OT - about our progress (xpost, if I knew how to do it)

According to my son, who exaggerates a tiny bit, ALL of my customers are furious with "me" for forcing Don on this trip or that I went on to the conference, leaving him in Knoxville. I left him in a nest of "us", with cats, who mothered him far more than I would've. Yet another one of our own Grads, drove to Knoxville (200 mi) and then drove him to me in Orlando (650 mi).

He cannot fly til maybe next fall. That is not an option.

I'm not asking for money, or hinting or anything, so let's just get the events in order, without any agenda that someone might see because they care about us or think we've been done dirty.

Our rig was new 3/3. The one we had was factory error, so they did in the end fix the main problem, but we were unwilling to live with the secondary problems. The dealer we traded TO was well aware of i****ched the repairs made by the mfr in my driveway.

So, nice new rig. Minor issues at first, they all do. Truck is good.

Houston: clutch stinks. That can't be right, it's got only 11 months and 8k on it. Take to dealer, *****ally had been assigned to see if we were idiots. No

Checotah, OK: we survive tornado ok, but rv slides into ditch, hanging up on its steps, which saved it. It is fine, steps, not working.

Knoxville, arrive for dinner, but where is Don? Sitting in the door bleeding. WHAT? He has fallen from the rear ladder, and then picked himself up, walked around and HEFTED himself in to the door with the steps that are bent. 4 steps, or rib high to me.

Off in an ambulance to UTn. I call Ben to rescue me and rig. He's driven truck and trailer, just not this size. We wait til the last possible day.

Why are my feet wet in the living room carpet? Guys in RV park are all there as insurance adjusters for the flooding. Dx problem as leaking frig.

Found dealer in Marietta who was auth to fix by rv and firg mfrs. 1/2" tube will cost Heartland a new floor along the driver's side. He found 4 factory errors in the roof, as well.

We make it to Orlando, conference, hand truck wheels missing bolts, then air, but Ben is determined, and takes Dodge 40 miles to nearest positive review dealership, hand truck fix, and rents small car, so now one Dodge trip back 'n forth is 4 rental trips.

Actual SALES at the conference are not the measure. Face Time is and I think that was very good. If someone wants to call me out, they can do it right there.

Up til Knoxville, we were so happy to meet with the people! We are STILL glad we have met with such people as we have. Even the guys at the RV park. 3 of them, each in his own rig with family at home, pitched in to finish set up, babysat Lucy when I followed the ambulance. While WLS are "us", so are "rvers". The park ppl were helpful, the guys thought some poor kid was gonna lose a gramma here, so they fed me. I taught them about freecycle and we all freecycled something that each of us didn't want and someone else did. Perfect ending to a steak evening. I will not go into more detail about Liz and Charles Ramset or MaLinda and Tim Blanchard, cuz then you'll be crying and messing up your keyboards. You know it takes something really bad or really wonderful to make me mess with my mascara.

Yep, new clutch, and big surprise, not covered. Again, dealer does as much as they can to make us happy, but obviously, we will never buy a Dodge again. $10k of expenses on a 100k bumper-to-bumper warranty and we've just passed 3 yrs? Yes, I understand consumable. I also understand that we should be able to consume parts first.

Because of the Dodge, we are now 3 days behind. Hope to catch up in Myrtle Beach. Don is fine driving and seems more relaxed than I've seen him since the day he fell.

As to whether we will continue past DS (4th of July), we'll wait and see. I have not canceled those reservations yet. We've got short travel days til way up north, anyway.

We missed Don's sis in FL, his bro is in SC and other bro in NY.

So, you're up to date, and I'm sorry if people can't see why we do what we do, in this way, Flying wouldn't even be worth the frustration of the airport for me. It's not about flying in and selling product. It's about meeting ppl, seeing faces, hearing voices (theirs, not the other kind). Driving by car would be equally as frustrating,cost more over all, but true, we wouldn't have as many breakdowns. In theory.

If we have to give up the rv lifestyle, chances are we won't travel. The "vacation" part is the actual driving between and seeing things we'd never see.

Below are Don's comments when Ben told him that the entire world was mad at me. I think that may be a slight exaggeration, but for those who are:




Thanks,

Michelle
Vitalady, Inc ?
www.vitalady.com









--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Don Curran [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Saturday, June 18, 2011 3:57 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Disruption to VitaTour 2011


We arrived in Knoxville and found our campground. We got directions to our site (a back in) right on the lake. Things were tight and other vehicles made maneuvering difficult. Backing in to the spot I grazed a tree with my awning but otherwise got in and disconnected.



We were meeting Liz and Charles at Calhoun's for dinner. After hooking up and getting the trailer level I needed to see if I did any damage to the awning that needed to be taken care of. There is a secure ladder on the back end so I headed up to take a look. Nothing extensive there so we lucked out again.



Or so I hoped. Coming back down, our world was about to change once more as my knee gave out and threw me against the ladder and next thing I know, I'm on the ground. Gotta watch that first step, right? AND don't forget you are SIXTY THREE YEARS OLD! Not 63 years young.



Somehow I made it into the trailer and sat up when Michelle said it was time to get ready to meet the Knoxville folks. "Hey, what are you doing sitting down there?"



"Uh hon, I think I'm bleeding"



Panic city, and calls for an ambulance on the advice of the VA. Taken to the U of TN Medical Center, they assess four broken ribs, collapsed lung and broken lower "spinal processes" which are the nubs on the lower spinal bones. And, of course, a major case of stupidity.



