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Last summer Shelley and I went on vacation. We took an Alaskan cruise and spent several days in Vancouver. After our return, I sent, by email, a diary of our trip to friends and family. The diary was to be split into three parts: 1) the trip from our house to Alaska, 2) the cruise, and, 3) the stay in Vancouver and the trip home. Unfortunately, I never did get around to sending out the last part, Chapter Three. Here it is, at last. For those of you who might want to reread the first two chapters, you can find them below.


CHAPTER THREE



This has been a hell of a year, and I’m talking about the past 12 months.

Do you remember going through puberty? The body going through all kinds of changes, some easy, some hard, some good, some apparently not so good, at least, very inconvenient. Also, the brain going through changes that make the mind reel. Eventually, we adjusted. We did so because we had to; we had no choice.

They say getting old(er?) is not for sissies. The mind and body go through changes that are almost completely unpleasant. Like puberty, we have to adjust because we have no choice. Fortunately, there are doctors and drugs and appliances that ease the way, but fun it isn’t. Just remember that there’s only one alternative to getting older….

This is just to explain why it has taken me so long to send you Chapter 3 of the story of our vacation in Alaska and Vancouver: I had other things on my mind.

So, to briefly recap: Fifteen minutes before the cab came to take us to the airport for our flight to Anchorage, I fell down two steps in my house, and broke a bone in my right foot. We decided to go ahead on our vacation; we’re still not sure it was a good decision, but we did enjoy ourselves at least part of the time. I was in a wheelchair most of the time. It was a learning experience that I am thankful for, although I wish it had happened at another time. Even places that say they are wheelchair accessible present problems. If you don’t have a constant companion willing to do whatever needs to be done to move you from one place to another, there are places you can’t go because ramps can be too steep, doorways can be narrow, furniture placement can be inconvenient. Cabs can be too small to put a wheelchair in the trunk, buses may need two people to operate the wheelchair lift and get the wheelchair on the lift and then onto the bus. Bus drivers don’t always know how to secure the wheelchair or person in the wheelchair once on the bus. Tourist sites don’t always have easy access to the only elevator available; windows may be too high for a seated person to look out of to see the sights. Sidewalks, even those not on hills, if not smoothly paved, can be tough to traverse. These are just the basics. But, anyway, to get back to our trip.



Day 1 in Vancouver

We had allowed ourselves only three days in Vancouver, so we knew that we had to start right away if we wanted to see everything we had hoped to see before we knew I’d be in a wheelchair. After unpacking, we went down to the desk and made arrangements for a tour of Stanley Park and whale watching the next day. Then we took a cab to the Vancouver Art Gallery to see an exhibit of Vermeers and Rembrandts on loan from the Rijk Museum in Amsterdam. Enjoyed the exhibit. BTW, Shelley got into the museum at a reduced rate because he was assisting a person in a wheelchair. We were hungry, so we decided to go to the cafeteria. Unfortunately, it was on the second floor. To get to the elevator was so complicated, an employee had to lead us through a few doors, at least one of which required museum ID to go through. We did get to the cafeteria; it was small and crowded. We had to move chairs to get me to a table, and I wasn’t really able to look at the food selection because people were standing in front of the glass case. Shelley had to do reconnaissance and report back to me with the menu. We had lunch and finally went to the gift shop. It was on a slightly lower level than the ground floor, and travel down a very steep ramp was required. Even with Shelley acting as a human brake, I felt like I was on a speedway. Once in the shop I had a grand time, and found some interesting things to bring home.

