Places We Have Called Home In 2020/2021

Life On Hold – Departure Delayed Indefinitely

February 12, 2021

Temperature 86 Degrees

The Heights of Ecstasy and The Depths of Despair

Another morning appointment so no time to lounge around.  A quick cup of coffee and a double chocolate muffin and it was time to go.

 

We were headed to my urologist, Dr. Hamoui,  for a follow-up appointment regarding my surgery last Tuesday.

We arrived in plenty of time and were ushered in to a treatment room.  When my doctor walked in I knew the news could not be good.  I could just tell by his posture and the way he looked at me.  He is a very compassionate man but he never sugar coats the truth.  He’s a straight shooter who tells it like it is.  I’ve liked him for these reasons and so many more from the first day I met him.  We exchanged the usual morning greetings and then he told me what he had discovered – my prostate cancer is very agressive and needs to be treated now.  In that moment life literally stood still.

Now my rant.  If I had depended on the VA for the diagnosis regarding my prostate cancer I would probably be dead or close to it this time next year.  First, they would not schedule the MRI.  Oh, they said they would but never followed through.  It was my wife who had to do it.  Next, they would not schedule the biopsy.  Again, they said they would but never followed through. It was my wife who had to do it.  Then, I guess in a bow to cost cutting they never did a proper biopsy of the prostate. It was Dr. Hamoi who did it the proper way.  Finally, the biopsy proceedure was over a month ago and to this day no one, not one doctor, not even my general care doctor has called to advise me of the results.  In contrast Dr. Hamoi did the proper biopsy on Tuesday and I had the results today.   Bottom line, I’ve washed my hands of the VA.  They truly do not care about the veterans under their care.  This time, though, I’m taking action.  I intend to lodge a complaint with The Office of General Counsel of the Department of Veterans Affairs.  I doubt it will get me anywhere other than to make me feel good.

OK, rant done.  We’re now actively working with University of Florida Health Proton Therapy Institute regarding possible treatment.  We’ve submitted the preliminary application, blood work, the first MRI, and the most recent biopsy results.  I now have to go for a full body CT scan and several other tests over the next couple of weeks.  Once all of this is completed and sent to the University we’re hoping to meet with their doctors in the beginning of March regarding a treatment plan.  Life is getting interesting.  Trust me, as have others in the past I’m going to beat this.

Needless to say our summer travels have been turned upside down – again!  However, I need to take care of my health and then it will be back to roaming the country again.

Now for the best part of the day.  My first vaccine shot at Publix!  Yipee!  Ms Barbara and I are now Card Carrying Members of the First Vaccine Shot.  And we both have our second shots already scheduled.  Now, here is the interesting thing, all of a sudden I am getting invites from here, there and everywhere to schedule a vaccine appointment.  Thanks to our President things are beginning to finally open up.  And the funny thing is, I was so worried that I would be able to get my vaccine before leaving Florida.  No need to worry about that anymore.  And though I have it I’m not leaving Florida any time soon.

Happy Valentine’s Day Sweetheart!  If there was ever a woman who deserved a bouquet of flowers it is my dear wife.  Thanks to her I’ll live to fight another day.  She has fought the VA on my behalf, she has sat on the phones for hours making appointments, and taken the best care of me that I could ever ask for.  Flowers are the least that I can get for her.

That was our day on The Road of Retirement. We’ve been down and then up.  We’ve had our lives turned upside again once again.  The small bump in the road has become a major hurdle to get over.  Yet, even with all that we still believe we are two of the most fortunate and blessed people on the face of the earth.

Thanks for taking the time to read our blog.  We always appreciate your company, your comments, and your suggestions. Keep safe, keep healthy, live to the fullest the days that God gives you.

These are the voyages of  Elvira and her two intrepid travelers.  Our continuing mission: to explore as many new states as possible, to seek out new acquaintances and make new friends, to boldly go where we have never been before.

See you on down the road!

 

 

Places We Have Called Home In 2020/2021

49

February 10, 2021

Temperature 85 Degrees

Best News Yet – I Have A Date For My Vaccine Shot

Once again we got up early to try and get a vaccine shot for me.  We sat on the computer for almost two hours and we were ready to give up when all of a sudden the message came up – Book An Appointment.

That my friend was the best news of the day and the only real news of the day.  So we booked my first appointment for Feb. 12th and my second shot for March 12th.  Ms Barbara goes for her second shot on March 1st.

Yup, Ms Naughty is out and about again.  This time she is at the pickle ball court ready to play.  I mean, come on now you have to know I’m really bored when the highlight of my day is finding her!

That’s it for our day on The Road of Retirement.  I just couldn’t get going today.  I guess yesterday got to me more than I thought.  And there were other minor issues from the procedure that I had to deal with today.  All in all I just ended up sitting and sleeping off and on in my chair today.

Thanks for taking the time to read our blog.  We always appreciate your company, your comments, and your suggestions. Keep safe, keep healthy, live to the fullest the days that God gives you.

These are the voyages of  Elvira and her two intrepid travelers.  Our continuing mission: to explore as many new states as possible, to seek out new acquaintances and make new friends, to boldly go where we have never been before.

See you on down the road!

Places We Have Called Home In 2020/2021

50

February 9, 2021

Temperature 81 Degrees

All Saints Surgery Center

Around the Park

Loud, intrusive, and oh too early.  It was our alarm going off at 5 am this morning.  I hope to never hear that sound again at that hour!  No turning it off, though, and going back to sleep.  My out-patient surgery preadmission was scheduled for 6:30 am in Brooksville, a 45 minute drive.  So it was up and at it.

