Well, well, well!

The upbringing, just as it should, goes on and on and on!

This afternoon I was out on a wonderful excursion in the almost spring-has-sprung sunshine. We cannot quite believe that spring is springing because on Sunday morning those of us up early enough woke again to find a thin layer of snow covering our world.

But today there was warmth in the sun, the gloves remained in my bag but a scarf was still needed as a barrier against the sharp, piercing wind, especially out in the flat landscape south of the city.

I was out on a mission with my stroke client

I wrote about the first part of this mission in the closing pages of my book: Let me tell you a story, Book One.

My stroke client was searching for a means of transport that would save her, now retired, husband from pushing her in a wheelchair. She was not sure if she wanted one of those scooters that are becoming very popular but are very bulky, or an electric wheelchair.

I made the arrangements in the autumn with our local wheelchair, rolator, shoes and splints supplier, for myself, my client and her husband to visit the workshop to try out a few models.

My client was quick to decide on a used electric wheelchair that was more compact than the scooters but still had a powerful battery. It was also a lot cheaper than the others and well within her budget.

It was comfortable and she found it easy to manoeuvre. I was actually incredibly impressed on that first visit to see how my client sat in a motorized chair for the first time ever and was completely at ease driving around in it both inside and out.

Today we went to collect it. I told my client that she could have completed the whole thing without me being there, but I also told her that I was very happy to be involved in this important step in her quest for greater independence and in fact I would not have missed it for the world.

With spring in the air today I think my client probably took her new wheelchair out in the village where she lives for an inaugural trip around the block while her husband sorted out a home for it in the garage!

To continue the upbringing story

On my return home I received two telephone calls. One of them was from the client who I worked with last month up north. The young man who I wrote a posting about on my offspring blog only yesterday:

http://www.susie-mallett.com/2011/02/conductive-snorkeling.html

He called to tell me that he had just come home from the physiotherapist on public transport on his own and that the work that he was doing in the family business in the evenings, packing shelves and generally tidying up was having a good influence on the energy he has every day at work. He is getting fitter and he can concentrate better already.

The other call came from our conductor friend. I actually missed that one but luckily she filled the answer machine with all her very positive news. “Our” client had been in touch and he will be visiting her, by public transport when she returns from her holiday. Things seem to be moving forwards there too.

In all the excitement I forgot to ask how the snorkeling is coming along and if the holiday is on the cards yet. I expect I will receive a phone call soon enough when my client feels that he has got that far!

It is lovely for me to have a conductor friend on call, not quite on site but nearer than I am. It is also wonderful to be the conductor on the end of the phone. Listening as carefully as I can to catch every word of the athetoid language and be a motivator from afar.

There is so much to do in a conductive upbringing and so many different ways in which it can be done.