the real adventure started!!

We got onto the motorway and though won't be long til we are home now! Then the car stopped on the hard shoulder it just lost power! So had to ring recovery next thing we know there's road traffic behind us as a wheelchair user I couldn't get out the car! So I got to sit in the car while Matt spoke to them next thing rac arrived.

Unfortunately they wouldn't take us home instead leaving us at a hotel for a tow truck! So we ended up getting a taxi from the Oxford area all the way back to our home town about 80 miles my knee is bits but still smiling for the girls! 

We got home very late and I went straight to bed took a few days to recover.

But I'd do it all again to spend time with my family making precious memories

Xx

Saturday 22 August 2015

Update health

So this blog is the hardest out of my three tonight, I guess your wondering why, because this blog is personal to me, my health, the last few days, hopefully you'll understand the pain and why I've not been blogging much, but I will try and blog more!

So where to start firstly might as well start at the top! Unfortunately my jaw has been flaring a lot causing my eating to be random as it depends on the jaw how or what or when I can eat, not great to be honest with you.

Down to my neck which now seems to have gotten rheumatoid and makes things difficult with simple things like turning your head mainly bad first thing in the morning. This is also affecting my eating but I'm trying to work through it.

Then down to my shoulders wow have they got bad, it seems like they are moving in towards my chest, they hurt loads, worse time of the day is night and in the morning because if the lack of activity.

Elbows and hands are also bad, it's getting harder to get tops on now cuz my clothes are catching on my elbows.

But the good news is, my GP tells me my hip movement is excellent haha!! Unfortunately I do need my gel or that area swells at night at its just not nice at all.

My knees are well, my left one has retracting to before physio, so that's really disappointing for me. My left one has got worse but I'm still getting to transfer.

My ankles and feet are also worse but I guess that was bound to Happen.

The good news is I am still able to transfer and I'm still smiling, the bad news is it's getting worse and less bare able .. Life really does suck at times.

My heart appointment was cancelled and I now don't know when I'll see my consultant, I'll have to chase them up.

It was my mums 7 year anniversary this week. Mum I miss you so bad I just wish you could give me that hug and tell me it's going to be ok. 

Well that's my update, I'm going to do some more blogs after my trip to Brugge 

Take care everyone

Keep smiling

Live your life to the fullest

Love me xx

Brugge and Swansea next week

I guess your call this blog part 1 of 3 as we have the first pre journey, the second Brugge away and thirdly Swansea away!!

So I found out I had tickets for Brugge away, how exciting my first European away match, my debut!! Not sure what to expect for disabled facilities but it's sure to be an experience!

So first off I decided I would get a travel cushion because it's going to be a long ass journey! So the plan is to leave around 7am for the euro tunnel which means getting up very early for me! Then drive across to Brugge and of course I'll take some pics along the way!

After the match we are driving back to France! Before I know it it'll be back in England.

I'm really not sure how my rheumatoid is going to cope with this journey but here's hoping it'll be fine! If not well I'll trust in my painkillers! 

I intend to rest up and ready for the next journey!

Driving to Swansea for a long trip and my second game in a week! It shouldn't be such a bad journey! I am told Swansea is very good for disabled access so I'll let you know what I think after the match! 

So that's all happening next week, let's do this together, positive thoughts for Vicky!! 

Villa away

So on Friday 14th my first experience of Friday night football!! 

The original plan was to leave last minute after all we only live like 18 miles from villa park! I was reading Twitter and then I saw that the m6 had been closed near villa park, oh no! So change of plan we had tolerate earlier than expected! 

The journey to villa park took nearly 2 hours, what a nightmare, but thankfully I wasn't coming from too far away! We got to the car park eventually after a long journey! We asked if we could park at a different location because we needed to get the wheelchair out the car, the kind car park attendant allowed us to, thank you Mr parking man!! 

When then made our way to our seats, well hmm not the best directions given, but never mind. Most people I am sure thought we were villa fans because we sounded like them lol!! I was even given a sweet and ballon .. Yeah I wasn't that's impressed lol

The entrance to villa park was wide and easily accessible for the wheelchair which was good. Inside there was plenty of places to get food and drink, I noticed one unit had a lowered window, wasn't sure if it was for wheelchair users or just the building!

The blocks were well sighed so easy to find our place, with the home face, oh no!

Here's my view:


We were some of the first to arrive at villa park, I was worried fellow fans wouldn't make it lucky they did!

I used the toilets at villa park and found them operated by the radar key system, the toilet was large however for me turning on one foot was a little difficult as it was so close to the wall!! Plus a spider in the sink didn't help!!

As for the game it ended 1-0 to Manchester United hurray!!

Was disappointed to see some fans shouting at United disabled fans.

On a plus it took us just over an hour to get home!

Xx