We can "hear her sea breezes blowin" ...... with fog. Well actually .... FOG! The temperature dropped almost 10 degrees on our way down from Pearland today; and we got here just before the fog rolled in.
Parked at the same place near Stewart Beach ..... I really like it here.
About Vera: very great dissappointment this morning about the vertigo "treatment" .... they couldn't do anything because no one told her not to take her morning medications .... rescheduled for Monday. BUT the most disappointment is that there won't be any treatment for a while .... hafta evaluate, test, etc, etc .... then the report goes to the doctor who decides if she should be treated.... then go back, etc, etc. It's just like the sleep study: they drag out the process into three or more visits ..... seems to me like they are just charging more money than is necessary. Of course a big part is they are just covering the liability .... but it just doesn't seem fair to the patients. Ok, off my soapbox.
Vera, was VERY upset and disappointed .... she has been so sick and dizzy for so long now and things just don't move very fast.
Later,
Marilyn
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
We have a plan !!
The big news here today is that Vera will be having a hip replacement on April 9th. We think this is good news, and of course ... a little scary. But the way we look at it is: anytime a reputable doctor tells you he can 'fix it' (no matter what 'it' is) ..... is good news.
And the bottom line is we want to get her back to hiking with us as soon as possible.
This gives us a time frame to schedule around .... which will be good .... gets us off dead center.
Tomorrow we will move the motorhome back to Galveston (they don't have space for us here past today) and stay until March 11 when we will leave for Arizona for a short visit, then be back here by April 9.
Tomorrow morning Vera has a two and one half hour visit at the Vestibular Clinic ...... I hope she comes out withOUT the dizziness.
Later,
Marilyn
And the bottom line is we want to get her back to hiking with us as soon as possible.
This gives us a time frame to schedule around .... which will be good .... gets us off dead center.
Tomorrow we will move the motorhome back to Galveston (they don't have space for us here past today) and stay until March 11 when we will leave for Arizona for a short visit, then be back here by April 9.
Tomorrow morning Vera has a two and one half hour visit at the Vestibular Clinic ...... I hope she comes out withOUT the dizziness.
Later,
Marilyn
Sunday, February 19, 2012
too much medical stuff
Vera is still having severe vertigo .... will see Dr. tomorrow for referral for "ear treatment". She's really having a lot of different problems right now. She is having an endoscopy tomorrow, sleep study on Tuesday, and sees the hip Dr. on Wednesday. She says everything is falling apart ..... I know it is discouraging for her. It has been almost impossible for her to sit at the computer to handle grading, etc, for her students; so she has officially gone on sick leave for the remainder of the semester. Please remember her in prayer for getting all systems settled down.
Meanwhile, we have to leave here on the 23rd because the campground is reserved full and they don't have a place for us. We will bounce back down to Galveston for a while. We enjoy it down there but it is an hour and a half drive to the Medical Center (one way).
We are using the time for ... paperwork, taxes, reading, and enjoying gatherings of our friends.
I'll keep you posted.
Later, Marilyn
Meanwhile, we have to leave here on the 23rd because the campground is reserved full and they don't have a place for us. We will bounce back down to Galveston for a while. We enjoy it down there but it is an hour and a half drive to the Medical Center (one way).
We are using the time for ... paperwork, taxes, reading, and enjoying gatherings of our friends.
I'll keep you posted.
Later, Marilyn
Thursday, February 16, 2012
perception of direction
I am one of those people who do well at keeping their orientation ..... good thing since I'm the driver. But I really am proud of that ability; and it contributes to my confidence finding my way around as we travel.
Well, there is a strange sensation that I am aware of every so often, of my sense of orientation shifting suddenly. I've given it some thought and realized we are in a unique situation regarding maintaining our sense of direction.
When we have the shades down at night we are enclosed in an isolated box, without any thought or need to know which way is north, etc. Our memory of "which way is north" (WWIN) is formed during the time prior to entering "the box". This is true of our being in our motorhome, or when we were living in a house.
However, living in a permanent house allows us to always know WWIN even when the shades are down .... (because of repetition and familiarity - memory).
So ...... when our motorhome moves every day, or every few days, it is more difficult to maintain an accurate sense of direction (while in it at night).
Strangely, I seem to have a 'default' WWIN that applies when the shades are down (everything is oriented relative to other things inside); but in the morning when I put up the shades and look outside I am often mildly surprised to realize where we are and WWIN.