On the ship, I had been going around in the hospital sandal on my broken foot and a purple leather moccasin (which I had brought as slipper/casual footwear for the ship) on the other. In the city, I wanted a more formal and firm shoe; I decided to look for canvas shoes: easy to get into, useful even after I was back to using both feet. After the museum we simply crossed the street to Victoria’s Bay Centre, a huge shopping center with stores we knew, and many we didn’t. Hudson Bay Company is the largest in the mall, and we finally found a pair of shoes for me and some 2010 Vancouver Olympics stuff. (Getting into the store from the mall was a problem: on the lower level there is a short flight of stairs into the store. There is a chair lift, but it is locked, and required finding a store employee who then had to find someone who could unlock it.) We were then ready to get back to the hotel. Outside the mall was a busy street with plenty of cabs, but we had to find one which could fit the two of us and a wheelchair. It took a little while. For dinner we chose a Chinese restaurant right across from the hotel, however, being on a busy street on a hill, we couldn’t just cross from our hotel to the restaurant, especially since we couldn’t run. That meant that we had to go uphill to the traffic light to cross the street, and downhill to the restaurant. The hill was steep and the pavement was not smooth. [Did I tell you Shelley got great upper arm and shoulder muscles from this trip? :) ] The restaurant was informal, with rows of tables and chairs. There were three kitchens: one regular, one veggies only, and DNK what they did in the third. We had soup, vegetable won ton and sweet and sour chicken. Sauces were good, but slightly different from what we’re used to. After eating we made the return trip to the hotel, where we made arrangements for a boxed lunch for our excursion the next day, and retired after a long day.

Day 2 in Vancouver

We were finally going whale watching! We got up early and had a delicious breakfast in the restaurant connected to the hotel: fresh pink grapefruit juice, croissants, cheese and sweet breads and muffins. After collecting our boxed lunch, we went to the hotel lobby to wait for our tour bus. The wait went on far too long, so the hotel staff called to find out why there was a delay. We were extremely disappointed and frustrated to learn that there had been a misunderstanding, and that the tour bus could not accommodate a wheelchair. We were not going to see whales after all. Our reaction was to go back to our room, close the drapes and go to bed. We were exhausted physically and emotionally. We got some needed rest. When we got up we were hungry, so, on advice from the hotel staff, we found a nice little place for brunch. Although it was only a couple of blocks from the hotel, we were on a hilly street, and again we had the wheelchair annoyance. We decided not to waste the rest of the day, so we got a cab and went to the Vancouver Lookout, which is at the top of the tallest building in the city, Harbour Centre Complex (581 feet high), and which has 360 degree windows in the Observation Deck. It has a great view of the harbor, port, train tracks and the city. Part of it is wheelchair accessible. We took some fantastic photos. The young gift shop guy and the guy at the Information Desk were very friendly and helpful. From them we got a referral to a good restaurant nearby. “Nearby” is a relative term. If we were both walking, it wouldn’t have seemed far away, but the uphill direction and bad pavement in the dark, in an area we didn’t know, made it seem like a long way off. We did find the Cactus Club Café, a busy restaurant and bar with tables also on the sidewalk. We chose to eat outdoors because it was very crowded and noisy inside, and the weather was pleasant. We had a delicious hamburger and fries, and dessert to top it off. It was a high class restaurant with good food, good service and nice ambience. We took a cab back to the hotel.



Day 3 in Vancouver

Today we were scheduled to go sightseeing on Victoria Island, which involved taking a bus and a ferry. We got up early and had some items from our boxed lunch for breakfast. Then we went down to the lobby to wait for the bus. Even though the hotel staff reassured us that the bus was definitely wheelchair accessible, we were definitely apprehensive. However, the bus soon came, and it had a rear door with a wheelchair lift. The bus driver and his wife and Shelley got me on the lift, onto the bus and the driver and his wife secured the wheelchair to the bus floor and locked it in. We learned that we would make several stops to pick up people at various locations. Shelley sat in the last row, right in front of me, so I wasn’t totally isolated. We took a while, driving through suburban areas and passing the airport, stopping along the way to pick up a good number of people. Finally we got to the ferry. I had never been on a ferry which carried buses, trucks and cars along with the people who drove them. There were various areas on the ferry: a large cafeteria, comfortable seating areas, lots of windows with seats and an outdoor area. Because the outdoor area was like a terrace and required going up stairs to get there, and it was chilly out on the water, I sat inside looking out the windows at the beautiful scenery. We took some photos. After 90 minutes, we got back on the bus to leave the ferry on Victoria Island.

