Fun in the Sun

What a fabulous December we have had! As you are probably aware, Mr. T and I were thrilled to tag along on Missy M's recent adventure to the Popeye's Bahamas Bowl, and I wanted to post some of the pictures we took while we were there. To recap, M was given an all-expenses paid trip to stay at the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island, when she won a corporate award last February, and then she used her Delta points to upgrade our tickets to First Class. We have taught that child well!

And so we were off, leaving from the Atlanta airport. We were able to drop the grand-dogs off at the Pet Paradise boarding facility that is on the property with Park n' Fly Plus...what a fabulous convenience for Missy M when she travels! They valet-parked the car, and then delivered us and our luggage directly to the (new to us) International terminal. [Our pups were being boarded at the (wonderful, fabulous, super-terrific) Guilford-Jamestown Veterinary Hospital boarding facility in Greensboro...which meant Mr. T and I would have to cut our Christmas vacation short and dash back up I-85 on Boxing Day in order to ransom them. But it also meant that they were staying in close proximity to the vets that know them and their quirkinesses. Thank heaven for that, because we had hardly gotten out of town before we got a call to seek permission to treat Winston for severe diarrhea...which thankfully turned out to be 'just' a bout of colitis (which we call his "squirrelly-tummy." Whew...crisis averted!).] 

Snapshot of in-flight seat-back info screen on Delta

The flight was non-stop...and extremely comfortable. The flight attendant served us our choice of orange juice, champagne, or mimosas (my selection, of course!) pre-flight. Missy M and I played a couple of games of trivia on our seat-back video screens, and before we knew it the pilot said we were preparing for our landing!

A view from the window seat: somewhere there are islands and an airport!

Once we had safely landed (although I did hear one passenger remark that our pilot must have been a Navy pilot...and the "abrupt" stop made me think of something my pilot-of-a-Daddy used to say: "any landing you walk away from is a good one!"), we got in line for customs and enjoyed a calypso band along with the video advertisements for the bowl game...and a local Bahamian beer.

In line for Bahamas Customs

When I say that everything was arranged for us ahead of time, I mean EVERYTHING! The mini-bus driver was holding a sign with M's name (spelled correctly!) when we exited Customs, and we were treated to an interesting ride (!) through Nassau (remember, the Bahamas were once British, so they drive on the left...which is always initially shocking to the systems of those of us from the USA!), on the way to cross the bridge to Paradise Island and our resort home for the next few days.

OMG! The Atlantis was amazing! It was all decorated for Christmas, and the calypso bands played Holiday music nearly non-stop...which can bring a smile when they are playing "Let It Snow!" and it is 80° outside.

According to their website:

Atlantis features the world's largest open-air marine habitat; Aquaventure water park, including the iconic Mayan Temple's Leap of Faith slide; 11 unique pools; renowned beaches; 18-hole golf course; the largest casino in the Caribbean; over 21 restaurants, 19 bars and lounges... Atlantis also offers a multitude of unique accommodations, including the iconic Royal Towers...

The Atlantis was the host-hotel for both teams...in different towers

The Atlantis lobby was beautifully decorated for the Season: this is the giant gingerbread house

Looking from the lobby toward the Royal Towers...

...but first, a stop for (free!) snacks, beverages, and our credentials

We picked up our badges, T-shirts, and tote bags...then headed to our rooms (7-523 and 525)

We stayed in the Royal Towers (they had surprised M by giving her 2 connecting rooms!), overlooking the harbor. This place is HUGE...I don't think you could see and do everything if you had a month (and you'd need to have won the lottery to be able to afford a stay of that length!). Oh, and we had a bowl game to go to, too. Still, we stuffed as much as we could into the five days we were there.

Let the picture-taking begin!

The view from our balcony, looking back toward Nassau and the cruise ship harbor

Sunset over the Nassau harbor, taken from our balcony

Day 2...and we were off to the beach...Atlantis Beach, to be more precise! OK, I was so excited about FINALLY getting to dip my toes into the ocean this year (after having to miss two separate opportunities...one for health reasons, the other for a hurricane) that I completely ignored this flag as we slipped off our flip-flops.

