At long last (1 Viewer)

[knokinonabit]

Long story cut to the bones really.

After almost six years of caring for my mother at our home we had to finally admit her to a care home
She has Dementia and it got to the stage where we couldn't manage her on our own.
Anyway, she has been in care for five months now and we are doing what we set out to do six years ago.

Two weeks today we are going to give France, Spain and Portugal a severe coat of looking at.
We are doing a six week round trip and hope to build on it from there, Brexit or not.

We have looked at all the in's and out's, do's and don'ts and if we get it wrong, so be it.
I'm 69 now so figure I don't have a lot of travelling years left so I am going to make the most of them.

If you are in any of these countries and see an Autotrail Comanche on the wrong side of the road, wave, it will probably be me.

 

[busby]

Long story cut to the bones really.

After almost six years of caring for my mother at our home we had to finally admit her to a care home
She has Dementia and it got to the stage where we couldn't manage her on our own.
Anyway, she has been in care for five months now and we are doing what we set out to do six years ago.

Two weeks today we are going to give France, Spain and Portugal a severe coat of looking at.
We are doing a six week round trip and hope to build on it from there, Brexit or not.

We have looked at all the in's and out's, do's and don'ts and if we get it wrong, so be it.
I'm 69 now so figure I don't have a lot of travelling years left so I am going to make the most of them.

If you are in any of these countries and see an Autotrail Comanche on the wrong side of the road, wave, it will probably be me.

69,,you have years yet..I am 75 next and hoping I am still touring at 80 plus,fingers crossed..BUSBY.

 

[Kirsten]

May the sun shine on you and your plans xx

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[knokinonabit]

That's what I like to hear Busby.

 

[knokinonabit]

May the sun shine on you and your plans xx

I hope that's how it will work out.
Thank you

 

[busby]

May the sun shine on you and your plans xx

Funny you should say that,,we try our best to follow good weather..BUSBY.

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[Mikey RV]

Happy travels.

 

[Parrot Face]

Long story cut to the bones really.

After almost six years of caring for my mother at our home we had to finally admit her to a care home
She has Dementia and it got to the stage where we couldn't manage her on our own.
Anyway, she has been in care for five months now and we are doing what we set out to do six years ago.

Two weeks today we are going to give France, Spain and Portugal a severe coat of looking at.
We are doing a six week round trip and hope to build on it from there, Brexit or not.

We have looked at all the in's and out's, do's and don'ts and if we get it wrong, so be it.
I'm 69 now so figure I don't have a lot of travelling years left so I am going to make the most of them.

If you are in any of these countries and see an Autotrail Comanche on the wrong side of the road, wave, it will probably be me.

Good luck on the start of your new adventures. I have met loads of people in their late 80's pulling caravans or driving motorhomes, some with cars towing behind. The only thing we know about age is that its unpredictable. My advice now you're starting off is to keep a blog or some sort of record of your travels. You will often wonder where you where or how long you stayed. On occasions you'll find that you may need this information.

 

[Shrimp]

Good info from Parrot Face.
I keep a-sort of-diary, I log the Aire/campsite, the price for one night, the town/village, walks-am & pm (we have a dog) any highs/lows of the day, weather-am & pm and what was for supper, how I cooked it and wether it was ok!
Its interesting and has proved very useful over the years!

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[busby]

Good info from Parrot Face.
I keep a-sort of-diary, I log the Aire/campsite, the price for one night, the town/village, walks-am & pm (we have a dog) any highs/lows of the day, weather-am & pm and what was for supper, how I cooked it and wether it was ok!
Its interesting and has proved very useful over the years!

I have to keep a diary at home also,,if not I would forget what I did yesterday.?? BUSBY.

 

[Podney]

Great! You deserve some good times and I hope you have a wonderful adventure!

 

[DavidG58]

It is a really tough choice you have to make for everybody’s best interests ?

we are in a similar position although still a bit younger, moved mum in with us as she was lonely and scared alone at night in her own place

then she had a stroke and developed dementia, currently in hospital recovering from a bad dose of delerium, that was scary as it was a first time for us

but like you our lives were suddenly put on hold, we used care places for times when we went away but are made to feel a bit guilty each time

we are now very close to your current position, you have made a brave decision to get away for so long ?

does mum still know you? That will be our next big step change, at that point I will be able to go away for extended periods as well, before we hang up our MH keys, but I am only 61 ??

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[Jim]

Well done for looking after your mum. Now go and enjoy all those adventures. Best wishes

 

[Nanniemate]

Mum will be warm safe and well looked after, do not feel guilty she would be the first to tell you to get on with it. Have a ball an enjoy your adventures.

 

[POH]

just got to get rid of the daughter son already gone, and will be doing the same i'm 68 oh 62 can't wait.

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[Johnen]

You can travel now being aware that your mum is comfortable and being well cared for. I am your age, and do not even think about when I will need to stop touring Europe. The minute I get out of the tunnel my mood changes to holiday mode and am just happy to be over there, we sometimes travel 10 miles a day, other days we travel a few hundred miles. Just have no plans. Just enjoy your travels. Best wishes to you and your mother.

 

[Rob and Val]

knokinonabit, we hope you have a wonderful trip. When you come back to the UK you'll have lots of interesting stories to tell your Mum.

 

[knokinonabit]

It is a really tough choice you have to make for everybody’s best interests ?

we are in a similar position although still a bit younger, moved mum in with us as she was lonely and scared alone at night in her own place

then she had a stroke and developed dementia, currently in hospital recovering from a bad dose of delerium, that was scary as it was a first time for us

but like you our lives were suddenly put on hold, we used care places for times when we went away but are made to feel a bit guilty each time

we are now very close to your current position, you have made a brave decision to get away for so long ?

does mum still know you? That will be our next big step change, at that point I will be able to go away for extended periods as well, before we hang up our MH keys, but I am only 61 ??

We really reached a stage where it was nearly tearing us apart, so the decision, although hard, had to be made. We had sought advice from the GP, Mental Health Unit at our local hospital, Memory Clinic, Social Services etc. who all said they were surprised we had lasted as long as we had. The decision was still ours in the end though. We felt bad guilt up until very recently until she had a fall in the care home. The staff there are brilliant and we realised then that we would never have been able to give her the care that they do. That's really when the decision was made to stop feeling guilty and start our lives again.
As to the question of does she know us. Sometimes she recognises who we are but not our names. most of the last 70 years or so have been erased in part. She thinks her last home was the one she lived in before she married my dad. Sometimes she calls me Dougie, which I don't mind, except that it is our daughters dogs name. She thought my wife was the cleaner before she went in the home and didn't know I was married, even though our 33 year old son lives at home with us.

To sum it up, it's a very difficult thing to do, but you will know when it has to be done. no one else can make that decision for you.

Good luck with your future

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[DavidG58]

knokinonabit

have a great trip, glad you sorted things for Mum before it got between you ?

tomorrow my mother starts what we hope will be the first day in her new permanent residence

 

[knokinonabit]

knokinonabit

have a great trip, glad you sorted things for Mum before it got between you ?

tomorrow my mother starts what we hope will be the first day in her new permanent residence

Thanks for that. We'll certainly give it a good go.

We initially put my mother in for a weeks respite for us. It turned into permanent straight away.