So what do I think about this trip and future travel?
I believe this trip was the right thing to do. We have seen and done new and interesting things. As I write, I am sitting on a lounge on a terrace overlooking Lake Lucerne. Kate is either experiencing allergy problems, or she is coming down with a cold. We had a filling lunch and ate ice cream late this afternoon. She didn’t feel like eating at all.
While the trip has gone well, I must admit that it just isn’t the same as it has been before. This relates directly to Kate’s AD, not to any aspect of the trip itself.
The fact that we are traveling does, however, make things more complicated than being at home. There are so many different things for me to be think about. On top of that is tending to Kate. While I haven’t lost her at any time, there have been brief moments in which I didn’t see her or she didn’t see me. The very thought that I might lose her has added a little stress.
In addition, the fact that she can’t understand so much of what is going on around her has meant (here and at home) that we can’t have the same kind of conversations we used to have.
Thinking ahead, I concluded early in our trip that we definitely will not do a trip of this nature again. It is simply too difficult for me to manage.
We have the NYC trip coming up in June. The fact that we will have our daughter, Jesse, and our son, Ken, along to manage the grandchildren will make this doable and enjoyable.
I suspect the trip to Chautauqua will be different this year. It might even be our last.
When I think of these things I immediately feel a sadness. Obviously for Kate but also for me. It is not only that she will never experience things in the same way again but neither will I. That may be one reason that I am lingering out here overlooking Lake Lucerne and the surrounding mountains. I really love these experiences, but they are best shared with someone you love.
