20th August

We have talked about the guys now it is the girls turn….

Not trying to pigeon hole the girls but as much as I love guys, and our guys on this trip were and still are, very sexy, I had to have girls to do all my personal care. I think you can work out why, being 62 does not mean you have no go in me. Get my drift.

My personal care was total. In my case, as with a lot of disabled people, was not just put my in front of a sink and I could wash myself; put me in a shower and I would shower myself; give me a toothbrush and I would clean my teeth; put me on the loo, well lets stop on that one; give me my cloths and I would put them on. No, I had to be washed, showed, my teeth cleaned and my bottom cleaned. I had to be dressed. Not easy when joints will not move very easily... I also had to be feed and watered. At night I need help so had someone in my tent on sleepovers…That was the extent of my care requirements... and much more. I had to be lifted using a portable lightweight manual lift to be put into Alex or on to my stretcher. The girls did all this and much more…..

So what more did the girls do…One every day came out with me in the van doing all my personal care at the roadside or in the van. They also helped Graham read the route we were doing that day…This might be why we got lost a couple of times…When we did a battery change, remember they guys got it down to 6 minutes, they would help hoist me and stay with me as I dangled in mid air. This was a good time to eat some banners to raise my energy level…They helped with the coking back at camp and helped load and unload the van. If we were to find a hall for the night, it was one of the girls that found it for us…Hall door knocking became part of their job in the end...

So who were are these remarkable girls, ladies…

In no particular order….

Emmanuelle, Adie and Margaret. These three girls, they may prefer to be called ladies, are part of my home care team and have worked with me for many years.

Emanuel who is in her 30s, about 5’3 and petite; she I spent many evenings prior to taking on the E2E, in planning our accommodation along the route and marking the route on maps. The route I chose was, as I have said, was the CTC YHA route. The CTC route was broken down into two weeks covering 90 miles daily, but Emanuel had to break it down to approx 40 miles per day using one of these wheels you push along a map. She nearly got it right. She also looked out on the internet our campsites, which had disabled facilities; they were rare. All this Emmanuelle did before we left, and she also put all the paperwork together. Each van had its own file with maps, places we were staying, contact numbers ect.

On the actual challenges, as with the other girls, Emmanuelle was the housekeeper, making sure we had all our shopping for the day, cooking our food, paying our bills; helped with my personal care including the sleepover. I left how my personal care was to be done to my care team. Emmanuelle was in the support van for her first week and upon her return, spent some time in my van. I can see her now leaning out of the van banging on the door shouting “Come on Mary, you can do it!”
Adie. How would I would describe her? She has her 40 the year, her birthday is in November; is about 5’4, is a carer and loves cooking.

Adie was on the first week and had all the teething troubles to sort out in the mess tent and my care.

Adie, during the first week; did most of the cooking because like most cooks, even if it was in a tent in the pouring rain, she did not like anyone in her kitchen. If you scan down to 17th Adie, you will see a picture of Adie in the mess tent with the rain pouring down cooking us all dinner. Jenny, whom I shall speak about latter, is looking on while taking shelter under the umbrella. I wonder what Jenny is saying to Adie? “What is for dinner?” springs too mined? Adie is the first one to put her hands up and admit that organic tastes better, especially the meat. So now, I will crash your mental picture of this cook putting hot nursing meals on our table and tell you the other side of the coin in her tasks of looking after me.

One of the jobs of looking after me that only three team members could do, Adie been one of them, was I had a suppository every day. This I also do at home. This meant that one of her duties was to put my suppository in, and Adie had been trained to do this, as are all of my staff, this task fell upon her shoulder every day she was with us. Adie also helped, when it was her shift, with all my personal care. Adie, like all of the team, said she would not have missed this challenge for any thing. She said it was very hard work but very rewarding, an experience she is glad she did not miss and lots of fun. Adie even drove up from Newcastle to John O’Groats to be with us for the final 7 miles and the dinner that evening. More on that latter.

Margaret joined us at Gretna, swopping the third week with Emmanuelle…Margaret is in her 40s, and puts her make-up on every morning. She has been with me a long time and is the person I admire the most. The team will not mind me saying that as they agree with me.

Margaret came way out of her comfue zone for a week to be with us. Margaret has never camped before and is very much a home bird. Margaret got very home sick but as her family were right behind her on her week with us, they told her, if she wanted to, to stay which I am please to say she did.

Margret was only to sleep under canvas for 1 night as the other nights, due to bad weather; we stayed in hotels or halls. This did not stop Margaret producing our meals even if we did have the odd pizza when staying in the hotel. She also came out in the van with me twice. I gather she enjoyed doing this and saw some remarkable countryside in Scotland. She did give in on the last night. Her shifts were finished and she was due to change over with Emmanuelle the next day who was returning for the last week, Margaret asked that instead of sleeping in the tent she as going to book into a B&B, and was willing to pay for it. We could not let her do that, pay for the B&B after what we had just put her through, so we would pick up the bill…Margaret thanks for been part of the team and for coming out of your comfort zone. The whole team love you for it and thank your family for loaning you to us. You are part of this remarkable team.