It was the day of Corinna’s story, the story which had inspired us to take up this story telling theme. On the surface it was a story of the road trip she completed this year in Scotland, begun with her partner. But of course it was so much more.
From wheel chair to wheels Corinna describes her journey. In 2020 she was in a wheel chair, unable to walk or move, she couldn’t eat without choking. Everything changed. She had to give up nursing, her husband gave up on her. She knew she had fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), and knew she was also drinking too much. She got into debt, hit a low. But then she met up with Andy who she’d known for 12 years previously. He was in remission from Leukemia at Barts hospital. When COVID hit, she became his bubble. He was a biker and at first she travelled on the back of his motor bike, before getting her own CanAm – which are reverse or tadpole trikes – 2 wheels at the front and one at the back. Andy helped to heal Corinna, he was there for her. As she got stronger, they planned journey’s together. A lump came back so to fit in treatment, they began a modest journey around the UK. What got Andy out of bed in the morning was where to go next. Their journey began around the coast of the UK, starting Norfolk Suffolk, then to Scarborough
When Andy died, Corinna wondered if she could get back on the bike. She did. She had 8,000 on the clock when Andy died and now?… ‘I rode my grief for 2 years’ she said. Many times she wanted to give up, but she was riding for Margies Cancer cause Barts hospital, and 3,500 miles later rode into the hospital with what she had raised.
She completed the journey around the UK, started with Andy, this June, ending in Edinburgh. Scotland is one of her favourite places, which is saying something considering where she has ventured: across 17 different European countries, up to the cold Northcap, she ventured on her CamAm, often on her own, sometimes meeting up with fellow bikers or friends on the way.
What’s her basic packing items? Toilet roll, black tape, charger pack.
Here’s Corinna’s Youtube channel.
She sat in our great chair, we held out maps, and listened in the warm October sun. It was a great story.
It turned into a day of stories. Nicky told us all that she’s just got married! In Morocco of all places, and she looked gloriously happy. Martin had recently had an adventure on his bike to Felixstowe, watching ship spotters. And told us a remarkable story of how with a ship spotter’s drone as it filmed the Waveney paddle steamer coming down the waters (ends up at Tilbury). A while later Esther had said, yes, she was on that paddle steamer, and Martin looked at the drone footage and lo, saw Esther and Andrew there. Not only that, while taking coffee at Focus, a friend, April, said she too had been on that paddle steamer, and lo, she was also in the drone footage. What co-incidence is that! Story telling is catching.
Delicious lunch of Mac n Cheese and the best fresh bread from Martin. (I found the spinach I’d cooked for the glutton free folk at the end of the day, missed out!). Thank you Marianne and Gina for your photographs. (please let me know if you are in the photo and would like not to be in it – sorry cannot adjust photo angle to make your legs look longer)
.
.
Martin’s story next week!
