Monday November 20th, 2023 -- The Fleet Report and Daily

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

Just now, aliaschief said:

Thanks for your thoughts. I’m going to have a busy month. X-Ray was normal but doctor says “I have classic meniscus tear.” They are rushing to take care of me. MRI tomorrow morning at 7:45, f/u at ortho then schedule arthroscopic surgery as early as possible. Post surgery a couple of days on crutches then a few days of PT. Can continue exercise on ship. 🤞Do pray that I will make it. Geez I just read what happened to you. Glad nothing serious. Be careful.

Appreciate your concern and others. Bruce

 

Bruce, it's mainly wounded pride, and with the bruise, I'll be sporting a reminder for quite a while. 😁

 

I'm sorry you will have to have surgery, but very happy the doctors are rushing to get things done quickly.  That's very rare these days.  Good luck for a quick and painless as possinble recovery.

 

Lenda

[dfish]

21 minutes ago, aliaschief said:

Thanks for your thoughts. I’m going to have a busy month. X-Ray was normal but doctor says “I have classic meniscus tear.” They are rushing to take care of me. MRI tomorrow morning at 7:45, f/u at ortho then schedule arthroscopic surgery as early as possible. Post surgery a couple of days on crutches then a few days of PT. Can continue exercise on ship. 🤞Do pray that I will make it. Geez I just read what happened to you. Glad nothing serious. Be careful.

Appreciate your concern and others. Bruce

Wow, talk about quick service.  I'm happy for you that you can get this taken care of quickly.  I'm still waiting on the results of my CT scan from November 10th.  We can't schedule the surgery until we know how large the hernia opening is.  I figure we'll get the results in time to totally mess up Christmas.  

[JazzyV]

Good evening.

I got my handicapped placard in the mail today, so that should help at the grocery store.

 

@dfish I'm glad you got a nap in. I don't usually nap, but I slept about 2 hours in my recliner this afternoon, once I got the leg pain settled a bit.

@Quartzsite Cruiser That sounds painful just hearing about the jostling DH's head and drainage tube were subjected to. I always thought that places that didn't get much snow had smooth roads. Ouch on your walking into slide! Did you put some ice on the bump/bruise?

@aliaschief Sorry to hear about the meniscus tear. I'm glad they're trying to expedite the MRI and visit to the Ortho surgeon.

Edited November 21, 2023 by JazzyV

[marshhawk]

@dfish I am sorry that you are having such a rough time. I do agree with everyone, having River with you on Thanksgiving is wonderful!  Even if your home is not her permanent home, it is nice for her  to know a stable home.

 

@JazzyV I know I dont say it enough, but you do a wonderful job keeping up with all of us.  I am sorry that your body has decided to kick it's own butt these days, but hopefully you and your docs can get you in a painless state.

 

@aliaschief  My heart doc is the only one who keeps on top of things.  You are lucky they can get you in and "fixed" before your cruise.

 

@Quartzsite CruiserI do not know what a slide is on a motor home.  But I know what crashing your face into something feels like!  Dont bend down, and take it easy tomorrow.  That goes to you and your DH.

 

No one called about the oxygen.  When the lovely Carrie Lynn drops the ball, she does it in style.

 

[erewhon]

Thanks for the HAL Fleet report, another NZ wine and all the daily information. 

Not a fan of any peanut butter.   Have not been to Papua New Guinea.

@Cruising-along  best wishes for the surgery and a quick recovery.

@dfish  Hope you will soon begin to feel better, and will soon hear results of your CT scan.  River will be very happy to spend Thanksgiving with you and Sue.

@aliaschief  sorry that you need surgery, but hope it can be arranged as soon as possible.

@marshhawk  sorry that you do not yet have the Oxygen, (was just going to ask but i see your post)

@Quartzsite Cruiser  hope the injury heals quickly, and that DH is OK.  travel safely tomorrow.

 

 

[aliaschief]

Thanks all. The key to getting this on the fast track and that was the MRI which is tomorrow morning. This is a large orthopedic group and I wouldn’t be surprised the surgery will be done within a week. I’ll even take Thanksgiving!😊

God’s got this.🙏

 

[Seasick Sailor]

@Quartzsite Cruiser Lenda so sorry to hear about your crash. We saw a lady today at lunch who had a huge black eye and side of her face was black and swollen.  She told us her bathroom light was out and she walked into the door facing. 2 WEEKS ago!! 

