Day 506

He's been through tests, tests, and more tests, and he has a diagnosis.

Renal failure.

His kidneys are operating at 20% of normal and the doctors don't know why. A kidney biopsy is scheduled for Monday, and a specialist visited with us today and gave us worst case scenario (at least I hope it was worst-case). In the meantime he remains in the hospital as they try and get the 20 pounds (yikes) of fluid he put on in the last two weeks since we've been gone.

I'm not home much now, but I did take a picture of my flowers that look like thistles. I saw some in a planter box in Ketchikan just last week but theirs hadn't turned colors yet. Mine have.

Day 505: Home

I thought the worst part of returning home was going to be needing to get the windshield replaced after a big, huge, long crack developed on my way to Vancouver.

Then I thought the worst part was having to deal with the non-working air conditioner at home.

After leaving Vancouver yesterday, I then thought having to drive home with this brand new rock chip smack dab in my line of sight was going to be the worst part. (It was pretty bad, making me cross-eyed all these last two days.)

But none of those was the worst. What was?

On our way back to town we stopped at the doctor's office to get hubby checked out. The doctor sent hubby straight from his office to the hospital for an overnight stay. He has already been through several tests and has another one coming up before midnight.

Let's hope by tomorrow this time we have some answers.

Day 504: Back to Vancouver

I decided I won't ever drive in Vancouver, British Columbia again.

When we arrived a couple weeks back traffic into downtown was horrific. Yes, there were three lanes going in each direction, but cars and buses and taxis and bikes were swerving in and out of those narrow lanes with no apparent rhyme or reason. In a city of over half a million people it was stressful to get to our hotel.

But today as we left the cruise ship we took a taxi back to the hotel where we left the car. As I watched the taxi driver maneuver in morning rush hour traffic, I figured it out.

Three lanes. The middle lane is the go-straight lane. The left lane is the go-straight lane until you get to an intersection. Then it becomes a go-straight lane and a left turn lane. The right lane is a bus lane and/or a parking lane - except when it's not. If no one is parked in that lane, go right ahead and use it as a go-straight lane. And even if someone is parked in that lane? Drive in that lane until you get to that car, then dart back into the middle lane, then dart back into the parking lane when you can.

Basically consider those cars turning left in the left lane and those cars parked in the right lane as obstacles in your road race. I won't do it again, but when I drove out this morning I adopted a taxi-driver aggression and made good time!

But today's picture isn't of the mess of traffic. It's of a huge pile of yellow stuff out at the docks. Sulfur. I'm not sure what it's used for, but it sure is bright.

And on another note...No Happy Birthday ever sprang from hubby's mouth but I did I eat a couple bites of my birthday cake by myself (way too much chocolate for me), but thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes. It means a lot to me so a big thank you!

And for the questions about him - he made two trips to the ship's doctor but unfortunately he didn't follow all of her recommendations. His resistance to doctor's instructions (and my pestering) may have been detrimental decisions so we're trying to get him into his own doctor as soon as we hit town. Right now we're again stuck in Yakima (just like on the way up) but hope to get ourselves home tomorrow. I'll keep you updated.

Day 503: Birthday at Sea

How does one celebrate their 47^th birthday while on a cruise ship? You:

• eat a bowl of Special K at breakfast. Alone.  
• thank your room steward for the birthday decorations out your door.

• have a pepperoni and red onion pizza for lunch and eat it while watching the ocean waves. Alone. 
  

  
• stand in the “Dessert Extravaganza” line by yourself to snag the desserts you missed getting to taste last week.
• think the vanilla cake is going to taste the best, but it doesn’t. 
  

  
• take the jello dessert back to your room and stick it in your fridge but find out later your husband ate it. 
  

  
• look forward to a nice sit down dinner in the dining room, but knowing you’ll be alone it’ll probably be the buffet line instead.

All these wonderful experiences I’ve had these last couple weeks – all the confidence I’ve built, the things I’ve done and seen – it’s not enough to get me out of the funk (yes, I’m being selfish right now) of not hearing Happy Birthday from my husband. Here’s hoping I hear it from him before the day is over. If not, I have a cake Princess sent my way that will have to do.

Day 502: Ketchikan

Today should have been the day my husband was taking the pictures. The day he was going to catch a salmon, a day he was going to put all that physical therapy to good use.

Nope. Still not feeling well, he cancelled his salmon fishing trip. I’m certain he will regret that decision, but my hounding him to get out of the room for the last two weeks has gotten me nowhere so I’ve given up.

With his absence this vacation has turned into a solo one. Dinner alone, swimming in the pool alone, traveling the towns alone, trips to tops of mountains and across canyons, all alone.  

But today I had someone to talk to, someone to spend time with. The school secretary where I work just so happens to be on a cruise to Alaska this week. Not on our ship, but in the ship sitting at the docks with us here in Ketchikan today. So I got to tag along with her and some of her family on a walking tour of Ketchikan. We went to jewelry shops, souvenir shops, t-shirt shops, Walmart, and even the quilt shop.

This quilt shop is the largest in southeast Alaska and pretty much takes up half the second floor of a building. Look at just one of their quilt displays. 

 I did snatch up some 40% off fat quarters. Another batch of fabric for my next batch of Alaska-bound quilts.

We also took a taxi-tour out to…

Where we got a glimpse of the Tlingit and Haida Indian culture through the 14 totem poles and a clan house. 

And saw wildflowers and berries…

Their ship left before ours so I had a bit of extra time to head out to Creek Street. The historic boardwalk was a Red Light District during the Gold Rush. I walked the area, hoping to catch the spawning salmon. I never saw any, but I heard others talk of seeing some moving upstream. 

I did however, stop for lunch out on the boardwalk. Look who peeked up at me as I was eating…

Such a great day. A gorgeous, sunny, walk-filled, fun-filled day.

Thanks ladies, for letting me tag along.