All they really could do was surgery to insert a chest tube to help inflate the lung and pain meds to help with the broken ribs. I don't remember the first few days very well, except that Liz and Charles were there every day, doing whatever they could to make Michelle and me comfortable.



Once I was stabilized, we talked about scrubbing the trip and heading home. I hear that there has been quite a bit of chatter on some of the online support groups suggesting that Michelle insisted she go to Orlando and that we finish the trip as planned. I would like everyone to be clear about this.



The decision for Michelle to continue to go to the conference was mine. She wanted to stay and care for me, as she has for so many of us. There was nothing she could do except to fawn over me (driving me crazy, LOL).



We arranged for me to recoup and get discharged into Liz and Charles' care for a few days. Michelle's son flew in to take Mom and the trailer to Orlando and help at the conference. MaLinda and Tim drove up from Georgia and took me to Orlando to meet up with them. These five are true angels.



During this time we are assessing my limits and tolerance. With a few pain pills I felt good enough to travel and work the conference, too.


For those who think we should stop traveling as we do (by RV) or should have made other choices regarding VitaTour 2011, consider this. WE ARE COMMITTED TO THE BARIATRIC COMMUNITY because it is the most loving and caring group of folks we know. We are paying back for the "gift" we were given over 15 years ago.



The decision to do VitaTour 2011 so soon after my previous complications was mine and I still believe it was the right one. We need to meet with you all as you are our major source of encouragement and support. Cancelling the trip would have taken that away from us, so we committed to VitaTour 2011 and will continue to do so, for 2012 and beyond.



These are decisions only we can make, based on who we are. Going on the roof was my "job" and the only poor (or stupid) choice made. If I hadn't, what would we be discussing today? Probably how we got to Jacksonville.


If you think we push ourselves too hard, it's a lot easier than "pushing away from the table or exercising" to lose weight.



Understand we appreciate all of your concern and opinions and yes, do consider them, BUT it is harder on us if we feel our choices were irrational or self serving. Trust me, your prayers and well wishes, mean so much more to us that you will ever know.









Thanks,

Don Curran

(Vitaguy)

Thank you both for keeping on as you do.(the mailman's creed keeps running through my head. lol) 

We'll see you in DC on the 5th. Let me know what your schedule may be, one of the POCs wants to take you guys out for steaks in Springfield, VA while you're in the area.

--gina

Steaks? Sign me up!

I hope to catch up on schedule in Myrtle Beach tomorrow, which means 1 night vs 2. We are in Savannah now.

If I have to cut another day, it would be south of you.

I'd rather get where I'm going and maybe get some services done on RV. Much of it is mfr warranty, some is ins from the damage. It's all functional, but we'd also like to add a sunscreen to the dining room window. WOW, is that hot. LOL

I am hust glad that everyone is ok and on the mend

yes, so far.

Our first coupla trips were totally uneventful. Then real life slapped us upside the head. Wow.

Michelle - good to see you again, especially after all the challenges you've faced.

I think WE want to thank YOU for persevering and continuing to want to help the WLS community.  Your wealth of knowledge and information is priceless to us - and we definitely appreciate it.

Swinging critters all goes well on your continued journey.  Keep Don off the ladder though!

I was thinking maybe I'd trade the ladder for that window shade? Altho, with the broken neck from last fall (no reason, not a stupid) + broken stuff this time, he rather looks like a bent old man.

I don't think he'll be tackling steps. I don't even let him do ladders at home. Any more, Mr. I don't want the VA to replace my knee.

Well, this is no longer a democracy, fella, and the VA says, WOW, do you need a new knee or what? Pencil that in for fall, when I will take away his bday if he gets in the way of a new knee.

We both suspect the knee collapsed last fall (he was merely standing up from bed), and we're sure it did on the ladder. I mean, I can see waiting til you're "older", as they told him, But guess what? OLDER has arrived, the VA isn't even arguing.

Um, are you sure it isn't Ben who is mad? Because I don't know anyone who is mad at you.

I know you probably don't know this, but do you have a new schedule yet? I forgot to write down when when you were going to be in Vacaville so whatever day you tell me, I won't even know if it's not the original day so I can't be mad even if I wanted to.

OH honey, musta been out on your bike. We were in VV in April! LOL

I hope to be b ack on Sched tomorrow. But won't be hitting VV til next summer.

True, Ben is 38 or 16, and he still thinks he knows more than we do, so why did *I* drag him kicking and screaming? Seriously, Ben went with me to shop the new rv's when ours was declared dead. He heard me figuring to go up a notch or down a notch, smaller, new or older, all that.

But once it's done, not it's "all my fault". LOL ome things never change.

Some of the way long termers who've known us 10+ yrs worry and they are not rv ppl, so they don't grasp the significance of the face to face, even tho that is how we met THEM. One of my BFF refers to me as insisting on being a turtle, bringing my house. Yeah, but I find her cool stuff and send it back. She calls it "satellite shopping". I sent her gum from Cracker Barrel and she was having gum-gasms.

For some reason I thought you would be out here in May. I'm so confused. It's my stupid job and getting laid off. It's scrambled my brains.

We're trying to get rid of our RV because it won't pass smog (it's 27 years old and was given to us for free) but no one wants it. I want a new one but they are so expensive!