[Cruising-along]

Good early evening!

I had a great time with BFF at lunch and our usual after-lunch walk and then visit on a park bench until the sun was dipping down and it was getting too chilly.  She even bought my lunch because I won't be here on my birthday this year (we always treat each other on our birthdays).

 

Lenda @Quartzsite Cruiser Oh No on the head bump!  That sounds so painful.  Take it easy tonight and I hope the bruise won't be too bad.

Vanessa @JazzyV and Debbie @dfish I'm glad you both were able to get naps this afternoon.

@erewhon Thank you but it's @cruising sister who had the surgery today, not me -- hope we hear tomorrow that she's doing well.

 

 

[durangoscots]

Oh my everyone. Take care. Best wishes to all those waiting for the medical field to pull itself together and address the issues. It seems we have to wait longer and longer for results.  And to those incurring recent injuries, hope healing is on the way quickly.

 

As for me, I am slowly inching toward getting myself together for the GA cruise but I notice that American Airlines stewardesses are threatening a in the future. That is the airline I need to get out of Durango headed west..... I do not want to fly through Denver the end of December. One more thing to stress about.

 

Susan

[cat shepard]

2 hours ago, Quartzsite Cruiser said:

We made it to Benson, AZ, about 3pm MST.  We talked about going to the other side of Tucson so we would get into Quartzsite earlier tomorrow, but I-10 was extremely rough in New Mexico and Arizona.  All the bouncing messed with DH's still recovering head from the shunt placement.  In particular, it jostled the drain tubing in his neck.  It was better to stop early, and let him rest.

 

I'm now among the walking wounded due to my own fault.  This is the first time we've had a slide on the passenger side of a motorhome.  I was walking into the sun and couldn't see, so I was looking down at the ground.  I walked right into the slide with a bang DH heard and probably felt since it was the bedroom slide and he was lying down.

 

It doesn't look like I cut my forehead, but broke the skin open from the force of the hit.  Boy did it bleed, but just a few minutes of pressure stopped the bleeding.  When we looked at it, there was also the beginnings of a bump and a bruise, in addition to what looked like a dent in my forehead.  It's sore, but not hurting as bad.  We won't be surprised if I have a very mild concussion.  I'm just lucky I did walk into the sharp corner.  When I do something dumb, I don't do it half way.  As pentance, I'll forgo wine tonight.  @JazzyV Vanessa I'm not hurt enough to be on the care list.

 

Tomorrow, will be a shorter day, so I should be able to get somethings done once we fet to Quartzsite.

 

Lenda

 

 

Lenda!

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

We're both beginning to think I don't have a concussion, especially since I don't have a headache.  I just have a huge goose egg on my forehead, and it's already turning black.  Right now it's just a light charcoal.  I can’t wait until it turns yellow, purple and green.  That would look better during Mardi Gras.  🤣  What started as a small cut or split skin has grown bigger due to the swelling.  I'm keeping a bandaid on it, since I noticed it seems to want to open when make certain facial expressions.  At least, the bandaid covers the worst of it.  I'm going to make a good impression when we get to Quartzsite.

 

1 hour ago, JazzyV said:

Good evening.

I got my handicapped placard in the mail today, so that should help at the grocery store.

 

@dfish I'm glad you got a nap in. I don't usually nap, but I slept about 2 hours in my recliner this afternoon, once I got the leg pain settled a bit.

@Quartzsite Cruiser That sounds painful just hearing about the jostling DH's head and drainage tube were subjected to. I always thought that places that didn't get much snow had smooth roads. Ouch on your walking into slide! Did you put some ice on the bump/bruise?

@aliaschief Sorry to hear about the meniscus tear. I'm glad they're trying to expedite the MRI and visit to the Ortho surgeon.

 

Vanessa, the jostling seems to either cause too little ot too much fluid to drain.  Either way can mess with his head.  It can cause some pain in his neck, but Tylenol helps. Resting seems to be the best solution.  He has been taking it easy since we stopped for the day, and says he's getting better.  Getting a shunt helps, but it's not an instant fix.

 

As to the roads in the non snowy areas, they get a lot of the truck traffic, especially in the winter.  Weight limits for long haul trucks have been allowed is rise in the past 10 to 15 years, and the heavier the trucks the more damage they do.  It doesn't help that states don't seem to be maintaining their roads as much as they used to do.  The rough roads are not due to frost heaves or ice damage, but to bigger loads.

