It's Snappie Time!

The adventure that we have been fund-raising for happened last week and we have so many "thank you"s to offer to everyone who made it possible for Eilidh and our family; without you this would never have been possible.  We are forever indebted to you kindness and generosity so

thank you, thank you, thank you!

For us however, thank you will never quite be enough to cover the magnitude of the gratitude that we feel.

Our trip to Cambridge was an adventure and we were welcomed at DragonMobility with open arms.  Finally we got to meet Dan, Ruth and the some of the DragonMobility Team.  Each one has played a huge role in getting Snappie ready for Eilidh.

And then there was the Snappie Moment...

Glorious in Red and Eilidh's!

We spent the day getting to know Snappie:

her DCB, her elevators, her seat, her brakes (and there are 3 sets of brakes!), her batteries, her standing frame and the emergency "oh, my goodness! she's out of control!" button aka the off switch!

We read the manual... well, flicked through it really...

The seating was adapted, the DCB moved, the footplate played with...

And Eilidh?

She watched curiously and a little apprehensively.

She stood in Snappie...

yipee! i'm standing tall!

And she sat in Snappie, Bella always by her side or near by:

bella along for the ride...

Niamh stood on the back - the moment that she has been waiting for since we first met Lou (which now seems forever ago! - a proud big sister, putting her trust in Eilidh's driving completely!

Eilidh played with the buttons:

yellow up to the sun,

green down to the grass

and red the most cute "peep! peep!"

We helped Eilidh outside and, for the first time she was able to imagine exploring the outside world independently.

We coaxed and cajoled...

& Dan tried his magic...

what's up?  let's go!

But Eilidh wouldn't move!
Bella drove.

Mummy drove.

Daddy Drove.

Eilidh "peep! peep!"ed.

Eilidh wouldn't (but not couldn't!) drive independently! 

Oh, she's so, so canny!  Why drive when you have chauffeurs?

And then it was time to leave:

We (David) learnt to dismantle Snappie and drive her into the car boot: and yes! she did fit - hooray!  Thankfully, the original Yellow Peril was designed to fit into the Everard's VW Passat Estate some 30 years ago so it was able to go into car of the same model!  Thank goodness...

out & about at Wimpole

We were lucky enough to be able to spend some time with the Everards the next day at Wimpole Estate on the Home Farm with lambs and piglets and chicks and some blooming awful driving of the Snappie on our part...  we hit walls, gates and ran over our feet numerous times...  I think I still have the tread marks on  my boots as evidence! Spring had sprung and finally Eilidh was on her way to some outdoor independence, exploration and fun!!! 

We had a great day out with a truly inspiring family who have helped enable Eilidh, and so many other Dragon Riders, to live their lives and explore their worlds more independently and have fun on the journey too. 

Thank you, Dan, Lou and Ruth and all those at DragonMobility for your vision and dedication: you inspire us!

And so we are home and coming to terms with the new addition to the family... Snappie is so very welcome but she brings the realisation that our lives have changed and that Spinal Muscular Atrophy is so very much part of it. Eilidh is teaching us and showing us the way - it's funny, we think that we teach our children, but actually it is very much the other way... even if Eilidh is still needing some chauffeuring...

And to end, Thank you! once again to everyone who has made this possible... to everyone who has donated, to The Ceridian Pay Back Foundation, The Jospeh Patrick Trust and to Turbo Trust, to the Fun' Raisin' Crew at NAG, to The Wheelie Good Dane girlies, to all Fish's Fans... we could go on, but the sentiment is the same...

THANK YOU to each and every one of you!

From the bottom of our hearts we are grateful and forever indebted

Much Love

The Whizzy Macfarlane Family

xxx



Home and in the garden - spring has sprung!