How Our Winter Went......

Chili Pepper Lights on Annie's Patio

 OK it has been a long hard road for us lately but here I am finally ready to take a writing break.  Just a bit of background to get started; this winter we decided to spend the first of the cold weather in Texas with Micah's family.  That was back in January.  We had a great time but while there Bob had a really bad episode of severe cramps and vomiting.  Within 8 or 9 hours he was completely better, so we chalked it up to a flu bug.  I will say that Micah was concerned enough that he offered to take Bob to the emergency room but it was over before Bob consented to go.

Natalie is making a commercial! Yet another topic for this blog.

The next stop on our winter itinerary was Casper, Wyoming, to be with Carla's family.  Again we had a great time but Bob had another episode of the stomach pains and vomiting.  This time Jim was ready to take Bob to the hospital but he refused and after about 12 hours he was fine.  We figured it was more of the flu. 

We had left the car at Micah's and flown to Carla's so we headed back to Texas for a few days before we headed up to Phoenix to spend six weeks with my college roommate, Annie.  On the way we spent a night in Demming, New Mexico. When we woke up the next morning, it was snowing in extremely southern New Mexico!  The snow was sticking and visibility was not good.  The old-timers were telling everyone to take pictures because we'd never see it like that again in Demming! 

Meanwhile, Bob was having another bout of stomach cramps and vomiting.  I figured we would end up staying there for the day and possibly going to the hospital but after an hour or so Bob thought he felt better.  We set off for Phoenix in the snow storm and after an hour or so we crossed the state line and were in Arizona and lo and behold the snow was gone!  However, Bob's stomach cramps were not gone. 

It was a very long trip for us and Bob was miserable but we finally arrived at Annie's.  We said hello and asked where the nearest hospital was and were off to the Urgent Care only a few blocks away.
He was given a shot for nausea and another for pain and they sent us off to the emergency room of the hospital.  After running tests and a cat scan they admitted him in the hospital for a partial bowel blockage.  By the time he got to a room, it was after 10PM.  I came back to Annie's so she could go to bed.

Bob and Ozzie enjoy breakfast on the patio at Annie's.  Ozzie was headed for San Antonio on his motorcycle for spring break.

 I began to wonder how I was going to be of much help to Annie with Bob in one hospital and her in another one but fortunately Bob's blockage resolved itself and he felt fine.  He was released 2 days before Annie went in to have her knee replaced.  Yes, we did have questions about why it kept happening and what would prevent it from happening again, but we were given a new diet which they hoped would solve all Bob's problems.  We were not convinced but we had other projects to worry about.

Strawberries were in season when we arrived and Annie had a great recipe for strawberry pie.  See my earlier blog.  http://meemointhemountains.blogspot.com/2012/03/arizona-recipe-for-spring.html

Next installment, Annie's Knee,

will be coming soon.