Across America Part II

Last week's installment featured our intrepid travelers making their way from New Jersey to Kansas, and more photos of them swimming than you may have wanted. Today we get to some of the good stuff we had driven more than 1,800 miles to see.

This view of the Rocky Mountains as we approached Denver excited all of us. I enjoy this same scene when I visit Ryan now, and I still get the same thrill whenever I see those snow-capped peaks.

We arrived at Spruce Lake RV Park in Estes Park, Colorado, and all of us were glad to spend the next few days doing things instead of sitting, driving, and spending seemingly endless days in the RV. Ryan and Justin leaped out of the RV, grabbed their bicycles we had strapped on the back, and headed off for a ride. We all fished, played miniature golf, and some of us shopped for groceries, prepared food, and drank Coors. 

We were beginners at this RV thing, so we we weren't confident enough in our driving ability to tow a car behind. That meant that every day we drove the RV to whatever sights we were going to see, but that worked well for a real jewel in our trip itinerary, Rocky Mountain National Park. We drove Trail Ridge Road, which traverses 48 miles between the Park's east and west sides, and provides incredible sweeping views as it gains more than 4,000 feet in elevation.

There are plenty of places to pull over, get out and hike to better appreciate the rapidly increasing elevation and changing terrain. We stopped at all of them.

Rainbow Curve:

Tundra Communities Trailhead:

and played in snow along Lava Cliffs.

Things got a bit worrisome around halfway when we reached the Visitors Center at 11,796 feet elevation. 

Ryan really did feel as bad as he looked. (Yes, I was that awful mother that took a photo of my child before I understood how much he was suffering and that it was a potentially serious situation.) A ranger told us he had altitude sickness and advised us to head back down to a lower elevation immediately, with plenty of stops for water along the way. 

The doctors at Timberline Medical told us the same thing. Altitude sickness happens when people don't acclimate to elevation and ascend too quickly. Even though Ryan now lives only 60 miles away from the park at an elevation of 5,000 feet, he still suffers from altitude sickness above 12,000 feet, as he found out when he tried to climb Grays and Torreys Peak a few years ago. Because we were really concerned about Ryan's headache, shortness of breath, dehydration, and confusion (approaching delirium!) we stayed at a lower elevation for the rest of our time in the park. There is so much to see that this was easy to do. 

Rocky Mountain National Park is one of my favorite National Parks, and Bear Lake is one of my favorite places in the park.

Ryan and Justin were trying to fool me into thinking that there was a bear behind me (there was not). Rangers do tell visitors to be aware of their surroundings and watch for bears, so it was nice to see that my kids had listened.

We spent three days in the park, which really isn't enough. I've been back at least a dozen times since then and never tire of the beauty. 

Last week I mentioned that one of the reasons I was hesitant about the trip was that I didn't want to do the same things I do at home, but have those things be harder to accomplish. I did still have to do laundry in the laundromat at the RV park before we left, but I had the excitement of seeing elk while I did it. That never happens at home!

Next week: on the road to Wyoming

Both Sides

My recent travels have taken me to Pennsylvania, which means that I need to cross the Delaware River when I leave New Jersey. There are several bridges I can choose from, but habit usually finds me traveling north in New Jersey, crossing the Milford bridge, but returning home on the Pennsylvania side across the Frenchtown bridge. I switched things around this week, and it really made me take a good look at both sides.

Across the Uhlerstown - Frenchtown bridge to Pennsylvania:

Back across the the Upper Black Eddy - Milford Bridge to New Jersey:

Milford Mill Established 1798 Rebuilt 1849

I've driven this route literally hundreds of times over more than 40 years, but on this trip I'm glad I took the time to notice things. It's good to really see both sides.

Sick Sock, Bad Book, and a Simply Wonderful Story

I'm back in a doctor's waiting room for the fourth time in six days, but at least it's a different doctor and different patient. I brought along the necessary accoutrements for a longish wait - knitting and a book. I had started to think of this knitting as my "sick sock" as I've only worked on it in medical waiting rooms, but it clearly needed a new name. The book on my Kindle is a pre-pub from NetGalley that I am making myself finish; it is definitely not my cup of tea. But I had a lovely encounter that made me gleefully abandon the bad book and rename my sock.

I sat there knitting and counting the number of patients they had stashed in exam rooms during the last hour when a tall, distinguished-looking gentleman came in. After he had checked in with the snooty receptionist he turned around, observed me for a few seconds, and sat right down next to me. He told me (in his delightful-to-listen-to accent) that he had grown up in Scotland, watching his mother knit socks for soldiers in World War II. He said that she must have knit more than 100 pairs, and he wished that she had knit him a pair, especially because he was her favorite son (the only son in a family with six girls). He had known immediately what I was making and told me that it made his day to see someone knitting a sock and be reminded of his "dear, sweet mother". I told him I wished that I was a faster knitter so I could make him a pair of socks myself, and it had also made my day to be associated with such a wonderful person who had knit selflessly for so many others. He told me that his mother's name was Serena, and I replied that this pair would now be known as Serena Socks. He beamed broadly, patted my arm, and told me to knit on in peace.

This encounter made up for all the crappy time I've recently spent in waiting rooms, and will evoke wonderful feelings of happiness and peace every time I work on the Serena Socks.

Differential Diagnosis

Justin has been sick ever since since he started his drive home from Texas almost three weeks ago. At first, it was a sore neck and headaches every night, then it progressed to a sore throat, fever, and malaise, and finally to fevers approaching 104° and a throat so swollen that I was afraid he wouldn't be able to breathe.  

