FlamingoLand

Today was the Therapy Trip to Flamingo Land for those patients with the highest attendance for groups. There were six from the ward I'm on and two from the low secure upstairs plus seven staff. We took the two nine-seater Hospital vans. The only really annoying part of the day was that we had to get up at 7am to be ready for 8 (you have to be up an hour before you're allowed out) and even then we weren't all signed out and in the vans until half 8! In our van there was me and four of the girls from my ward plus an NA from our ward, an activities co-ordinator driving and another one in the front. When we got there, the staff gave the ticket person a letter from the Hospital and I ducked my head in embarrassment. Then we got our tickets and had to take them to the first aid room where we were given disabled wristbands to queue jump. We had orange ones with disabled badges and the staff had purple ones with a hand picture on it and we got told that on each ride we had to have one staff for every patient. On certain rides we had to sit in certain places. I went on one ride then watched another girl on a water ride before me and one of the staff went on a ferris wheel and could see all of the giraffes and things! Then we all went back to the vehicles for our packed lunches (cheese sandwiches, an apple and some crisps) and then we went back into the Park and went on one more ride that I managed to convince five others to go on but we all hated it! Then we hit the zoo! Me and one of the OTs had a bit of a laugh as she told me what all the animals were called and then I found out that wasn't actually what they were. I found an Emu lying down too so I went and sat in front of it "do you mind if I take a picture of you?" I didn't know why I was talking to it but I just started chatting away to him and then I realised the OT was standing behind me watching! She threatened to put it in my notes! We finally went in the gift shop and I bought my best-friend some sweets, got some candy floss for myself and a magnet for my Mum.
All in all it was a lovely day and it's nice to do something like that because we're always complaining that staff are quick to criticize and slow to compliment but something like that just proves that they are recognising the hard work that some of us put in! So, to the OT Department and all the NAs who came, thank you!