Airport, Storms, and DMV: April Fool’s!
April Fool’s Day held a surprise party by coming one day early this year for Katie Beth and me.
We both fell asleep on our laptops last night without getting any work done. This morning, I see that before she fell asleep, she posted her Facebook status: “This day was UNREAL. Somebody wake me up. I am so tired.”
With the big storms in Florida, she spent yesterday trying to fly home from Spring Break with her big sis at Belhaven College. She spent 5 hours on an airplane for a 1.5 hour flight and then almost three hours waiting for her luggage to be taken off the plane. They didn’t give them anything after the peanuts and 4 ounces of Coke early in the day and the air conditioning was off much of the time. You get the idea.
Meanwhile, Bear and I tried again with the DMV. He got his learner’s license after only one hour, but they shredded it because the computer over-charged me about 7 dollars. I offered to over-pay so that I could leave for the airport, but that sent up a flag that I might be in a hurry. A “no-no” at the DMV as most Americans know. Never let ‘em see ya sweat.
After another hour and a half, we finally left the DMV with Bear’s license, but without renewing mine, due to a missing Social Security card. I dropped off Bear at home to watch over his brothers and set out into the tornado warnings to retrieve Katie Beth.
On the Beeline, I drove into the driving rain. Can I say that? For several minutes at a time, I couldn’t see out of the Suburban on any side. Flashing lights and reducing speed. A few cars pulled over onto the shoulder, but two charged passed me at about 50 mph. I slid sideways about 5 feet; I think they call that hydroplaning.
At the airport, I saw Katie Beth wave through a window! But I had to circle through the tunnel in the line of traffic until they gave her the luggage. I lost count at 15 times around. My NSAIDs wore off about number 4. I didn’t dare risk Lortab driving in that weather; it sometimes makes me groggy.
My wrists were the first to complain. An avalanche of joints followed. Ankles, knees, hips. Omygosh – toes! My hands were already sore from holding on so tight in the storm. Elbows are never left out. I drove 3 hours straight in the storm without stopping except for the 2 minutes when Katie Beth threw her luggage in. That’s on top of the DMV trip earlier.
I feel like a truck drove over me. And then the driver got out and beat me for getting in the way. I apologize to all the nice truck drivers. I’ve even heard from two who have RA…
No Fooling: More important things
There have been some much more important blogs over the last couple of weeks. I hope you’ll read any you missed. It’s so important that you view the Men and RA Video Public Service Announcement so that YouTube will recognize its value, helping spread RA awareness.
Also, a week ago I shared a difficult situation regarding my requests for a 2nd opinion of a bone scan in a post called My Doctor Fired Me. Note that there has already been a 2nd opinion and the entire thing was posted yesterday in an update. I hope you’ll look at that carefully. It’s not a comprehensive picture of my extensive RA since the scans were poorly performed, but the results are still stunning.
Note to medical professionals
Finally, I’m aware that there are numerous medical professionals who are reading. Some are you are also RA patients and many of you are incognito. To those who do not have RA: There are misstatements being made online regarding RA and my story. Please read my story as told by me on this site. If you have questions, please email me; I’d be glad to talk with you personally. Please do not accept accounts of my case found elsewhere online without confirming them.
New Tag: All of the posts about Nuclear Bone Scans
Recommended reading
- New Reading of the Nuclear Bone Scan: Credibility is Everything
- Sleep Quality Affects Disability in Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Should Chronic Pain Patients Be Treated in the ER?
hi kelly!
love the shirt you’re wearing…yeah, looks like april fools day came a day earlier for you and your kids…anyway, hope you get to rest this weekend…
God bless always! 🙂
Yikes! What a mess! I’m glad ya’ll got home safe and I hope today you can rest up and get to feeling better. I also love your shirt! And again, thank you for sharing your story with us. I told my rheumy and he just shook his head. He is one of the good one’s thank goodness and gets so excited when I’ve done my research and asked him questions, like I’m a student who has gotten something right. Of course, he is an educator at UT Southwestern as well so that may be why 🙂 So there are good ones out there and I sincerely hope you find one of them.
