Ok, so I did it and I am back to tell the tale!
12 days driving around France in a car and using public facilities and a lot of imagination to make it work
My best idea was always carrying a number of squeeze top water bottles that I refilled and used in various public toilets and places.....a real must have! Dito for ziplocks.
Low residue diet helped a lot too...mostly protien and salads make with fresh tomatoes and cucumbers but no peppers or other really fiberous veggetables....avoided pasta and bread the whole time but did swallow a really good pizza or two!
Lots of daily exercise in a pool when I could and miles of mountain and trail climbing...I didn't believe that I would be able to do all again but I did....I even Sambaed with my hubby on the dance floor one night!!!!
Bottom line was lots and lots of fluids...3 bottles of prune juice in the car plus really good grape juice at meals (I was in the wine country!) to keep it all liquid and never going more than 4 hours without intubating....woke up every night just in case at 4 am to be safe.
I can't say that I never leaked or that I didn't have a few scary moments like the litre of blood that poured out of me after a day at the beach ( I was in a public toilet during a wedding!) it took me about 3 minutes and lots of fast thinking to realize that I had had a raspberry slurpy that day and it came out the same colur that it went in NO harm done but I sure did get scared there for a minute.
All in all, if this is how it is going to be than I am happy and I can live with it....I am not saying that it was easy but with ample preparation and a bit of comprehension from my hubby ( I need a toilet NOW darling!) I would say that next year...the Toscane!
Thanks for sticking by me all of this time...all of you...I just wanted to share a success with you all.
Sharon

FANTASTIC!

Wow! With all your trials and tribulations, to hear you doing "normal people" things is absolutely fabulous!!!

So, I am sending powerful vibes across the continent and sea to help keep you stable and doing those "normal people" things, even if it does take a lot of planning and an understanding husband.

Jan

Rockin good news! You are on your way to more fun times.

What a nice post to wake up to!

It does feel great to be able to do the fun stuff after such a scary year doesn't it?

Take care.

Shell

Thank you all, Ladies,
I litterally could not have done it without you....your support has been precious and has saved my sanity let alone my marriage (living in total isolation for 27 years was more than just hard, but nearly impossible...thanks to all of you the abject loneliness has gone away)
I found myself climbing the most amazing sites and thinking "if only the girls (ok, one or two guys too) could see me now!!" I will post some pics of me once I download them all and let you see what we can do when we really want to
I am still exercising one hour a day (ignore yesterday) to keep it all together and of course there is pain and uncertainty and a whole lot of pure panic but I know that there will be answers and support from you all when I log in, so yes, this success is yours too....
Sharon
P.S So when do we all get together and do our own road trip?

Well I'm half way there! Could meet you in St Malo?

I agree that it's great to be able to share stuff like this with our cyber family. I'm looking forward to seeing those photos.

Take care.

Shell

sounds great but when?
Sharon

I have been trying to download some nice pictures but it is not working...will keep trying
Sharon

Congratulations on a great trip from one of the men who has been rooting for you.
Larry

Sharon, it would have to be next year now. We hop accross a few times a year and always go for a week for Frank's birthday and for the annual music festval on the 21st of June. You can get a train directly to St Malo from Paris now, which is so much easier than when you had to change at Rennes.

It certainly would be a great day out if you could meet up with us while we are there. We consider St Malo to be like a second home for us and would move there in a heartbeat if we could afford to.

Take care.

Shell

Sharon, I have been away and without internet. Coming home to read such great news is wonderful.
I am very happy for you.
Holly