 

I should have put ice on the bump, but I was more interested in stopping the bleeding and not getting blood all over everything.  By the time I thought of it, it was too late.

 

47 minutes ago, marshhawk said:

@dfish I am sorry that you are having such a rough time. I do agree with everyone, having River with you on Thanksgiving is wonderful!  Even if your home is not her permanent home, it is nice for her  to know a stable home.

 

@JazzyV I know I dont say it enough, but you do a wonderful job keeping up with all of us.  I am sorry that your body has decided to kick it's own butt these days, but hopefully you and your docs can get you in a painless state.

 

@aliaschief  My heart doc is the only one who keeps on top of things.  You are lucky they can get you in and "fixed" before your cruise.

 

@Quartzsite CruiserI do not know what a slide is on a motor home.  But I know what crashing your face into something feels like!  Dont bend down, and take it easy tomorrow.  That goes to you and your DH.

 

No one called about the oxygen.  When the lovely Carrie Lynn drops the ball, she does it in style.

 

 

Annie, I can't believe you still don't have the oxygen order in place.  If it was me, I'd be on the phone first thing in the morning.

 

A slide or slideout on an RV is a part of the rig that can slide out from the RV to extend the living space, and they are made of the same material as the sides of the RV.  Until we get to Quartzsite, I'll basically be sitting in the passsenger street, but I need to do some of the things DH used to do.  I think that now it sounds and looks worse than it is.

 

10 minutes ago, Seasick Sailor said:

@Quartzsite Cruiser Lenda so sorry to hear about your crash. We saw a lady today at lunch who had a huge black eye and side of her face was black and swollen.  She told us her bathroom light was out and she walked into the door facing. 2 WEEKS ago!! 

 

Joy, thanks for your concern.  

 

Just now, durangoscots said:

Oh my everyone. Take care. Best wishes to all those waiting for the medical field to pull itself together and address the issues. It seems we have to wait longer and longer for results.  And to those incurring recent injuries, hope healing is on the way quickly.

 

As for me, I am slowly inching toward getting myself together for the GA cruise but I notice that American Airlines stewardesses are threatening a in the future. That is the airline I need to get out of Durango headed west..... I do not want to fly through Denver the end of December. One more thing to stress about.

 

Susan

 

Susan, sending positive thoughts that the AA flight attendants don't go on strike.

 

21 minutes ago, aliaschief said:

Thanks all. The key to getting this on the fast track and that was the MRI which is tomorrow morning. This is a large orthopedic group and I wouldn’t be surprised the surgery will be done within a week. I’ll even take Thanksgiving!😊

God’s got this.🙏

 

 

Bruce, I hope the wheels of medicine do move quickly for you.

 

39 minutes ago, erewhon said:

Thanks for the HAL Fleet report, another NZ wine and all the daily information. 

Not a fan of any peanut butter.   Have not been to Papua New Guinea.

@Cruising-along  best wishes for the surgery and a quick recovery.

@dfish  Hope you will soon begin to feel better, and will soon hear results of your CT scan.  River will be very happy to spend Thanksgiving with you and Sue.

@aliaschief  sorry that you need surgery, but hope it can be arranged as soon as possible.

@marshhawk  sorry that you do not yet have the Oxygen, (was just going to ask but i see your post)

@Quartzsite Cruiser  hope the injury heals quickly, and that DH is OK.  travel safely tomorrow.

 

 

 

Thank you.  DH is recovering more quickly from the rough roads today than I am.  Actually, I am all right, just have a sore, nasty knot that will take a while to go down and lose the colorful bruise.

 

1 hour ago, dfish said:

Wow, talk about quick service.  I'm happy for you that you can get this taken care of quickly.  I'm still waiting on the results of my CT scan from November 10th.  We can't schedule the surgery until we know how large the hernia opening is.  I figure we'll get the results in time to totally mess up Christmas.  

 

Debbie, I hope you get the results of the CT scan soon, and get that hernia repaired.  Glad you got a nap today, and hope you sleep well tonight.

 

Just now, cat shepard said:

 

 

Lenda!

 

Ann, that about sums it up.  Call me the klutz of the year. 🤣

 

Lenda

[kazu]

3 hours ago, Quartzsite Cruiser said:

I'm now among the walking wounded due to my own fault.  This is the first time we've had a slide on the passenger side of a motorhome.  I was walking into the sun and couldn't see, so I was looking down at the ground.  I walked right into the slide with a bang DH heard and probably felt since it was the bedroom slide and he was lying down.