Happy April Fools 😀
Stacey
Thanks Stacey, a few people have already told me that they shared with their docs this story & that the docs were appalled. That is a great sign!! Thanks for all you do to encourage me & others!
Belhaven College as in the one in Jackson, MS? I’m from there and have a friend that teaches there in the music dept. Just wondered if it was the same place. Sounds like you had no fun at the airport.
Hi Kim,
Yes! Jackson. My oldest daughter is there on an art / tennis / academic scholarship. Which means she’s smart & works really hard. I loved visiting that city a couple of times. The people have a southern sweetness that my family likes – we are from Va. originally.
I can relate, ain’t it great! I am always glad to come home after a trip to a big city, to my tiny airport with only one gate. You can park just a few feet away from the doors. Now the DMV is another story, glad I am done with that, and I only had to do three kids. Will go read the blog from yesterday. I’m glad for what you wrote here about it and where people can read the truth. Too bad lies can be spread so easy and assumptions made. Keep strong girl!
What a day, I dont envy you all that driving in the rain. Glad everyone is safe and sound. As always your blogs touch me in a way others cant come close.
What a day! You must have worn your SuperRAWarriorWoman E Shirt to power through, with God at the wheel. Glad you are all home safe and sound. I hope others will take time to read your story, Kelly, to clear up any misconceptions about your personal RA story, and your motives behind your valiant advocacy fight for all of us. Thank you seems inadequate.
I hear you! My rheumy says my RA is mild to moderate – I believe him after reading some others stories – and when I drive any distance, my hands and wrists and knees and feet – ouch! Better now that I am receiving treatment than in the beginning when – well, that just wasn’t happening. What a struggle it is sometimes! Have a restful weekend and enjoy your daughter home!
I love the pics of you (and the shirt)! so sorry about the bad weather and frustrating stuff tho ..:(
Marvelous metaphors here: driving against the hard rain, flashes of light, not being in complete control. I’m glad you survived the drive … and the other challenges you’ve encountered in other contexts.
Great shirt – is there a site where people can buy one?
Thanks, Joe!
The shirt was a gift from @LisaEmrich included in the package at Epatcon 2010. I’m not sure whether Kru research sells them. I’m working on another epatient shirt, since this is so much at the front of my mind right now.
So glad u made it safely. I was in a bit of a funk myself. I was robbed at my home last Wednesday which was a public holiday here. The took only my cell phones, and our peace of mind really.
When they came in they fought with me to get the phone (which had they said the wanted it I would have given it) then threw me over a chair. I used 2 B stronger than I looked. That is no longer the case. I’ve been in pain since and my daughters were traumatised. The police do not understand why I took days to report it. l) I had no phones and no energy to go over there. 2) I was depressed and tired. Could I explain that it was not just about the robbery, but also how it affected my condition and vice versa? Would they have gotten it? Maybe, but on that day I did not have the energy to fight any more battles. I was just glad it was over & my girls were alright. Yes I hurt. Everywhere. But I live to tell the tale & I made sure to give my girls back ownership of OUR home. We immediately got to work on a picture frame that they had to decorate. Whatever I feel, I know that I still have to live & that is my choice. RA does not make me a victim even though I suffer.
OMG!! You are lucky to be alive! I hope you cancelled that phone # and got a new cell phone. We keep one land-line in addition to our cells – in case. (Also, my service dog is trained to “dial” 911 in emergencies using a K-9 Ablephone.)
How horrible that you have to deal with uneducated, unsympathetic police when you have to deal with the effects of the robbery. If you have the energy, this might be an opportunity to educate the police about RA. But I dream of a world in which we don’t have to educate others – in which they know and are able to respond to us appropriately, regardless of circumstances.
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