Our third day in Helen, GA, I still was not sleeping well. I’d been waking up around 4AM every morning. Brad and Tam woke up early for them, and we took it slow around the cabin in the morning, drinking coffee, calling my dad, and just hanging out. But I had a jittery anxiety tummy all day.
We had wanted to go to Cafe International for lunch, which is one of the more famous restaurants in town. It has a beautiful balcony over the river that we wanted to sit on. We’d been passing it for the past few days eyeing it, and had a coupon.
I tell the story in video form below, but I will type it out underneath the video.
We knew that that day was going to be a beautiful day weather wise, and really wanted to be out over that water. So even though I was feeling very anxious, we still went out for lunch around 1 or so.
We parked in a public lot, and walked over to the restaurant. When we got there, the main entrance was accessible, but there were steps of various heights to different areas with tables to eat. All the tables over the water were full, and there were several steps to that area. They said they could seat us in an adjacent area, but there were three steps up to it. And they only had picnic tables to sit on, which are not easy with a couple of wheelchairs!
We asked if there was an accessible way to get to the tables, and they brought out a banged up cheap plastic ramp that was designed for one, maybe two steps. They put it across the three steps up to that dining area. Additionally, about 4 feet behind where they put this ramp was a wall, so there wasn’t any way to build momentum, and if you had an issue on the ramp, you’d run into the wall.
I knew my wheelchair couldn’t make it, but then again I can pick my wheelchair up over three steps. Brad’s wheelchair is several hundred pounds– no way we are picking that up!
I said that’s not going to work, but Brad wanted to try. He went back as far as he could and zoomed forward, but no dice. So we left. The employees there were rude and rolling their eyes at us.
We saw another restaurant across the river that also had a balcony over the river, so we headed over there. They had an accessible entrance on the side! And they had real chairs at their tables. We got a table right next to the railing, with a beautiful view! We were much happier! Tam was able to get wings, which are one of her favorite foods, and I got pretzel bites and a side salad. Brad had a Bratwurst on a gluten free bun. It was a fantastic meal, but I was so jittery and anxious that I could barely eat any of the salad and just finished my pretzel bites.
Remember that gorgeous Japanese Maple we saw last time we went to downtown? Well we were right there again, and Brad got some pictures of us in front of it! I’m wearing purple and have Felix and Rose with me. Brad is wearing teal and orange, and Tam is wearing black (as usual!).
There was one store we wanted to see before we crossed the river, and Brad got some good pictures of us there.
When we crossed the bridge, I felt more free being out of shops and restaurants, so I had a brief joyous feeling. That was captured in pictures Brad took of Tam and me smiling and goofing off as we crossed the bridge!
Once we crossed the street, we went into a series of small shops in a building. They were OK shops, a Sasquatch shop, a Christmas shop, and a plush store. But I was becoming more and more disoriented. Brad was taking pictures, and you can tell the picture of me in the Christmas shop that I am just not feeling right, though hiding it well.
Brad and Tam had no clue until I told them that I really wasn’t feeling well. My stomach was on fire with anxiety, and I was so tense my muscles were hurting. Felix tried to help, but it was a lost cause. Plus I think he was still recovering from yesterday’s train trip, so he wasn’t 100% with it either.
I offered to go back to the cabin by myself, but Brad and Tam said no, that they would come with me.
There was just one little store with some bags on clearance Tam wanted to look at before we left. They had a cute wallet with mermaids in my colors for only $2, but I couldn’t make a decision on it, I was so anxious.
I tell the story in video below, but have typed it out below the video as well.
I pulled out of the shop and started trying to reach my medication to avoid a panic attack, and as I’m doing this and super stressed, a lady on a scooter comes by heading for Helen Huggables, the plushie shop. She starts yelling to her daughter to come pet the dog. I am just barely hanging on at this moment, so I can’t respond to her, but I do NOT want anyone petting my dog at this moment.
The lady keeps screaming at everyone to come pet the dog, and the lady at Helen Huggables, bless her, spoke up and told the lady it was a service dog and she can’t pet it. The daughter came over and looked at the obvious vest and listened to the worker, but the mom wouldn’t stop yelling. It was really upsetting for me, as I was already in a bad state. Eventually after like three times of telling the lady on the scooter that she couldn’t pet my dog, she finally listened to the Huggables worker.
We made our exit shortly after that. I was so overwhelmed that Brad and Tam dropped me at home while they went to the grocery store to pick up some stuff for dinner.
I had to decompress inside (I couldn’t even sit on the porch) for several hours. Eventually I started feeling better, and was able to hang out on the porch and play our favorite game, Farkle.
I felt very bad for making Brad and Tam end their shopping fun. We were only downtown for probably 2 hours tops. But they were very kind to say that they didn’t mind at all.
We rested up so that we would have energy for the next day’s adventures, which included the thing Brad was most excited about! Stay tuned to hear about that adventure!