All up and about by 8am, friends were coming for breakfast so all hands were on deck working in the kitchen.
Stuart managed well in the bathroom and was able to attend to his personal care without a commode chair. He put the shower on hold until he got back to RNS. The gel cushion that sits on top of the regular toilet seat did the job. He found it quite comfortable and suitable for weekend use. He rolled up/down the ramp again today, nicer when it is dry but rather chilly on a winters morning in Canberra.
Chandani and the girls had breakfast ready when our guests arrived and once again it was just beaut to have the family together and spending time with friends. Jess and Amy left at 10 to head back to Newcastle and Woolongong.
Stuart was able to show us his standing/ balancing skills in the corner of the deck before flying back to Sydney and RNS at 2pm. Iain enjoyed standing next to Stuart and having to look up at him!!!
Stu here, my trip to and from the airport was the hardest part of my weekend. I caught the train to Central station where I to change platforms to catch the airport link train. When I got to below the platform to change lines I found the lift wast out of order, this is the only way to get up onto the platform in a wheelchair. I was not impressed. The only way I could get up there was to catch the city circle train from a platform that had a lift working, took me back around through the stops I'd already been on through to Circular Quay and then back to Central. I was then on the right platform to catch the the airport train. Adding another 20 minutes onto my trip. I got to the airport just in time to check in.
On the way home I was going to catch the train back, but when I asked if they had fixed the elevator on the platform at Central I was told no. So I was going to get off at Wynyard which is on the same line for the trip home to the hospital from Central. But there was track work on line from Central around to Wynyard... their suggestion was to go out to Wolli Creak and change over to another suburban line and then back to Central. It would have taken about an hour or more just to get there. I was very disappointed with City Rail. If I didn't know to ask about the lift etc I would have been stuck in Central on the platform unable to get down to other line. I got my money back and just caught a cab to Central and then trained it to the Hospital. The plane trips from Sydney to Canberra and back were faultless which was made me feel a lot better after my eventful train rides. And it was nice to spend some time with the girls and also stay with Peter and Chandani....love that curry.
Saturday 29th August
Our Jess was 21 today and we all meet up in Canberra to celebrate. Maggie, Iain and I drove up from Wagga Wagga. Jessica and Amy caught the bus down together from Sydney and Stuart flew.
We arrived to a very wet Canberra just in time to collect Stuart from the airport. We had some fun trying to get the wheelchair into the Golf. Iain almost became one with the chair as we drove to Duffy, a very close encounter....should of had the camera out.
We had a late lunch with the Prammers. The house that Peter built(after the Canberra bush fires) was brilliant for Stuart in his chair. With a ramp as well as stairs to access the upstairs living areas. A little unpleasant if raining, but Stuart was able to to time his runs pretty well and keep dry.
The gang then got into their party clothes and we headed off to the Mawson Club for Amy Mill's 21st.
I did my nursing training with Barb and the girls were born on the 29/08/1988...all those years ago. It was a great night, just fantastic to have the troops all together, enjoying themselves and catching up. It was the first time we had been out where everyone was able to have a drink, so we got a lift to the party and then a maxi cab home. Stuart was able to get in the front, chair in the boot and we just piled in. The Mosman pit team would would get the points though when it comes to getting the chair into a car and then back together. Guess we were hampered by the rain and the dark!!!
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