One really should pay attention to signs

I really should have paid more attention. We got on the beach and found a spot for our towels. The sun was so warm that it took a while to get used to the cold Atlantic water, but two of us eventually took the plunge. Missy M and I had been dog-paddling around and chatting, just a few feet away from shore when a tremendous wave, preceded by a strong undertow, completely swamped me. As M said "Momma went ass-over-teakettle," to quote the Brits, who usually shorten the saying to "a-over-t." Just prior to that experience, we had been discussing why Mr. T was still sitting on the beach instead of coming into the water, and I said "well, he's not particularly fond of the sand, and remember the last time he was at the beach, he got swamped by a wave and lost his glasses." Two minutes later...I, too, lost my glasses to a monster wave. Thank heaven, no pictures or YouTube videos exist of the pirouette I executed when the wave drove my head into the shore...I'm here to tell you, it wasn't pretty. Other than being shaky for a few minutes and having to shampoo my hair 3 times to get all the sand out off my scalp, I was none the worse for wear. And thank heaven, I had a spare pair of specs with me.

Here are a few of the photos we took at the beaches while we were there...

Got my feet in the ocean in 2016...finally!

Lifeguard hut on Atlantis Beach

Atlantis Beach

Paradise Beach

And here are a few taken on the property...

The Family Photo, in front of the Royal Towers

The Mayan Temple Water-slide (NO, I did not go on this!)

The Paradise Lagoon Beach

I'm at the Baths Colonnade pool...while Mr. T and M play on the River Ride

My toes in the Baths Colonnade Pool

One of the truly interesting elements of the Atlantis resort was the aquarium and marine rehabilitation center on the property. I got up early one day to see one of the staff make his feeding rounds, and I thoroughly enjoyed that experience. Here are a few shots I snapped...

Eric feeding the giant sea turtles in rehab

Looking through the aquarium "tunnel" to the Royal Towers

Giant groupers!

Eric feeding the Eels (his hand is in upper left of glass)

Eels

Yep, those last two shots are of eels...OMG. Thought I might have nightmares after seeing them. But, as Eric (the fellow pictured above, and whose hand is barely visible, upper left of the first eel picture) said: "don't worry, there's 6" of glass between us and them." Right!

One of those pictures above is of the ginormous groupers that are native to this area of the Atlantic and are a staple of the Bahamian diet. I had it twice while there (blackened and in fish tacos) and can say I thoroughly enjoyed both dishes. We tried several of the restaurants while there, including SeaFire Steakhouse and ChopStix as well as Village Burger Shack and the Marina Pizzeria. I snapped a shot of the most famous on-site restaurant, Cafe Martinique, which was seen in the James Bond film, Thunderball, although we didn't dine there.

While we were there, we were treated to a "welcome party" by the bowl host, Popeye's. Good food (including the aforementioned fish tacos!), an open bar, and lively entertainment made it a special time.

The party was held at Fathoms, a nightspot with the aquarium as a backdrop.

The band was playing "Under the Sea" at the time...:-)

The major reason for our trip, of course, was to attend the Bahamas Bowl, sponsored by Popeye's. What a fun time that was! And one of the teams (Old Dominion University) ended up winning their first bowl game EVER...how exciting is that?!?

The National Stadium was a gift to the Bahamas from the Chinese

Bet we were the ONLY bowl spectators to have a Junkanoo Parade at halftime!

Too soon, it was time to begin our journey back to the States. We had a wonderful time, and will forever be grateful for the experience. Here are a few parting photos...

Last meal...salad with grilled shrimp at the Dive In

Looking from the front of the hotel toward the Marina Village (home of the pizza and hamburger places...and dock to some of the biggest yachts I've ever seen!)

Those last three shots were taken while we were awaiting our transportation to the airport. We had another beautiful day in paradise, which made for smooth flying back to Atlanta. We landed early (not always a good thing...:-), collected our luggage, then got the car and the grand-pups before heading back to Abby Grace Drive.

It was, after all, Christmas Eve...and we wanted to make sure we were where we were supposed to be when Santa Claus arrived!

