It's the little things

A few Saturdays ago Nan and I went out for coffee and cake. It's something we try and do on a regular basis, and something I've written about it here. This occasion was the first since her move into residential care. When I asked her if she would like to go out, she replied 'yes please, if I'm allowed. It will give me something to look forward to.' I was hoping to take her to one of her favourite lunch spots for a portion of cheesy chips but because James and I had an appointment at the bank, or so we thought, we couldn't pick her up until around 2pm. So coffee and cake it was.

When it came to picking her up, I felt nervous. Why? We'd gone out many times before and I was used to using Grandad's adapted van which I'd borrowed. But what I wasn't used to was taking Nan out in the van, attaching the straps to her wheelchair. What I wasn't used to was picking her up and taking her back to the residential home and the staff there. I wasn't used to her not being able to stand up and move her bottom back in the seat if she felt she was sliding forward.

As it turned out, there was no need for me to worry. I was able to push her up the ramp and into the van without much effort, I found suitable places to attach the straps to ensure both her and the wheelchair were secure and safe. We drove the short distance to Woodbridge, where we walked across the train tracks and along a section of the river wall. We sat in the window of a local coffee shop and watched the world go by for about an hour before heading back. I don't think Nan really enjoyed the journey, as being in the back of the van can be quite a bumpy ride, but I do think she enjoyed being outside in the fresh air, being surrounded by different views and different people. It showed us both that her move into residential care hasn't affected us going out together, and hopefully, we'll continue to do so, just as we did before.