I took him to the doctor and despite a negative Rapid Strep. test, the doctor was sure his throat looked "very streppy" and prescribed amoxicillin. I asked if he could please do a Monospot test because I had seen first hand how much Justin was sleeping and how difficult it was for him to even get out of bed, but the doctor assured me I was just a worried mother, infectious mononucleosis wasn't a possibility, and Justin would begin recovering from his Strep. throat in 24-48 hrs. 

Seventy-two hours later with no improvement and worsening symptoms we were back at the doctor's office. Another negative Rapid Strep. test, another request from me for a Monospot test to no avail, but we left this time with a prescription for Augmentin and an assurance that this more potent antibiotic would do the trick. 

Two days later when Justin began his 104° fevers and was having trouble breathing, we went to the doctor one last time before heading to the ER. I insisted on a Monospot test, and you can likely guess the result - positive.

So after three visits to the doctor within five days, three different antibiotics, seven different medications prescribed, nine different lab. tests, and a demand from a very worried mother, we've finally got a real diagnosis. 

I understand that doctors are busy, don't need or want patients telling them how to practice medicine, and can't respond to every request from every worried mother, but I think that with a little more listening this could have been more easily resolved with the second visit. Justin is now on steroids to control his throat and tonsillar swelling, and I would be far less willing to be forgiving of the doctor's inability to listen if Justin was in the hospital on a respirator, which would have been the next step without the steroids. 

I originally intended to write a weekending-type post, but this is what I did this weekend. I feel a bit guilty because this is what I went to school for (to be able to identify those atypical lymphocytes in the photo above that are a pretty good indicator of infectious mononucleosis) and I should probably have taken charge more at the second doctor's visit and insisted upon a Monospot test. But I didn't, Justin is not in the hospital on a ventilator, and will recover with time and plenty of rest. Hopefully I will learn my lesson to be a better medical advocate for my loved ones in the future. No matter whether your kids are 3 or 23, mothers worry and should be listened to. 

Across America Part I

In my quest for something to write about, I decided that it was time to tell you the story of our drive across America. Where else can you read the thrilling story of a family fulfilling their dream of driving across the country in an RV to see the sights? Every Friday, I'll present a new installment of our epic 5,856 mile journey. It's sort of like a modern day Oregon Trail Game, except we didn't have to caulk the RV to float across the Kansas River and nobody died of dysentery.

John had always wanted to drive across the country in an RV, and I resisted this idea for a year or more. When we plan vacations, I always say that I don't want to do the same things I do at home and have doing them be more difficult. John pointed out that Justin and Ryan were 9 and 11 years old; this would be educational, fun, and a family-bonding experience, and if we put it off much longer, the boys wouldn't want to go with us at all, so I finally came around. We bought a used 23-foot RV, stocked it with all the comforts of home, and planned a trip to Yellowstone. On June 23, 2002 we left New Jersey and drove 240 miles to Bedford, PA. Our plan was to stay in campgrounds with pools so the boys would be happy and we could all relax after a day of driving.

Justin loved to "look for creatures", so he spent lots of time exploring and lifting up every rock he could find. This next photo is what a nine-year-old looks like after he has smashed his fingers under a very large rock. Don't these people look like they are ready to Let The Good Times Roll?

The next day we drove 430 miles to Greenfield, IN and swam again.

The third day we had some trouble with the RV, fixed it in a Walmart parking lot, but still did 500 miles to make it to Grain Valley, MO, where we swam once more.

June 26th found us 420 miles farther in Goodland, KS. We knew we were in Kansas by the combine on the overpass.

I'm sure swimming happened here, but just for some variety, here's a different type of picture from the pool.

Next week: We head further west and do some more interesting things besides driving and swimming. (Promise!)

Think Write Thursday - Hello, March

The Think Write Thursday topic for March, 2017 is to write a post titled Hello March. We have had positive feedback on the other times we have done this at the beginning of the month so we thought we'd suggest it again. Plus, we're slackers. :-)
(No, they're really not.)

Hello March,

I'm glad you're here. Don't tell January and February, but I like you more. Even though you came roaring in like a lion yesterday with beastly thunderstorms, howling winds, and powerful rain, you seem to have gotten it out of your system and settled down a bit today. This also guarantees that you'll go out gently as a lamb, right? 

I like you because you're the month of daffodils, spring, and daylight saving time. And let's not forget about the most wonderful day of the year (well, in the top ten for sure), Pi Day. I'm already planning what type of pie I'm baking to celebrate. Read Across America Day is today, but I celebrate reading every day. 

This year especially, March means more than just the name of a month. There is the Women's March, continuing actions and solidarity with A Day Without A Woman on March 8th, International Women's Day. I haven't yet worked out exactly how I'll participate. I can definitely avoid shopping for one day, along with wearing red in solidarity, but I'm not sure about taking the day off from my paid labor, especially because I have a March 10th deadline on a big project. We shall see. 

March also means this book, which I'll be reading as soon as 18 people ahead of me on the library hold list finish it. I think this story of civil rights struggles, racism, and politics, told by Congressman John Lewis in graphic novel format will educate me and hopefully remind me of the power of non-violence in the important and ongoing struggle for tolerance, acceptance, and inclusion for everyone. I'm looking forward to reading all three volumes. 

So, thank you for all the good things you bring. I'm glad you're here for a nice long 31 days, March!

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Read other Think ... Write ... Thursday! posts here, and sign up for Carole and Kat's great idea here.

Done!

Done and mailed! I figured I better get my refund before some crazy person tried to add it to a ludicrous $54 billion increase in military spending or to build a preposterous and unnecessary wall.