annies adventures part 1

When I started writing my blog I had two goals. The first was that it needed to help stroke survivors in some way and second, I would only write what I would share with someone in person.

I recently visited Madrid with Bob while he attended a conference. I didn’t blog about it because I couldn’t figure out how it met the first goal.

One of my sisters thought there was no way I could go because the long plane ride and my inability to sit for ~12 hours.  This turned out to be a non-issue thanks to Bob.  Yes, the aisles are narrow for walking and the bathrooms are tiny. We managed. The leg room was fine and Bob kindly assisted me to the bathroom when needed.  Once we arrived in Madrid, I was able to immediately begin speaking Spanish and found that my two years of lessons via Skype from a school in Guatemala paid off.  We arranged for a handicap room at the hotel. I learned when you request this you need to understand exactly what you are requesting.  The handicap room, in our case, included a very large walk-in shower.  The larger shower meant smaller living space and twin beds.  The shower had no door or curtain because hoteliers assume you want to roll in a wheelchair.  You couldn’t continuously run the water because lack of a door resulted in a less than optimal experience.  I would not request a handicap room in the future or I would ask questions about the accommodations for sleeping, bathing, etc.

We arranged for a wheel chair at the hotel and our first night Bob and I walked 4 miles to visit a Madrid microbrewery.  Bob walked and I rode. We could have taken a cab, but this was a good way to tour the city.

Other activities included a bus visit to another city, outdoor cafes for tapas, museums, attending conference center activities, and visiting a local artisan market to buy wine and cheese.

The trip was fantastic and upon reflection, just to be strong enough to go to Europe as a stroke survivor met my first goal.  I worked hard through therapy prior to this trip to increase my stamina and improve walking.  I wish I didn’t need the wheelchair but for now this is not an option when the terrain is uneven and when the territory is unfamiliar.

As a stroke survivor, I learned I can travel internationally. I also discovered how much work I still have to do.