Weekend Away

For the long weekend I went away with a friend of mine and one of her friends. We didn't have anything crazy planned, just get out of the city and visit her home town.

When she invited me to come with her I was really excited about the idea but equally nervous. Up until that point I had only really traveled to and stayed at my parents' house. Other than that I've stayed overnight at a couple friends' apartments maybe all of three times and just for the one night. The thought of being in a car for a good six plus hours, the farthest/longest I've traveled since my surgery, and staying three nights in an unfamiliar house I'd never been too, it seemed like a lot. I was back and forth for a couple days on whether I would go or not.

In the end my decision wasn't just about this particular trip but with every trip I may want to take in the future in mind. At some point I would have to go out of my comfort zone and travel farther and stay longer in a place I didn't know. The added bonus of this trip would be that of all my friends, I probably trust her the most in terms of helping me with any physical disadvantages I may encounter or need to figure out. She definitely knows and understands my physical capabilities and limits better than anyone else. I knew that if I ran into any issues she would help me or even brainstorm with me to find a different way I could do it myself. Not that I ask  for help anyway.

I'm always surprised when packing to go anywhere, even if it's just to my parents. I feel like I have/require several mobility aids but in actuality I only have a couple. Most importantly there's my crutches, but it's impossible for me to forget them. If I am going somewhere for more than the day, I will often bring my second pair of crutches. I may want to switch between them depending on what I'm doing. As long as I'm bringing or using my forearm crutches, I will bring my modified shoes as well. These are the only "extras" I brought with me for the weekend. I decided to leave my shower bench behind even though there was room in the car. This was in part because I was pretty sure I'd be able to manage the shower without it. At least I hoped so. Not having seen their shower before did make me nervous though. The other part is that it's a little embarrassing. I feel like I'm 90 years old bringing it along.

Everything went smoothly. My friend's friend and her family were all great and really accommodating. Everyone was willing to give me a hand whenever I needed it, and even when I didn't. The drive was long and my butt was sore by the end of it, both there and back. It wasn't just me though. We were all sore and stiff by the time we got out of the car. I'm pretty sure I'd have felt relatively the same had I not gone through my surgery.

Not only was it a fantastic trip, I had such a great time, but I've now pushed the limit in my mind of what I think I can handle. I likely won't hesitate as long next time an opportunity to travel/get away comes up.