Safe Arrivals...

Travel day went off with only some minor hitches. Up at 6AM and started packing - remembered everything but the baby gate. Dropped the girls off at the Pet Sitters Kennel - they have their own "suite" and will be allowed to run around the office space as well as their time out in the yard. I hope Skittles wasn't too traumatized being dropped off like this so soon after her arrival (she's only been with me now for four months).

Met my friend Kim from Jr High/High School for lunch in Wisconsin. We haven't seen each other in over 30 years and had a lovely two hour lunch. We could have talked even longer. I look forward to visiting with her again soon. This was a nice way to break up an eight hour drive and make me rest.

The worst of the trip was the car air conditioning kept fading in and out - both temperature and fan speed. I must get that looked at one of these days. As a result it was back and forth between wide open windows blowing warm air and bouts of nice cold air.

On arrival we rested for a bit and then zipped off to my favorite Indian restaurant for a bite. Now I'm just relaxing and getting ready for bed. Tomorrow will be a day of rest. My appointments don't begin until Tues. Peace.

And The Adventure Begins...

I haven't blogged much this summer. Back before Memorial Day, I suffered what can only be called an auto immune crisis of some kind. I was in the Emergency Room twice with severe difficulty walking and using my hands due to escalating pain. I have been dealing with this pain on a low grade, chronic level for over two years, since just before my blood sugars went out of whack as well.

My physician was able to get me a referral to the Mayo Clinic with an expedited appointment. They would see me in 8 weeks which is much quicker than the usual 4-6 months or no referral at all (a year and a half ago they wouldn't even give me an appointment).

The time has finally come for my appointment. I will leave in the morning and head off to Rochester, Minnesota, where I will stay with my good friend Lisa who happens to work there. My actual appointment will be some time on Tuesday. I will receive a beeper at 7:30 AM and they will page me when they can squeeze me in and get me started on their intensive assessment treadmill.

I have survived the summer thus far on very large doses of prednisone which has kept the pain away and allowed me to be functional and keep working. I finally bloated up and look a bit like John Candy - all jowly and swollen - "moon faced" is the technical term for this condition from steroids. I have been fortunate in that my overall mood has been one of peace. Prednisone can really mess you up emotionally - make you act crazy - whereas I have been exceedingly calm.

I hope to post regularly from Minnesota to keep anyone who is interested informed of what is happening. Prayers will be welcome as always. Peace.