We went to Butchart Gardens, which makes Longwood Gardens look like a townhouse backyard by comparison. It was large, with a variety of beautiful gardens and some nice shops. The day was warm and very sunny, so I needed to stay either indoors or in the shade. Shelley and I walked around a bit enjoying it all, but when we came to the Sunken Gardens, I insisted that he go alone. From the walkway on top you could see how beautiful it was, but it required a long, very steep walk to get to it. Instead, I went to a lovely shaded area under a type of gazebo. There were flowering plants all around, and people walking past me on their way through the gardens. I enjoyed myself thoroughly, as did Shelley in his trek. After a while it was time to get back on the bus. It was time for us to go to the center of the town so we could walk around for a while. There is a beautiful old hotel called the Empress which served tea. Naturally, we were looking forward to a formal tea. The hotel is right by the inner harbor: very nice to look at. The driver drove around a bit so we could get an idea of what there is to see. Leaving the harbor area, we had to drive up a very steep hill to get to where we would be dropped off and later picked up. In order to get up this hill, the driver had to accelerate. Just as we were getting to the top of the hill, where we would make a right turn, a bicyclist rode right in front of the bus. In order to avoid hitting him, the driver had to step hard on the brakes. Everyone on the bus was stunned, but, fortunately was, for the most part, holding on to the seat frames in front of them, and, so were not hurt. One older gentleman, sitting up front, bumped his head against the pole used to help people getting on the bus. He was not seriously injured, but was very upset. Shelley was fine. I was not. While my wheelchair had been securely attached to the bus, I was not belted in the chair. That process was not and had not been performed at any time while I was on the bus. I relied on the bus driver to know what to do, so I just had not even thought about it. I definitely thought about it after the bus stopped, and I found myself on the floor. I had been holding on to the chair, but the force with which the bus stopped, had pushed me forward out of the chair, and then made me fall backwards. I was very lucky: there was a large, heavy tool chest just inches from where my head hit the rubber flooring. My leg twisted a bit, but not seriously. My back hurt. My wrists and hands hurt from trying to protect myself. However, the part that hurt the most was my coccyx. It was, at the very least, very badly bruised. I was hoping that it was not broken. I was also feeling the effects of shock. I had no signs of a concussion, and didn’t think I needed to go to a hospital, but I wasn’t up to walking around, either. Everyone else got off the bus to go sightseeing. Shelley and I remained with the driver, his wife and her mother on the bus. It had been his plan to drive to an area where he could legally park the bus and find a place to get some food. We parked by the water; it was peaceful. A small corner food shop was nearby and sold sandwiches. I needed some fluid and carbs, but didn’t want anything which could cause stomach complications. All I wanted was a bottle of water and a plain turkey sandwich. They didn’t sell plain turkey sandwiches, only turkey, cheese, pickles, mustard, mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato sandwiches. They would not remove the extras, even for the same price. Shelley bought it, but one look at it told me it would be a disaster if I ate it. He ate it, and I had some water.

The driver and his wife were still very upset about the accident, and concerned about me. They were also worried about his boss and being blamed for the accident, even though we all said it wasn’t his fault. His only fault was in not buckling me in. He and his wife and her mother took a walk along the water. Shelley and I stayed on the bus. I needed the rest, and getting the wheelchair off the bus was too much trouble. I sat next to Shelley on one of the relatively soft, upholstered seats. I was pretty upset, and to add to my problems, the bracelet that I wear all the time, which had been my mother’s, had been broken. Physically and emotionally I was not well.

After a while, it was time to return to the pickup site. And, I needed a bathroom. It wasn’t easy to find a wheelchair accessible bathroom where we could also park the bus. The driver finally found a small waterside restaurant which allowed us to use the restrooms. We had to walk on a long path made of wood and stone up to the second level. We all relieved ourselves in more ways than one, and then had to find our way back to the bus. We then picked everyone up: they were all tired. Back we went on to the ferry and back to the hotel. We exchanged information with others on the bus and with the bus driver for insurance purposes.