Contributing to that paradigm shift are the different memories of, for example, what I recently saw out of the bedroom window. At Lake Okeechobee in Florida that bedroom window faced north, and I could see the alligators on the island just offshore. At Cortez, Colorado that window faced east with a mountain meadow view, etc....
Often at night I reminisce about those places, and in my mind I become physically oriented to those directions. Then in the morning when I get up I think, oh, yeah, we're facing the lake, etc .... or I open a shade and things immediately click back into place. Until we move again.
It's all part of the adventure; all part of the fun.
Later,
Marilyn
Well, there is a strange sensation that I am aware of every so often, of my sense of orientation shifting suddenly. I've given it some thought and realized we are in a unique situation regarding maintaining our sense of direction.
When we have the shades down at night we are enclosed in an isolated box, without any thought or need to know which way is north, etc. Our memory of "which way is north" (WWIN) is formed during the time prior to entering "the box". This is true of our being in our motorhome, or when we were living in a house.
However, living in a permanent house allows us to always know WWIN even when the shades are down .... (because of repetition and familiarity - memory).
So ...... when our motorhome moves every day, or every few days, it is more difficult to maintain an accurate sense of direction (while in it at night).
Strangely, I seem to have a 'default' WWIN that applies when the shades are down (everything is oriented relative to other things inside); but in the morning when I put up the shades and look outside I am often mildly surprised to realize where we are and WWIN.
Contributing to that paradigm shift are the different memories of, for example, what I recently saw out of the bedroom window. At Lake Okeechobee in Florida that bedroom window faced north, and I could see the alligators on the island just offshore. At Cortez, Colorado that window faced east with a mountain meadow view, etc....
Often at night I reminisce about those places, and in my mind I become physically oriented to those directions. Then in the morning when I get up I think, oh, yeah, we're facing the lake, etc .... or I open a shade and things immediately click back into place. Until we move again.
It's all part of the adventure; all part of the fun.
Later,
Marilyn
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
"Home"
Back in Houston (Pearland, really) .... the sun is shining like crazy for us. Vera is having severe vertigo today with nausea ... not good.
This week we will have several medical appts. and see what they tell us.
Happy Valentines Day.
Later, Marilyn
This week we will have several medical appts. and see what they tell us.
Happy Valentines Day.
Later, Marilyn
Sunday, February 12, 2012
furnace failed again
Still in Galveston, 32 degrees this morning ...... no heat ..... went to the bathroom in the wee hours of the morning ..... furnace is blowing COLD air. What is wrong with this picture: every time it gets really cold, our furnace fails (for a variety of reasons). OK, this time it's on me ...... monitor gauge says we have NO propane ...... oopsie-e-e !!
Out come the electric heaters again .... we're wearing them out just pulling them in and out of the storage compartments below.
We had intended to leave Galveston on Friday (day before yesterday), because Mardi Gras started that evening ...... and we were thinking to avoid the big crowds and the increase in cost of everything including our camping space.
But then we reconsidered. It did occur to us that our wishing to avoid crowds and such, was probably an age related thing. None of us had ever been to a Mardi Gras, and decided we should experience it.
Went to two out of the five parades this weekend (next weekend is the really "big" weekend - no, we are not staying) ; and it was fun. One parade was around the Historic Strand area downtown, and featured an "Umbrella Hokey Pokey" attempt for a Guinness World Record for the largest 'choreographed dance'. One thousand five hundred and three people (with decorated umbrellas) did the hokey pokey for five minutes and broke the record previously held by some foreign country that I can't remember right now (another age thing).
We caught lots of strings of beads thrown from the floats (not sure what this tradition stems from) and it was pretty much like an old fashioned, old time parade with marching high school bands, lots of jazz music .... fun ..... didn't get to see the Clydesdale horses though. They were supposed to lead several of the parades but I missed whichever ones they were.
A friend had a big birthday dinner Saturday nite for Vera, (she's the one getting old-er, not us).
So, in the morning we will pack up the rig and travel about 50 minutes back to our favorite campground in Pearland, south of Houston. Vera sees the 'back doctor' on Wednesday, then the 'hip doctor' the next week. (see, I told you she was the old-er one) ..... we poke fun at her a lot .... she doesn't SEEM to mind. But maybe we should be careful .... she IS the official cook for this expedition.
