Can you live one day like everyone else? No
only...if everyone KNEW...how Bloom - ing difficult it is.
Yesterday I had a fab day in Bloom - Dublin, our annual Garden showcase. Thousands go...and yes, it was chocker full. And I did have a great time - I don't want to deny THAT.
But you are, every hour 'reminded' - you are a) sick, b) disabled. c) not walking d) not included really e) causing a hassle
The Journey
Getting there was a nightmare as Ann and I had to travel by public transport and a taxi. Here's the timetable
6.am - up
7.30am - leave house to go meet up with Ann.
8am - Leave Ann's house to go to Station
8.30am - At DART station, man pre-booked to get us on.
9.30am Arrive Connolly station - Man pre-booked to get us off
9.30- 9.45 - loo stop before proceeding onwards
9.45 am Go to LUAS to catch Tram
10.10am arrive Heuston Station
10-15am - find the taxi - we know the driver.
10.15am because only one taxi available he takes Ann off to Phoenix Park to 'Bloom'
I sit at Heuston Station waiting for him to return. Go get a croissant & use ATM to get money
11am Taxi arrives back for me
11.30 arrive Bloom - 3 and a half hours later. already exhausted.
Needless to say had we a PA (personal assistant) and a van for two wheelchairs we would have been there in an hour!
8am picking up coffee - Ann (I don't drink coffee!)
on first train into Dublin
Hauling me out of taxi at Bloom
We have a great day at 'Bloom' ; crowds were happy, the sun was shining , mostly. the flowers were fab, the show gardens fascinating. We did enjoy muchly.
Seeking a space to peer & gawp at the garden earmarked for 'a look' was ...complicated. so many people and you are in a sitting position and everyone else is standing.
You creep, as much as one can 'creep' in a powered wheelchair, edging towards the ropes of the said garden. People walk in font of you as if they didn't see you, some actually don't. One man fell into my lap (practically) and inadvertently turned off my wheelchair as his hand gabbed the steering arm.
Another, a woman also 'fell into my lap' grabbed me and profusely apologised; "Oh I'm so sorry, so sorry, I'm so sorry" all the time shaking and stroking my hand and arm. "it's ok, no, its ok, really its fine ...so sorry myself...its fine" I reply whilst inwardly groaning.
You just find room and the crowds think the space in front of you still leaves enough for them to walk in procession...
"er, hey, you, STOP, STOP...don't walk in front of me I'm looking at the garden"
One woman actually climbed over my legs and wheelchair to get in front of me.
The rain pours in a flash shower. Everyone's under the trees. We get our free gizmo out, given to us at the 'Dementia Garden'...a plastic ball in which is a rain mac. I struggle to open it. Thinking its my muscle myopathy I ask a man to open. He couldn't either...but eventually did.
Ann get a stranger to dig out her proper rain mac...whilst a woman 'dressed us both'. Haven't a clue who she was...total stranger. Nice to have my mac on...but...all dignity is surrendered. If only my PA was with me.
Lunch (no, they don't expect two bloody great wheelchairs with occupants)
We find a huge lunch tent. Q up. trays are difficult. the roped Q narrow. woman in front offers to take anything I need off top shelf; "No, I'm fine, going for a cooked lunch" I say in utter crip gratitude (hundredth time). I am grateful...but it's tiring. Oh for my OWN PA .
Get lunch and catering person carries to table but WE have to traverse tables and chairs to get to it.
Chairs are moved, shoved, taken away. People shift, move forward, back, move the whole table to let us through. Finally, I'm scrunched sideways on to my table so put plate on my lap. and decide to eat with my hands. sod the knife and fork! (sausages & chips - doable) . getting out, same processes...shift, shove, move, disrupt, bang, clatter, OUT!
Departure timetable
More garden looking but by
3pm we are shattered. We go to Bloom office and call for a disabled accessible taxi. None available - all contracted out to the HSE they tell us..er..its a bank holiday weekend - Saturday? HSE are using all the publics disabled accessible taxi's? huh?
The bloom office try to find others, one guy goes down to the phoenix park monument to try flag one down, no luck.
3.40pm- after waiting 40 minutes we decide to go under our own steam to the LUAS .
We bootle through the park stopping for ice cream. see the deer. sunshine with showers.
4.15 pm arrive Heuston LUAS
4.30 pm on LUAS to Connolly station
4.40 pm - at Connolly Station - no DART train until 5.20pm
4.40 pm - 5.10pm cuppa tea, loo stop in station.
5.20pm put on DART by ramp man
6.30pm arrive Greystones
starts to spit rain
7pm - arrive at my door, the heavens open.
shattered is not the word.
Did I enjoy my day - yes
Was it fun - mostly
Was it easy - No
Did I learn a lot - yes
Could it have been better - Yes
Am I glad I went - Yes
what's my verdict ...the Bloom 'disabled accessibility' needs more work on it, but cannot fault the kindness, respect and help we did get. Marvellous. but it was
Bloom -ing difficult!
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