And Then...And Then...Along Came the Rest of the Story

Well hello there. Good to see you again. I'm back, and using the neatest technology for typing: talk-to-text. So why am I using talk-to-text, you ask? Ah well, that's part of the rest of the story. Let's get started…

When last I wrote, Mr. T was headed for a cardiac ablation to correct an arrhythmia. (Please see the previous two posts to catch up with this part of the story.) The short version is it all went extremely well. The longer version? Of course, that's where the rest of the story begins!

We got to Wake Forest Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem on Monday (2/16) before the 7 o'clock scheduled appointment time and followed the (excellent) directions we had found on the website. Those directions got us to the correct parking deck that serviced the Electrophysiology Lab. Unfortunately, we actually needed to be in Admissions...several floors below and one building over. It's like we were trying to collect (or rather SPEND!) our $200 without passing "Go." STOP! Retrace steps. Start over. Dear Readers, if any of you have ever been to WFBH (or any large, metropolitan University teaching hospital), you will know that "retracing your steps" is much easier said than done. Sigh.

How did this happen? You may remember from my last post, that the cardiac ablation procedure was planned late Friday (2/13) afternoon over the phone, in consultation with the electrophysiologist after he had read Mr. T's ultrasound. As it turned out, Dr. W is the head of the EP department. In other words, he makes the decisions, and he can make a procedure happen in three days rather than in three weeks. What he does not do, is enter information into the WFBH admissions system. And, even if the top doc has decreed you will have a procedure ASAP, you do NOT do anything until the (electronic) paperwork is in order. And it was definitely NOT in order.

Still, I must say, everyone we met at WFBH...everyone...did everything to make Mr. T's stay there the best it could be. The Admissions rep pulled in just the right person to finagle the system into admitting him. And more than one person called the EP Suite to keep them apprised of his progress. He got the ticket for admittance when they strapped the bracelet on his wrist (note the QR codes...more about those in an upcoming post).

When we got back to the place we had started, they wasted no time in getting him prepped for the procedure...but neither did they try to save time by neglecting to tell BOTH of us what to expect when. Then, as they wheeled Mr. T away, one of the nurses said to me "do you know where the Adult Surgery Family Waiting Center is?" When I said I didn't, she smiled and said, "well, let me take you there!" And she did! Two floors down and one building over. [I soon learned that was a theme: if you even appeared to be lost, a hospital employee (doctor, nurse, tech...didn't matter) would come to your rescue, and typically ask if you wanted him or her to take you there.]

I settled in for my long winter's wait, since Dr. B (who was the EP in charge of the procedure) had said he would call me in about 2-3 hours to let me know how things were going. Missy M had agreed to stay behind at home and make sure the pups were fed (it's all about the dogz, right?); then she'd come along to wait with me. I had started a raglan sweater (knit, knit, knit...round and round on circular needles) that seemed perfect for passing the time in the waiting room. Only two problems:

1) We were in the direct path of a winter storm, supposed to dump snow and ice on us starting at 4:00...almost the exact time Mr. T was to be discharged (if all went well with the 4-hour enforced flat-on-his-back recovery spent in the day hospital room); and

2) My left wrist was hurting worse than ever. But, I had an appointment with a WFB orthopedic doc that very afternoon, and Mr. T's doc had encouraged me to keep the appointment. Plus, his nurse told me not to even think about driving across the campus...there was a shuttle bus that would deliver me door-to-door! Well, alrighty then...knit on!

Meanwhile....up in the EP Suite...

Mr. T said he remembers the first part of the morning, when they put at least 16 electrode patches to determine whether he was in flutter (he was) and to begin what they called a TEE. Here's a bit about that:

"In a small number of patients, an ultrasound of the heart is needed to make sure that there is no blood clot present. This is called a transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE)...and involves a probe that goes down your throat to look at your heart. You will be given sedation during this test..."

Well, sort of. He remembers the lidocaine that was used to numb his throat. Then the foul-tasting benzocaine. And he had the impression that he had pulled into pit row in a NASCAR race: there were people all around him, with each one doing some portion of the procedure...all working in harmony. He thought he might hear the whirring of the air-jack at any moment! And then...and then...well, lights out.

Meanwhile, back in the Surgery Waiting Center...