 

It doesn't look like I cut my forehead, but broke the skin open from the force of the hit.  Boy did it bleed, but just a few minutes of pressure stopped the bleeding.  When we looked at it, there was also the beginnings of a bump and a bruise, in addition to what looked like a dent in my forehead.  It's sore, but not hurting as bad.  We won't be surprised if I have a very mild concussion.  I'm just lucky I did walk into the sharp corner.  When I do something dumb, I don't do it half way.  As pentance, I'll forgo wine tonight.  @JazzyV Vanessa I'm not hurt enough to be on the care list.

 

Oh Lenda - it sounds like you did some serious damage 😱 😢 

 

Mild concussion?  If you think it is hurt enough for even a mild concussion, please go to the ER (or whatever the right term is in the States). A concussion is nothing to fool around with and if you have a dent, it sounds serious. (This is my DD DH speaking through me).

 

Please, please get it checked now.  Please???

 

 

3 hours ago, aliaschief said:

Thanks for your thoughts. I’m going to have a busy month. X-Ray was normal but doctor says “I have classic meniscus tear.” They are rushing to take care of me. MRI tomorrow morning at 7:45, f/u at ortho then schedule arthroscopic surgery as early as possible. Post surgery a couple of days on crutches then a few days of PT. Can continue exercise on ship. 🤞

 

Oh my heavens Bruce 😬. A meniscus tear is serious stuff.  

 

I am glad that they are moving to take care of you fast.  I pray that if you have to have surgery that it is done fast and PT. Is enough to go cruising.  I’ve done PT on a ship before - just remember to ask the physio for all the exercises as you progress and make sure you understand them all.

 

Prayers for you and what appears to be your impending surgery and recovery 🙏 

 

 

 

2 hours ago, marshhawk said:

No one called about the oxygen.  When the lovely Carrie Lynn drops the ball, she does it in style.

 

OMG - another expression came to mind but I need to keep things clean. That is nuts.  you need that dam oxygen.  I hope you were on the phone to her late today - if not first thing tomorrow please?

 

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

Just now, kazu said:

 

Oh Lenda - it sounds like you did some serious damage 😱 😢 

 

Mild concussion?  If you think it is hurt enough for even a mild concussion, please go to the ER (or whatever the right term is in the States). A concussion is nothing to fool around with and if you have a dent, it sounds serious. (This is my DD DH speaking through me).

 

Please, please get it checked now.  Please???

 

 

 

Oh my heavens Bruce 😬. A meniscus tear is serious stuff.  

 

I am glad that they are moving to take care of you fast.  I pray that if you have to have surgery that it is done fast and PT. Is enough to go cruising.  I’ve done PT on a ship before - just remember to ask the physio for all the exercises as you progress and make sure you understand them all.

 

Prayers for you and what appears to be your impending surgery and recovery 🙏 

 

 

 

 

OMG - another expression came to mind but I need to keep things clean. That is nuts.  you need that dam oxygen.  I hope you were on the phone to her late today - if not first thing tomorrow please?

 

 

Jacqui, I appreciate your concern.  After I took another look at my forehead after my shower, and it wasn't as bad as it seemed earlier.  Basically, I just have a big knot on my forehead, but we’re keeping an eye on it.  I feel fine, no headache, and even the area involved doesn't hurt very much even when I make a facial expression that involves the area.  

 

Lenda

[marshhawk]

i have an appointment with the bank at 9:30, then come home, walk the dog, then off to the farmers market.  And then work.  I will call my pulmonologist office, and see if someone, maybe the nurse? can see me this week?  

 

Penny called tonight, and informed me that several of the bosses got canned today. That might explain why no one verified my hours at the end of the day.

Edited November 21, 2023 by marshhawk

[kochleffel]

When I think of fudge, I think of Mackinac Island, but that isn't usually peanut-butter fudge.

 

I would probably enjoy the meal suggestion, although I couldn't make it at home without a substantial adjustment in the recipe. Pass on the drink, I can't come up with another Sauvignon Blanc at this hour, and I haven't been to Papua New Guinea.

 

This morning I had an appointment with my TCM practitioner, who has just moved his practice to his home. His offices were designed to include a massage therapist, but there hasn't been one for more than a year, but what really caused it was that the building is being torn up for mold abatement. His home is late Victorian/early Craftsman with the most elaborate oak millwork I have ever seen.

