[frogga]

Hiya

Well I'm back!!

It was a great trip... we went to Amsterdam... great place! really love it there... loads of canals and it's really beautiful also went to Ann Franks house (well looked at it, saw the queue and thought yeh right are we queuing!). I will definetly go back there again!

Then on to Berlin. Met my new step mother who is russian with one leg, and saw my dad (VERY bizzare!) he is now Islamic and was threatening to turn up in his head dress and white dasha (spelling) which is sort of like a white dress thing. Luckily he didn't! went all over Berlin and saw the Brandernberg gate etc, was great to be doing berlin with people who knew it! Lana lives there which helped! Fell headfirst off a bus and screwed up my shoulder really badly which didn't help! and broke my wheelchair (snapped the handles off it!). Went to the most amazing place for breakfast - in the middle of an opera house in East Berlin... it was unique!

Then on to Munich which was an utter hole.

Went to Salzburg which was amazing! I really really loved it! it was so beautiful. Then went to Vienna which was horrible, rainy etc. When it stopped raining you got the impression it might be a lovely place but.. I don't know! when its raining you just don't feel it really!

Was hoping to go onto Slovenia but accidently booked flights home from Slovakia! but couldn't manage the journey so flew home from Salzburg.. so Slovenia will have to be another time...

Sorry I haven't been around... but my RSD has kicked in so badly that I have just spent from Sunday in tears in bed. I have Becks (one of my regular carers) who just doesn't know what to do as she hasn't seen me this ill in months which really sucks. Also the spasms have dislocated my left shoulder and the alloydinia is really bad. My legs look like corpses they are so black and we have had to start with major desense again. The community physio came out to see me.. and as it's about 2 years since I was last seen she couldn't believe how much I had gone downhill. Last time I saw them I was similar to a paraplegic and could be put into a standing frame with help from 2 people whereas now they don't think I will even be able to use a tilt frame. I also now have a new wheelchair as my electric wheelchair exploded in the middle of a road when I was walking Booboo... It exploded with flames and sparks... and I nearly got runover... oh well! but new wheelchair is abit better as am actually in it today!! It's a manual one that tilts and reclines. My spine is alot alot worse and even being turned has me in tears but oh well. I suppose it's just part of life with RSD. It's just frustrating as it's obvious to everyone that this isn't really a flare but more of a deterioation and flare.. as in my spine was getting worse anyway but now it is pretty bad. We are going to try a spinal brace and see if that helps it at all because I have to be back to sitting up by the time I go back to uni. Basically my spine is twisting aggressively towards my left, my head is now pointed upwards and hard to the left. My pelvis and hips have twisted towards the left and my ribcage is about 20 degrees round to the left. It's frustrating me so much because it looks like I may have to give up driving as I can't see on my right side and we drive right hand drive cars. But oh well it will get sorted out eventually! it's just so frustrating. My eyes appear to be getting alot worse as well.. can spasticity effect the eyes? mine keep being pulled up... yep you guessed it.. to the left! what is it with my left side??? guess it just wants more attention or something!!! However I do feel really lucky that someone was kind enough to give me the new chair as it does mean I can be out of bed

Ok I realise this might sound abit miserable - but the trip was so awesome and I am SO glad I did it... what do you think of my new idea for next summer? (other than ness visiting me!) thinking of going round Australia! Also planning on going to South Africa at Easter fingers crossed!. I didn't realise how much I enjoy travelling.. Will add more but not feeling wonderfully positive today so it's probaly not my most positive post!!

Love ya all!!!

Rosie xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx