Making dreams come true

About two months ago I found out on Facebook about a special case, a Catalan baby who was three months old with a rare disease that in turn caused more illness.

I don't know why, but the subject has touched me ever since I read it. I immediately got in touch by means of a message through this social network and little by little I went deeper into the subject and learned much better about Meritxell's case.

In order to contribute to the cause and to be able to raise funds I donated a box of my book. This action made everyone very happy and the family were very grateful and told me that they didn't know how to thank me for what I had done.

At the same time, someone in the family told me why he didn't go to a book signing on Saint George's Day". It seemed like a great plan to me but I had to answer that I couldn't, that I was a very dependent person and that I couldn't risk going to Barcelona alone. The family kept insisting that they wanted to meet me, they insisted "We want to meet you, come to Barcelona"

I kept thinking about it because I really wanted to go to Barcelona and one morning I went down to the infirmary of the centre where I live (Centro Iza) and explained to them the whole story of the book signing. Once I had told them the whole story, Lola, the reference nurse at the centre said to me: "Do you know that Matia has a personal assistant service and that they can help you go to Barcelona to sign books?

I told her "I don't know anything". She explained to me in more detail what the service consisted of and I immediately realised that this was my chance to go to Barcelona and have a little holiday.

I spoke to Ainhoa Arrillaga (Iza's DTS) and she immediately put me in touch with Amaia Lete and Maider Otxoa, (responsible for the service). I told them about my case, they analysed my needs and immediately set about setting up the service. Based on my needs and preferences, they chose the Personal Assistant and...... I can now go to Barcelona!

The most negative thing was when we were preparing the luggage for the trip. I was a bit down in the dumps to see such a set-up. I used to travel with four things and now seeing so many boxes with nappies, food for the tube, (which had to be sent by urgent transport)...... But the most important thing is that even if it was with company, I was doing things for myself.

And the day arrived, we left for Barcelona, I met Meritxell and I was able to do the book signing without any problem. In short, the experience was very good, to be repeated. To be able to count on a person who helps you to do the things you want in life is something very important and with a Personal Assistant service it is possible

To finish I leave you with some anecdotes of these that happen to us when we go on a trip and that without them we would surely not remember it in the same way

• The hotel room was fine, except for the bathroom, as we didn't have a wheelchair we didn't take any risks, Marijo was washing me in bed and well.
• Once I felt like going to the bathroom, I told Marijo and we started looking for bars with adapted bathrooms. As we were having a hard time finding it, we looked at an old people's home in the area and I said to Marijo, "Can we ask the home to let us use their bathroom for a while? We asked and they were very kind and let us in. We thanked them and again enjoyed the walk.
• On another occasion we were going along the Ramblas in Barcelona, it was lunchtime, there were three of us, Marijo, me and Meritxell's mother. We sat down in a chiringuito on the Ramblas, ordered a salad and a paella, two Cokes, I had already eaten. We finished eating, we asked for the bill, and Marijo turned white, we had been charged for two Coke 12€

Jose Manuel Mancisidor "Budy"

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