Back in the room I ordered a PLAIN turkey sandwich and fries with hot tea from room service. It was perfect. My coccyx hurt like hell. We packed and got ready to go home the next day.

The next morning we had a room service breakfast. When we got in the cab to go to the airport, the hotel staff took the wheelchair to return it back from where it had been rented for me. When we got to the airport, a friendly airport employee immediately got me a wheelchair, and wheeled me to the security checkpoint. There, I wasn’t required to get out of the wheelchair, but I was thoroughly checked. Some lotion in my bag and Shelley’s Swiss Army knife on a key chain were confiscated. His knife had been passed through at all the other airports. The lotion I had mistakenly not put in the check-in luggage. No biggie.

We got on the plane; got on a second plane, and finally arrived in Philly very late. I got into a wheelchair as soon as I left the plane, and an old lady airport worker came to wheel me to the baggage pick-up. We had to wait a long time for the plane’s luggage to arrive, and then wait even longer for the limo. My wheelchair pusher was anxious to leave us, and she did, while we were waiting outside, and I was standing with my crutches, surrounded by our luggage. The limo came fifteen minutes later.

It was good to see our cats again and get into our own bed. We were exhausted.

I had made an appointment with my orthopedist for the next day. She checked me out. My foot was obviously still broken, but healing well. My coccyx was very colorful and badly bruised, but, fortunately, not broken.

Shelley and I were very happy to be home, and did not want to leave it for some time.

P.S. Between my health insurance and travel insurance, and the people who worked for those companies, as well as the airport, airline, ship and hotel staffs I was able to have a wheelchair for the entire trip, from the time we got to the Philly airport through to the Anchorage hotel until we were ready to leave the airport in Philly, when we arrived home. Without the help of a good number of decent people doing more than what was required of them, I would not have been able to travel as well as I did. Even more than them, I owe a huge thank you to Shelley for putting up with me and helping me, even when it meant that he couldn’t do something he would have preferred to do. And, he did it with a smile, at least most of the time.

www.kodakgallery.com/sheldonliss is the link which will take you to Shelley’s Web Page, containing the photo album of “Our Alaska Vacation.” Once you’ve clicked on the photo of the map of Alaska, you’ll be able to view the album whenever you want. There are 199 pictures of our trip to Alaska.

If you cannot see the link above after clicking on it, copy and paste the following web address directly into your browser: www.kodakgallery.com/sheldonliss

BTW, while on board the ship last year we made tentative plans for a cruise in the Baltic Sea next year. We’ll also spend some time in Britain before we board the ship in Dover. So, even though this last trip was not perfect, we are looking forward to a great time in Britain where we’ve previously enjoyed ourselves, and in places which we’ve wanted to visit for a long time.

We’ll be happy to receive any questions or comments from you. Send them to lynn at 1787lll@gmail.com or to Shelley at sheldonliss@comcast.net . We’ll enjoy reading your reactions.

Lynn : 6/12/10

Labels: Alaska, Holland American Line, vacation, Veendam

Shelley helped me to the sofa in the cabin, and we called the Front Desk and asked to speak with the top person, and explained the situation to her. She quickly came to confirm what we said, and to explain the possibilities. While the ship is wheelchair accessible, the cabins, for the most part, are not. Only six cabins have doorways wide enough for a wheelchair. All of these cabins were booked. It was unlikely that any would be empty. We told her that unless we had such a cabin we would have to leave, because I was unable at that time to do without the wheelchair, which would only fit in the cabin if it was folded. (Although I was able to walk very short distances within a room, and stand long enough to take a very short shower, expecting that we would be on excursions at least three days, I didn’t want to take a chance that I would be too tired to walk even short distances.) She said that she would do everything she could to get us a cabin, but it would take a little time. Shelley and I were left alone and discussed the possibility of leaving the ship and just going home ASAP. We figured the travel insurance would cover the costs, and since we had nothing planned for the time we expected to be away, we would just stay home and relax while my foot healed. We were so exhausted that it was quickly becoming an attractive alternative. We figured we’d have to make a decision soon, and were 30 seconds away from doing so, when the General Manager returned with a woman.

