a glorious spring day and cherry blossoms

This was from our recent little outing. Isn't it just beautiful? We have been working so hard recently with Misty and her new wheelchair (will update soon!) that I think everyone just needed a break from it all. So, we took her out in the stroller for a nice change of pace. It was a beautiful spring afternoon and we caught some of the last bit of the cherry blossom as well.

The last time we used the stroller was early last fall and we realized just how much worse Misty has gotten since then in terms of her mobility. Back then, she was still able to walk on her own for a good quarter to half a mile before needing to ride the stroller. This time around, she managed only a few minutes of walk time. Also, she can no longer step into the stroller, so we had to basically lift her into it (a bit tricky), and because she can't remain in a seated position, we had to use some cushions to prop her up on her side so that she can have a better view of the outside from a lying down position.

More than anything else, I was most afraid that she would not enjoy being in the stroller, that either it might be uncomfortable or the ride to be boring. Much to my surprise, she was so alert for the whole duration of the 2.5 mile trail, taking in everything, watching everyone and sniffing the air constantly (see video below). She was very comfortable and relaxed and wasn't panting or fidgeting at all. We could just feel her happiness.

Overall, it was such a nice outing for all of us and it also made us realize that maybe this is what Misty wants at this point. We were so fixated on her failing mobility and trying to help her regain some of the independence she's been losing. The wheelchair has been wonderful in strengthening her leg muscles and it's an excellent form of exercise, but as of right now it isn't providing her with any more freedom of mobility. She simply just tires out too quickly. I think we'll have to accept that she's probably not going to start going on walks on her own as she used to, not even a short one, and not even with the help of the wheelchair. However, we can still provide her with lots of outside time with the stroller and we are quite encouraged by that thought. As long as she's enjoying life, it's all good with us.😊

we used cushions to make sure she's comfortable and has the best view.

glad we were able to catch the cherry blossoms with Misty