I knitted. And I texted. And I watched the constant weather updates. And I waited. And before I knew it, Dr. B called me to say the procedure was over, and Mr. T was doing well. Hooray and hallelujah! He said his nurse would call me soon and tell me the room number in the Day Hospital, which was where Mr. T had to go for 4-6 hours of observation "flat on his back, no movements." (Right. I was wondering what they were going to use to tie him down.) Within 15 minutes, Nurse Mary called with the number...and detailed directions...but when I asked an employee for confirmation of the correct bank of elevators (I had changed Towers, so I wasn't sure whether I could use the first ones I came upon), she said "let me take you there." Then when I got to the nurses' station on 11, I asked if Mr. T had arrived in his room. "No, but you are welcome to wait in there. Let me take you to it." (Can you tell I'm going to give them the highest score on their follow up survey?)

Missy M arrived to the room just after Mr. T did. And she stayed with him while I caught the shuttle to the orthopedic surgeon's office. I got there way too early, but they took me right away: the weather was changing, and they wanted to make sure everyone was seen before the snow arrived. The doc came in, asked me lots of questions, and examined my left hand/wrist/thumb. He was just like everyone else we have met in this system: open, kind, and easy to talk with. (Not at all like the orthopedic surgeon I had for my back in Florida...but don't get me started...:-)

Turns out I have a tendon-and-nerve combo problem called deQuervain's Tenosynovitis. Dr. W says it's fairly common, but I've never known anyone with it, have you? Here's some more info for you: 

>>>"Definition

By Mayo Clinic Staff

De Quervain's tenosynovitis (dih-kwer-VAINS ten-oh-sine-oh-VIE-tis) is a painful condition affecting the tendons on the thumb side of your wrist. If you have de Quervain's tenosynovitis, it will probably hurt every time you turn your wrist, grasp anything or make a fist. Chronic overuse of your wrist is commonly associated with de Quervain's tenosynovitis. 

When you grip, grasp, clench, pinch or wring anything in your hand, you use two major tendons in your wrist and lower thumb. These tendons normally glide unhampered through the small tunnel that connects them to the base of the thumb. If you repeat a particular motion day after day, it may irritate the sheath around the two tendons, causing thickening that restricts the movement of the tendons."<<<

What causes it? Repetitive motion, like with tennis or golf (don't play), lifting a baby (don't have one...anymore), gardening (uh oh), crocheting (double uh oh), and knitting (triple uh oh). What can you do about it? For starters, NSAIDS are prescribed...but I already take Celebrex for arthritis, so obviously I'm beyond Step 1. Next up, stop doing any/all of the above, which is accomplished by splinting 24/7...for 4-6 weeks (only removing the brace for showering and hand-washing) to limit use and to keep the wrist and thumb in proper alignment. In other words, NO KNITTING. Triple sigh. And lastly, a cortisone shot...in the wrist. If you know me at all, you KNOW how terrified of needles I am. So, when you hear I was practically begging him to give me that shot, you will KNOW where I was on the pain continuum that day. And if the above doesn't work? The last stop is surgery. And the website that Dr. W sent me to showed a video of that surgery, which is probably the best incentive I have at keeping the brace in place. Ahem.

So here's the fashion statement I'm making for the next few weeks. "Lovely" isn't the word...and in doesn't fit inside of a sweatshirt sleeve very well. Still...I want to do everything I can to avoid surgery. [Yes, I admit it. I am a big baby. And no, I wasn't knitting with that ball of yarn. I was wondering if it would make a good squeeze toy. I may have to keep my thumb still, but I need to provide some therapeutic movement for arthritic fingers...which were used to knitting.]

Meanwhile, back on the 11th floor...

Mr. T's observation period was ticking away, with just a small hitch. At the 4-hour mark, the nurse who changed the bandage decided he needed to stay a couple more hours. Of course, that timing coincided perfectly with the arrival of the winter storm we'd been hearing about all day. You knew that was coming didn't you?

No worries. We made it home just fine, following the salt trucks and snow ploughs all the way. Missy M took good care of us until she headed back down I-85. And Mr. T was a good patient, following his doctors' orders for a quiet recovery. 

So far, so good. His heart rate is consistently registering below 100, his blood pressure is staying in the normal limits, and there is no indication of the arrhythmia. I say again...hooray and hallelujah!