She explained that the woman and her mother were in one of the six cabins, and she was there to see if her mother would be able to get around in our cabin before deciding if she would switch cabins with us. She decided to do so, and left to arrange the switch. The GM told us that she was able to convince the woman to consider the possibility because the woman and her mother were known to her from previous cruises. The GM also added a small, but reasonable monetary bonus to both parties for the inconvenience. We were taken to the other cabin to check it out. The doorway was fine, the room was large enough for the wheelchair to move about, and the tub was removed, and instead there was a tub-sized walk-in shower with a seat that folded down from the wall. While the location of the cabin wasn’t great, all in all, it permitted us to go on the cruise and we accepted it.

Once we were unpacked and calmed down, we realized that our first priority was to speak with the staff dealing with excursions. All three of the excursions we had signed up for were through the cruise line, so we knew they would help us deal with the individual tour companies. Without any delay, we went to check that we would be able to do what we had planned. Two of the three were either not wheelchair accessible or appropriate. (Shelley would have to push me up hills or on unpaved ground, something neither of us wanted.) They helped us go through the alternatives for those two days, and we found two, which were less interesting than our original choices, but, at least, got us off the ship, and seeing some of Alaska. As for the third excursion, the most important to us, since it was to Mendenhall Glacier and a boat ride where we’d see whales, it was questionable. They had to check to see if the wheelchair, with me in it, could get on the boat. Since that was four days in the future, we decided to be optimistic.
For two days we enjoyed ourselves on the ship. (We were told that there was one of those nasty infections going around on the ship, and we were frequently reminded to be careful, wash our hands before and after doing anything--there were hand cleaner dispensers all over the ship--and to avoid contact with others if you felt ill. Those who were infected were restricted to their cabins for three days.) There was entertainment at night in the theater which we enjoyed; we saw “Star Trek” for the third time, and spent time outside on the deck looking at the scenery. Reading and checking our netbook rounded out the days.

Oh, and of course, eating. We had had a choice of eating in the fancy restaurant, where you sit a table, served by a waiter and busboy, and have several choices for each course; you also have to dress appropriately, which for non-formal nights meant neat slacks and polo shirts; our wardrobe consisted mainly of jeans and tee shirts. From our previous cruise we had learned that eating on the Lido deck was more to our taste. No dress code, no specific time and many more choices of food. It was all fresh and delicious and you could speak directly with the person behind the counter to get exactly what you wanted. Yes, it was like a cafeteria, but with busboys helping you. On our previous cruise they had trays so that you just took food and put it on your tray, collecting a whole meal’s worth. However, because of the infection, they spread plastic wrap to prevent anyone from touching or even breathing on the food except for the servers wearing gloves. They didn’t have trays because they didn’t have enough of them to be able to wash them after each use. It was a little inconvenient, but the spread of the infection was limited, and was stopped a couple of days before the end of the cruise. We did have breakfast in our cabin once, before leaving on an excursion, but generally, we preferred the choices at the Lido. Also, on most days, we would go the outside portion of the Lido deck after eating and take pictures.

On the second day of the cruise we went through Glacier Bay. Shelley got up very early to see the glaciers up close and personal. I was too tired to get up so early, and I knew he’d take plenty of pictures for me. I realized that I’d be missing something special, but the healing of a broken bone, a very stressful time, as well as manipulating the wheel chair, even with Shelley pushing it almost all the time, was exhausting, and I needed all the rest I could get. I preferred to rest that day, and be ready for the excursion on the next day. When you ask if we enjoyed our trip, I have to say that we made the best of it, given all the circumstances, and tried not to think about what we were missing or burdened with.

In Haines, we had to settle for a tour of the town and surrounding area in a vintage car, driven by a very nice and chatty young woman whose regular job is secretary of the K-12 school in the town. We rode with four other tourists in a 1938 Packard. (Shelley will send a website link with all the photos as soon as he can.) Because she has lived there with her husband and children for a while, she was able to show us places off the beaten track, and tell us things only a resident would know. Although it lasted only about an hour, it was very satisfying. Shelley and I were able to get into a gift shop, where we were able to buy a few inexpensive items. Then back to the ship.