Later,
Marilyn
Out come the electric heaters again .... we're wearing them out just pulling them in and out of the storage compartments below.
We had intended to leave Galveston on Friday (day before yesterday), because Mardi Gras started that evening ...... and we were thinking to avoid the big crowds and the increase in cost of everything including our camping space.
But then we reconsidered. It did occur to us that our wishing to avoid crowds and such, was probably an age related thing. None of us had ever been to a Mardi Gras, and decided we should experience it.
Went to two out of the five parades this weekend (next weekend is the really "big" weekend - no, we are not staying) ; and it was fun. One parade was around the Historic Strand area downtown, and featured an "Umbrella Hokey Pokey" attempt for a Guinness World Record for the largest 'choreographed dance'. One thousand five hundred and three people (with decorated umbrellas) did the hokey pokey for five minutes and broke the record previously held by some foreign country that I can't remember right now (another age thing).
We caught lots of strings of beads thrown from the floats (not sure what this tradition stems from) and it was pretty much like an old fashioned, old time parade with marching high school bands, lots of jazz music .... fun ..... didn't get to see the Clydesdale horses though. They were supposed to lead several of the parades but I missed whichever ones they were.
A friend had a big birthday dinner Saturday nite for Vera, (she's the one getting old-er, not us).
So, in the morning we will pack up the rig and travel about 50 minutes back to our favorite campground in Pearland, south of Houston. Vera sees the 'back doctor' on Wednesday, then the 'hip doctor' the next week. (see, I told you she was the old-er one) ..... we poke fun at her a lot .... she doesn't SEEM to mind. But maybe we should be careful .... she IS the official cook for this expedition.
Later,
Marilyn
Monday, February 6, 2012
surf sounds again
We are back in Galveston for a couple of weeks just waiting in between Vera's doctor appointments. Her back is doing ok, but she still has pain and cannot sit up very long, although she walks quite a bit. Her hip problem has now become more apparent (guess the back was masking it somewhat). Hip specialist appt. on the 22nd.
Meanwhile we are enjoying island life ..... it really feels different here .... more relaxed, more friendly, more interesting things to choose activities from. I know that sounds strange when comparing it to the city of Houston ..... problem is - Houston is too impersonal. Anyway, that's my opinion.
Tomorrow Charlie and I are being given a back roads birding tour by a friend who lives here. Specifically we are interested in the sandhill cranes who are wintering here on the island. We've seen quite a few just by the roadsides and at the airport. I lo-o-o-ve to listen to their calls .... almost like a purring sound.
It was 44 degrees this morning .... and guess what ! .... the furnace got stubborn again and quit working. I don't know but what it has something against our being in cold weather. Actually, so do I, but I don't think it's fair for it to quit working every time we need it. But thank goodness for mobile RV repair services; $60. and we are as good as new...... until the next cold spell.
We have been discussing and recussing travel plans for when we head out, hopefully in a month or so. Alaska is definitely out, so is Nova Scotia for this season. Right now we all agree we would like to see the Great Lakes - all of them.
I'll let you know when we hear about Vera's hip diagnosis/ recommendations.
Later, Marilyn
Meanwhile we are enjoying island life ..... it really feels different here .... more relaxed, more friendly, more interesting things to choose activities from. I know that sounds strange when comparing it to the city of Houston ..... problem is - Houston is too impersonal. Anyway, that's my opinion.
Tomorrow Charlie and I are being given a back roads birding tour by a friend who lives here. Specifically we are interested in the sandhill cranes who are wintering here on the island. We've seen quite a few just by the roadsides and at the airport. I lo-o-o-ve to listen to their calls .... almost like a purring sound.
It was 44 degrees this morning .... and guess what ! .... the furnace got stubborn again and quit working. I don't know but what it has something against our being in cold weather. Actually, so do I, but I don't think it's fair for it to quit working every time we need it. But thank goodness for mobile RV repair services; $60. and we are as good as new...... until the next cold spell.
We have been discussing and recussing travel plans for when we head out, hopefully in a month or so. Alaska is definitely out, so is Nova Scotia for this season. Right now we all agree we would like to see the Great Lakes - all of them.
I'll let you know when we hear about Vera's hip diagnosis/ recommendations.
Later, Marilyn
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)