April 2025
by Susan Rowe
We all had the most wonderful experience during our getaway!
Prior to being diagnosed with ALS, my husband and I owned a camper on Lake Champlain and spent our summers there every year since I retired in 2013. The girls also had campers, and we spent lots of time together and have been friends for the last 30 to 50 years.
We met up at the Sams club to get the necessary groceries for our getaway. We decided it was easier to cook our own meals rather than go to restaurants. Much easier for me seeing that I cannot feed myself so the girls all took turns making sure my tummy was full all the time. After the groceries we browsed at some of the things in Sam’s Club and of course bought a few goodies and then headed to the hotel!
Once we were in the hotel, we all gathered into the room where I was staying as it was quite a bit bigger than our other room.
We had a few drinks, and the girls made a nice supper and we spent the evening catching up, laughing and just had a wonderful time.
Breakfast was included at the hotel, so we all met the next morning and spent a couple of hours having breakfast and listening to each other’s stories.
We originally decided that we were going to go out shopping, however we had so much fun just sitting around that we didn’t even leave the hotel.
My daughter Holly came and had supper with us and spent a couple hours before she headed back home. She originally was going to stay with us but unfortunately had to work.
The next morning after breakfast our plans were to go shopping just like we always used to do together. While we were walking there me in my Wheelchair of course the snow started, and we got to the store. We spent at least four hours in one store. We had so much fun just looking at all the different things and decided we wanted to spoil ourselves with.
All of us picked up things to buy and we realized we didn’t bring the car to be able to bring anything home! Luckily one of the girls had decided to stay home at the hotel so we called her, and she came and picked us up. None of us even thought that we didn’t have a car!
We headed back to the hotel with plans to go spend Time by the pool.
There was a special lift at the pool which would allow me to get into the pool however it was not working.
All of the girls got into the pool and I was able to take a few Photos.
Another wonderful night laughing and talking and drinking altogether just like old times.
This was our last Night together and would be heading home in the morning.
In the morning, our last breakfast together, we all wore our team Gleason T-shirts.
Even though I am bound to a wheelchair and cannot do anything for myself, I am still able to enjoy life and I’m very lucky to be surrounded by people who care for me. I will never give up!
It was a bit sad saying goodbye to everyone, but we will try to get together again this summer, hopefully at the campsite where we all spent our summers together!