 

I also had an appointment to donate blood today, but as soon as I got up I knew that it wasn't happening, so I changed it to next month. And then this evening I taught a class on Amos and Hosea, my first time teaching in a hybrid setting (room and Zoom).

 

 

[erewhon]

4 hours ago, Cruising-along said:

Good early evening!

I had a great time with BFF at lunch and our usual after-lunch walk and then visit on a park bench until the sun was dipping down and it was getting too chilly.  She even bought my lunch because I won't be here on my birthday this year (we always treat each other on our birthdays)

@erewhon Thank you but it's @cruising sister who had the surgery today, not me -- hope we hear tomorrow that she's doing well.

 

 

 

@Cruising-along    Sorry about that. Thank you for the correction, was posting in a hurry.  Am pleased that you had such a good visit with you BFF.

 

I hope that @cruising sister  is doing well after the surgery, and recovers quickly.

Edited November 21, 2023 by erewhon

[grapau27]

6 hours ago, aliaschief said:

Thanks all. The key to getting this on the fast track and that was the MRI which is tomorrow morning. This is a large orthopedic group and I wouldn’t be surprised the surgery will be done within a week. I’ll even take Thanksgiving!😊

God’s got this.🙏

 

Best wishes for a successful surgery Bruce.

[grapau27]

4 hours ago, Quartzsite Cruiser said:

 

Jacqui, I appreciate your concern.  After I took another look at my forehead after my shower, and it wasn't as bad as it seemed earlier.  Basically, I just have a big knot on my forehead, but we’re keeping an eye on it.  I feel fine, no headache, and even the area involved doesn't hurt very much even when I make a facial expression that involves the area.  

 

Lenda

I'm pleased to hear you are feeling okay Lenda.

Best wishes.

Graham.

[grapau27]

19 hours ago, StLouisCruisers said:

 

Here we go on Alotau, PNG.  In 2017 we flew to Sydney and began 4 cruises on Sun Princess.  The first was a circumnavigation and it included a jaunt over to PNG to Alotau.  Then the third cruise was mostly Papua New Guinea so we visited that port again two weeks later.  This is a very poor town so don't expect the Ritz when you go there.  We did see what they call an International hotel which I will show a photo of from the street.  It had a big fence around it so we didn't try to get in.  The view from the ship. 

 

Locals dressed up and danced for our arrival.

 

 

There was actually a bus outside the ship but we didn't have a tour and like most others just walked to see the town.

 

 

This must have been the local Walmart.

 

I have no idea what this was.

 

Homes on the hillside behind us.  I would worry about landslides.

 

We stopped here to see the War Memorial.

 

It's called the Milne Bay Memorial.

 

Everybody in town seemed very busy trying to sell their goods while the ship was in town.  

 

 

 

The kids were all dressed up in their native costumes looking for photo opportunities.

 

We kept walking.  Uh oh!  Road work ahead!

 

 

Right by the supermarket.  We didn't go in.

 

Ahh!  Here's the Alotau International Hotel at Milne Bay.  I wonder what the online photos looked like.

 

 

By now we were probably drenched in sweat so headed back to the ship.

 

We walked by this open air market and looked inside but didn't buy anything.

 

The flag of PNG.

 

Sailaway and a sunset.

 

 

It was Halloween and the waiters at dinner were dressed up as ghouls (or whatever they wanted to).  And the ship was decorated with many carved pumpkins.  

 

Well, that's all for Alotau. 

Nice photos Sandi.

[Cruising-along]

2 hours ago, erewhon said:

 

@Cruising-along    Sorry about that. Thank you for the correction, was posting in a hurry.  Am pleased that you had such a good visit with you BFF.

 

I hope that @cruising sister  is doing well after the surgery, and recovers quickly.

Absolutely no problem! I’ve done the same myself. 🙂

[highscar]

@Quartzsite Cruisermany MH  owners cut a slit in those foam pool noodles and slip them onto the slide corners

 

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

43 minutes ago, highscar said:

@Quartzsite Cruisermany MH  owners cut a slit in those foam pool noodles and slip them onto the slide corners

 

 

Thank you for the suggestion.  I've seen that many times, and I'd been thinking about putting them on the sharp corners of the slide.  In my case, that would not have helped since I walked into the slide and hit my forehead on the slide wall several inches above the bottom edge.  This morning, the swelling is down and it feels a lot better.

 

Lenda