In the Interim

Unpacked - check
Stowed suitcases and that bloody backpack - check
Completed work project - check
Prepared and filed taxes - check
Cleaned house - check (well, sort of)
Laundry - done
Ironing - almost done
Blogpost written - next on the list


It's hard to believe I'll have been back from Alaska a month on April 13. Where has the time gone?

I came back to learn about some family health problems that surfaced before my departure--but my children sweetly made sure not to mention a word of it until I was safely home, knowing there was nothing I could do but worry. My daughter had called me in the middle of my trip, having misread the note I left for her detailing my travel plans. When she discovered I wasn't due home for another week, she immediately wished me a safe journey and hung up. It struck me as a little odd at the time, but since we're not big on phones in my family, I didn't worry about it.

When Farida finally told me what she and her husband had been dealing with, I was really thankful I hadn't known. I also realized why Farida had hung up so quickly before she gave any hint of what she and Jason had been facing.

Four weeks later, the problems still exist. They seem to be improving, but there's a long way to go before they're solved. I've learned more than I'd ever wished about our healthcare system, ticks, lyme disease and how serious a bite from that tiny six-legged critter can be. I've also learned that there's a huge debate going on about whether chronic lyme disease really exists, what it masquerades as and the enormous debate amongst heathcare professionals about how to treat the symptoms that manifest. It's really scary stuff, and if you want to know more about it, the film Under Our Skin, available on both Netflix and Amazon, is a real eyeopener. Be prepared to be shocked.

Despite all those issues faced by my son-in-law, he and Farida have now just about finished laying the laminate flooring in my house, and it looks just beautiful.

I'm finally in a place that I can get back to chronicling the Alaska journey.

Next up:  An Inside Look at Life in Alaska