And me? Well, I may have to give up knitting for a few weeks; I may have to forego using a keyboard and stick to talk-to-text and single-digit typing on an iPad; and I may have to figure out how to make-do in the garden with just my right hand (using a hand trowel, yes; using a cultivator or hoe, no). But I can tell you I am doing better already.

And that is...as promised...the rest of this story.

Weekend Interlude

interlude

[in-ter-lood] 

noun

an intervening episode, period, space, etc.

First things first...Happy Valentine's Day! This is a special day for many folks, and we are no exception. Ah, memories...

Then there is this picture that seemed apropos:

[Couldnt resist. Chalk it up to my wacky sense of humor.]

Ok, on to the real reason you are probably here: an update on Mr. T. And that's why I titled this post "Weekend Interlude," as in an intervening couple of days before the action resumes in our adventure...big time. But first, allow me to digress...quite a lot...

Yesterday was beyond wacky. Wacky cubed, you might say. We started the day right after coffee (breakfast was a protein bar on the run), dashing off to the cardiologist's office on the west side of Winston-Salem. Mr. T was scheduled for a cardiac ultrasound (as mentioned in my last post). His heart rate has responded well over the past week to the higher dosage of meds, although he became aware of his blood pressure monitor lighting up the little red light for "irregular heartbeat." Still, things seemed to be more positive than the week before. 

After the test (which was a new and interesting experience for him), we decided to move our Valentine's meal out forward a day and try out a new spot for lunch (I mean, really...how many people actually celebrate Friday the 13th, I ask you?). Although the last thing Mr. T needs right now is to be exposed to all and sundry germs, you just can't help wanting to have a special time out together. I was wearing a red sweater (see picture) I knitted several years ago for Valentine's Day in the pattern called Minimalist Cardigan, plus a heart-shaped pin, so that counts, right?

We headed to downtown Winston and were the first folks in the door of The Old Fourth Street Filling Station (click here to go there: http://theoldfourthstreetfillingstation.com). We started with the hot, creamy Spinach Dip and pita chip appetizer and then polished off the day's special lunch offering, hot and crispy fish & chips. Excellent on both counts! By the time we left, we probably could have auctioned off our table to the gathering crowd.

Next up, a trip to the AT&T store in HPNC. Beat me, beat me with a stick. So why subject myself to this torture? My iPhone took a dunk in a cup of Diet Pepsi about a month ago and has not been the same since...imagine that. It finally refused to take a charge this past week, breathing its final gasp on Wednesday. The AT&T tech confirmed the demise, but guessed it might be a problem with the charger port...possibly including a bad battery. Repair the "old" one (which is only 14 months old) or buy a new one? That is only one of the many questions that consumed the next three hours of our lives.

[As you read the following, please remember that I am certainly capable of making choices between Choice A and Choice B. I help clients do this all of the time! I can even factor in Choice C, but I usually find adding a third consideration just muddies the waters without giving any greater returns. I'm all about narrowing it down to the manageable Magic Two. If options begin to balloon beyond three, I start getting downright twitchy...to use one word for it. So, to recap: having two options is ideal. Three can be dealt with. Four or more makes me crazy. ]

Wouldn't you know it, the phone was two months beyond warranty (which may or may not have covered a soda-swim). So, the AT&T tech hands us a card for a local (thank the good Lord) repair facility. Mr. T calls them and is told it could cost $75-125 to repair...and while the estimate visit was free, they were backed up and it may take 3 hours to be able to give us an estimate. Ok, Choice A to consider: take the dead phone to CPR (Cell Phone Repair...how clever...:-).

Next on the agenda was the discussion about a new phone. I am reasonably happy with both my iPhone and with AT&T, so I thought this part would be easy, since I was not entertaining other makes or other carriers. I was, however, thinking that if I had to buy a new iPhone, that I might go ahead and get a 6 like Mr. T has or a ginormous 6-plus like Missy M uses (upgrading from my current much-loved, pretty, petite, bright yellow...albeit dead 5c). 

Back in the analog days when I worked for Vanguard Cellular (which was eventually acquired by AT&T), you picked out a phone, you picked a rate plan, you paid for the phone and one month's bill in advance...and they activated it, hey presto! You've got cell! That was so 1996.

