Traveling....

It has been an interesting week!  My sister, and I, just took a car FULL of stuff to my son.  (That is a whole different story - maybe next time.) This drive meant we were traveling for two days each way.  We have discovered we don't "do" 14 hour drives very well anymore!!  It also reminded of the times Dad and I traveled - a couple of times for a visit with my son.

​Traveling, with Dad, caused a few interesting difficulties.  For a while he could help with the driving but, toward the end, he was the navigator because he usually knew where we were going.  The real issues were working with the cane (or walker) and restroom doors.  They can be heavy but add in at least a cane and Dad couldn't always  open them.  Then I would be opening the door for him, wait at the door until he came back and "knocked" at which point I would open the door again.  IF we were lucky enough for a "family" restroom it was a LOT easier.  There were also a couple of times when I wanted to stop one of the gentlemen going in and ask for them to see if a "white haired gentleman" had fallen.

An interesting side note....  I was primary care giver for our Dad (different restrooms) but I have also spoken with Caregivers traveling with the "same sex" parent - daughters with mothers, sons with fathers - and many of the same difficulties arise. So many interesting traveling stories..... almost all of which include laughing before you start screaming (or crying!)!!