The funny thing is, we almost didn’t make it to All Saints Surgery Center because we had the wrong address.  A quick call to the Center while we were in route and we obtained the correct address.  But the drama wasn’t quite over.  They neglected to tell us that it was a part of the Oak Hill Hospital complex.  Rather, they told us it was just past it.  Just as we were about to go past the hospital entrance Ms Barbara shouted Turn right, it is back there, I just saw the sign for it.  And so it was.  It was just past the main entrance to the hospital not just past the hospital.  Wew, made it with five minutes to spare.  Thankfully.

Surgery was scheduled for 7:30 am and I was in the operating room by 7:45 am.  The whole procedure took just a little under two hours.  They did a number of different tests but the most important one as far as I’m concerned is that they took an additional 12 biopsys of my prostate cancer.  Now, when the results come back we can finally make an intelligent decision.

I came back home totally wiped out.  I believe I slept for about three hours.  Yet, as of now I am just about back to my normal self.  I’m a bit uncomfortable, but that is to be expected.  Why, I was such a good patient my dear wife went out and bought me some ice cream.  Thank you sweetheart!

By noon I was going stir crazy and just had to get out and get some fresh air.  So, with Ms. Barbara driving we went for a spin around the park.

 

Look who we found!  Ms Naughty has her head back on and is dressed to the hilt for summer.

Then we found a Valentine’s Day Tree.  I’m absolutely amazed by the decorations that various people come up with here in the park.

Plants, plants and more plants.

There there was this original rock sculpture brought to you by God our creator.  We both thought it was really neat.

That was our day on The Road of Retirement.  Thanks one and all for all your prayers.  I can definitely feel God’s hand holding us and guiding us through this bump in the road.  Some day in the future we’ll look back on this and remember with fondness the fun we went through.  Time now to turn in.  I need my beauty sleep – well, sleep at least!  Ms Barbara is also turning in early.  She, too, has had an extremely long day.  Good night.

Thanks for taking the time to read our blog.  We always appreciate your company, your comments, and your suggestions. Keep safe, keep healthy, live to the fullest the days that God gives you.

These are the voyages of  Elvira and her two intrepid travelers.  Our continuing mission: to explore as many new states as possible, to seek out new acquaintances and make new friends, to boldly go where we have never been before.

See you on down the road!

Places We Have Called Home In 2020/2021

51

February 8, 2021

Temperature 75 Degree

House Hunting

Oh boy, oh yes, hey, hey we were busting out today.  Time to get out and about, and see the world around us once again.  We were going house hunting once again.  The ads on the internet were really tempting, almost too good to be true.  Time to find out if as they say if it is too good to be true it probably is.

Today’s trip was to a Cobblestone Community called Lake Point in Tavares.

This is an older, establised mobile home community that is now under new management.  The park was clean, the roads in good repair but the units are really close to one another.  Some of the units are obviously really old and we were told that as the current residents vacate them, they are being torn now and replaced with new modular homes.

It is located on Lake Eustis and has . . .

its own small marina.

We looked at . . .

a small one bedroom.  It was crammed into a really small piece of property off in the back.  The unit and the price was right but the location was awful.  One down.

We moved on to a nice two bedroom in a better location.  This house had a lot to offer and the price was within our range.  Yet something didn’t feel quite right.  Another one down.

The last one on the list was another two bedroom laid out in a funny sort of way.  The bedrooms were small as was the overall house for a two bedroom.  Not for us.

Our salesman – Steve – mentioned he had one other home he wanted to show us. This was in another community called Palm Gate in Leesburg.

This was a three bedroom, two bath with a very, very, very attractive price.  Pardon the tree.

It was located at the end of a cul de sac that offered plenty of room to park the rig inorder to pack and unpack it.  There was decent room between the other homes around us and all were in a good state of repair.

The kitchen was of a good size.  But hey anything is great, and large, and spacious after living in an LV.

There was also a small breakfast nook off to the one side.

A spacious and airy living room.

The master bedroom was of a nice size and of course it had it’s own bathroom and shower.

This was the one that really caught our eye and piqued our interest.  However, we were smart enough not to sign any papers nor put even a small deposit down.  There is a lot to like about this house but there is also a lot not to like.  For instance, you don’t own the land you rent it.   And there is only a small RV storage lot that is unsecured which you also have to rent on a monthly basis.

Bottom line, it was a fun day.  We got to dream and ask the question What if?  But, honestly, we still haven’t found our ideal base for winter living nor for the future when we eventually come off the road.  We’ll keep looking.  In fact, my sister got me thinking what about buying two deeded lots in the same park?  Not a bad idea.  So the hunt continues.

That was our day on The Road of Retirement.  We had an absolute ball just being out and about and being together.  Life is, indeed, really great when you are married to your best friend.  Oh, blog might be suspended for a day to two.  I have out-patient surgery early tomorrow morning.  No telling how I’ll be feeling come tomorow night.  Just one of those things.

Thanks for taking the time to read our blog.  We always appreciate your company, your comments, and your suggestions. Keep safe, keep healthy, live to the fullest the days that God gives you.

These are the voyages of  Elvira and her two intrepid travelers.  Our continuing mission: to explore as many new states as possible, to seek out new acquaintances and make new friends, to boldly go where we have never been before.

See you on down the road!