Annie and Sheila’s Excellent Adventure! Two PainSupport members, Annie and Sheila, have recently met each other for the first time. Here are their stories.
	Sheila wrote to PainSupport and said, “Thanks to the Pain Support website, I was able to meet up with Annie last week. Almost two years ago I replied to a topic on the PainSupport Discussion Forum and from that moment on, we became e-mail pals. We have written to each other every single day and will continue to do so. Our interests are so similar - we both used to enjoy horse riding when we were younger, we both love animals. We enjoy cooking and exchanging recipes and we love flowers. We have an imaginary see-saw - when one of us is feeling a tad better, we do everything we can to boost the other one, and vice versa. As far as our disabilities affect us, miraculously we both chose a fairly good day. "Had it not been for the PainSupport Discussion Forum I would never have known such a loyal and friendly person as Annie. I can honestly say meeting her was the highlight of my week. As soon as we met each other the conversation just flowed. I shall always remember that first meeting and treasure the memory. We didn't even wilt under one of the hottest days of the year!!! Long may the Painsupport and its Forum continue." - - Sheila Annie writes, “I first 'met' Sheila on the Painsupport Forum, when she gave me advice on a problem that I had. We have been writing to each other every day for about 20 months now. We know that we understand each other and that we can moan and groan without burdening our loved ones! “When Sheila and her family decided to stay in our area for a week, we decided that - if we both felt well enough - we would meet up. So a week ago, Sheila visited - and it was the strangest meeting - just like meeting a wonderful old friend, someone that I really knew even though we had never met! “We all got on like a house on fire and had a lovely morning sitting in the shade of the walnut tree (this was during the heatwave) laughing and joking - completely forgetting our aches and pains for a brief few hours. “I will never forget this visit. So thank you Jan, for all your efforts for Painsupport - if it wasn't for you Sheila and I would never have met. Now we are back to our email friendship, but hopefully we shall meet up again before long!” - - Annie What a fantastic achievement for Sheila and Annie to have met up. I know they had a wonderful time together and will always remain firm friends. If you don't already belong, and would like to make some friends for support and friendship, you are most welcome to join our confidential Contact Club. If you have a dream of travelling further than you do normally make sure you plan and pace your journey very carefully. No matter whether it's to the local shops or much further afield, pacing and planning is vital. Consider every aspect of your journey and make sure there is a 'fall back' situation if things go wrong. For example, if you are flying, before you leave the house, enquire if there is somewhere you can rest at the airport if your plane is late. If your goal is to go to the local shops perhaps consider taking a lightweight folding seat with you so you can rest now and then. Here are some of the travel firms which specialise in catering for people who are disabled in some way or who have special needs: www.holidaycare.org.uk www.canbedone.co.uk www.accessibletravel.co.uk/ Editor: Jan Sadler at PainSupport

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