Now? Good grief. It seems they are all about financing the phone...which I did not want. And if I bought the phone outright (to get the best pricing), I had to sign up for a two-year contract (which my previous carrier Northstate, who was bought by AT&T, never required, so I'm grandfathered in), which I'd rather not do. And even if I agreed to the 2-year contract (which the Tech admitted was going away "soon"), I would be paying MORE per month...for the same minutes and data plan. So, Choice B was buy a newer model of iPhone from my current carrier and pay more per month...for nothing.

Putting some distance between ourselves and this daymare, we headed across town to CPR...to leave the dead phone for an estimate. Lo and behold, in the same shopping center was a Verizon store...and Missy M had just directed me (on a call on Mr. T's phone) to bite the bullet and get some competitors' (namely T-Mobile and Verizon) information. Enter Choice C. 

Blah, blah, blah...numbers basically the same, except an offer for a monthly "bounty" for leaving my current carrier. Nice guy, but still...I'm sinking fast. Heading to T-Mobile (back across town), I hit my wall. I asked Mr. T to head home, realizing I simply couldn't manage Choice D.

At home, we switched gears, moving back to the realm of arrhythmia. Mr. T's ultrasound had been read and he had a call from the Electrophysiologist (EP). They talked, discussed what would happen next, and before he had hung up the call for long, there was a message from the electronic patient record application used by Wake Forest Baptist Health that he had a cardiac  ablation scheduled for Zero Dark Thirty on Monday. Wow! 

What's a cardiac ablation, you ask? Here you go...from the National Insttute of Health: "Cardiac ablation is a procedure that is used to scar small areas in your heart that may be causing your heart rhythm problem. This can prevent the abnormal electrical signals or rhythms from moving through the heart."

Read more on the subject here: (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007368.htm) Cardiac Ablation Procedure

Then there was a call from the nurse who talked about what to expect (a 4-6 hour procedure, done in the hospital-based EP surgery suite) and told Mr. T about the blood thinner med he had to begin...now. 

Before we could dash out of the door to pick up the meds at the pharmacy, he received a call to say "his" iPhone was ready to pick up. Say what? Yep, they'd determined the problem was a faulty charger port ("good deal of rust in there") and had repaired it (for much less than quoted).

Well. Choice A it is then! That settled that...for now.

So we are enjoying the intervening space in the wackiness...also known as our Weekend Interlude. Missy M and the Grand dogs arrive tomorrow, and Monday morning will be here before we know it. And then?

We shall see. We shall see. Regardless, we shall be together. 

Stay tuned!

Maybe This Will Help

Most of you are aware that Mr. T works for a company called Mitsubishi Fuso, as he has for nearly 16 years. Almost all of you realize that he travels about 80% of the time. Some of you might even remember that he is a District Sales Manager, working with Fuso dealerships on the Eastern seaboard from the upper reaches of Maryland to Charleston, SC, and inland to Greenville, SC, up to Roanoke, VA. But I'm guessing few of you could identify the actual product that his company manufactures and sells (through those dealerships).

Well, operating on the theory that "a picture is worth a thousand words," I give you a picture:

New Fuso purchased by Black Dog Salvage:
"Salvage Dawgs"

So, what are you looking at? I was messaged this pic yesterday and wanted to share it with you. That's Mr. T in the red (Fuso!) jacket on the left. And he's standing with one of the principals of Black Dog Salvage in Roanoke, VA, taking delivery of their new truck. The Fuso is in the middle.

Does the name Black Dog Salvage ring a bell? If it does, then you are probably DIYers like we are. If not, you will want to check out their program, Salvage Dawgs, which is currently in their second season on the DIY Network on Thursday nights. They have recently begun filming for their third season, so you can tell it's gathering a loyal viewer base. [Follow that second link to read the heart-warming story about the Salvage Dawgs.]

And, guess what truck will be used in that third season? Woo hoo...the Fuso!

Hopefully, that helps you understand what Mr. T does for a living...other than travel a lot.

Now, since he IS traveling, I think I'll fix a nice pot of cooked cabbage...which I love, but he hates with a passion. Says the only way he can tolerate the smell is if he is in another state. Ah well, his loss...