On my recent  trip to London, I mentioned that my family, (especially my little sister), all helped me have a tonne of fun in the park and I have to say I think it was the highlight of my trip. I’ve been looking forward to writing this post for a long time, but because I’ve had so many appointments and other things going on to tell you all about, it’s had to wait a while.

Parks were a big part of my childhood for a long time. My mum abd dad would put up my walking frame and then we’d all walk to one of our local parks as a family. They’d help me play on things and make sure I didn’t hurt myself, (little did I know that I was also doing some form of physio in the process), and then we’d all walk home again. I’d often find this tiring, but it was so much fun that I didn’t care.

Fastforward quite a few years and playing in the park is something I don’t really do anymore, although I’m quite small and light so I can still do it if I want to, but I often worry about all the ways I can get hurt instead.

However, as soon as we got to this park in London my little sister wasted no time in pushing me really fast in my wheelchair up and down all the humps that I think are meant for people with bikes, scooters and other such things. Although I pretended I wasn’t too happy about this, I secretly had fun and some of the other people in the park were smiling and laughing along with us, which made it even nicer.

Then she asked me if I wanted to go on the swing with her. Of course, I said yes. The swing in question was a flying-saucer shaped one that you could sit in, so my mum’s new husband-to-be lifted me into it, and then my sister climbed in with me so she could make sure I didn’t fall out.

 

After that I climbed back into my wheelchair and she jokingly asked me if I wanted a go on the zipwire. I don’t think I’d be able to hold myself on a zipwire as it went flying through the air, but she said that if someone helped me get onto it she’d hold on to me while I sat on it while it wasn’t moving. I was having lots of fun and, not wanting to spoil it, I agreed.

I’d like to think that all of us were having fun by this point. Back into the wheelchair I went and my mum  started to push. She pointed to some bits of wood that were set out at different heights for people to walk on and she said she’d help me. I’ve written a post that introduced you all to my dad before, but now I’d also like to introduce you all to my mum too.

By this point I was feeling really adventurous so when mum’s husband-to-be pointed to some ropes that people could use to pull themselves up a grass hill with and asked me if I fancied a go there was no doubt that I did. He stood behind me every step of the way waiting to catch me if I fell. Mum stayed at the bottom with the camera, and my sister waited for me at the top and cheered me on. Sorry that my eyes are closed in the picture, but I think you get the point.

It was hard. Really, really hard. My arms and legs ached all the way but I never once doubted that I’d make it to the top, no matter how long it took. Unfortunately, I didn’t time it, so I don’t know how long it did take me, but I did make it to the top. I made it! I was pretty proud of myself for it too.

And to think, my parents were told I might be able to manage to walk around a supermarket at the best…