Here’s where we encountered problems, both coming and going. The ramp from the ship was from deck 6 to the pier, and was extremely steep. One of the crew would take me down and up. Going down, I was faced backwards so that I wouldn’t fall out of the chair. In both cases, it seemed that the smallest of the crew was selected, or next in line, whichever, he was most unfortunate to have to control the descent, or push me up the steep incline. Going down, one of the larger crew members had to help slow us down, otherwise, the skinny crewman would have gone under the wheelchair. I quickly learned to be weary of going on and off the ship.

Since the next day was the special excursion that we so much desired to go on, we went back to the excursion desk to find out if they had heard from the tour company and the feasibility of getting me, in the wheelchair, on the boat. They hadn’t heard, but said they would continue to try to contact the company. Late that evening, after one of the shows, we tried again to find out our status. The excursion desk was closed, so we asked at the front desk. A very nice lady checked all messages at the front desk and at the excursion desk, but couldn’t find any info for us. Since we would have to get up at 6:30A for the 8:30A trip and we hadn’t been notified that we could go, we told the lady at the front desk that we would have to cancel, and she said she would take care of it.

So, on Thursday, we slept, with plans for taking it easy and getting ready for Friday’s excursion. At 8:15A we were awakened by a phone call from the excursion staff, wondering why we were not ready to leave with the rest of the group. We told them simply, but politely, why we were still in bed. Needless to say, that was one of the most depressing days of our trip: so near and yet so far. The excursion crew had been so helpful before, we couldn’t understand why they never got back to us with the good news that we could go on this trip. It made no sense, and all day we tried to find some sense in all of it, but we failed.

On Friday we went to Saxman Native Village where we saw a film about the tribes in the area, went to wooden building where we saw native dancing and looked at huge totems that the tribe had built, as well as the building where they were constructed. Shelley and I were taken by van by one of the tour guides, and then by an open bus to the village itself. It started to drizzle and then to rain lightly while we were there. We did stop in the nice gift shop with the normal tourist items and some lovely handmade items. Then we were returned to the town of Ketchikan, where the ship was docked. By this time, the rain was more annoying, and not especially pleasant when not dressed for it, and either in a wheelchair, or pushing it. The town is a nice tourist trap with all kinds of goods from crappy to exquisite. We stopped in three shops and bought a few items before the weather got me down. We weren’t quite sure exactly what time we had to be back on the ship, and I started getting nervous about the slipperiness of the sidewalks and streets, and just wanted to get back to my warm room and dry clothes. Going up the wet ramp was even more fun this time.

We had just one more day aboard the ship, cruising. Shelley and I packed everything, doing it efficiently, so that we’d only have to open two suitcases in the hotel. We had already made sure, via email and phone communications, that the hotel had rented a wheelchair for me, and that it would be available from the time I arrived until I got in the cab to go to the airport. We were as ready as we could be. Our suitcases were outside our door the night before, as required; showered, we had only our basic requirements and clothes for the morning, which could be put in a bag which I could carry. I was nervous about going down the ramp, finding our luggage, and how Shelley and I would get me in the wheelchair with the luggage to a cab, and how we would find one. Would it be just like the airport at Anchorage? I was also concerned about the hotel, even though the people there had assured me that a wheelchair would be no problem (Where had I heard that before?)

We got up the next day in time to have a good breakfast, since we didn’t know when we’d next be able to eat. We had to check at the front desk as to where we had to go to disembark, and when they would take back my wheelchair. We found out that everyone in wheelchairs or who needed assistance were to meet in one location so that stewards could make sure we got off the ship okay. The only problem was that there were few stewards available for the service. (And, again, they seemed to be the smallest on the ship.) Finally, a steward came forth to escort us. And, there was not one long, steep ramp, but a ramp split in two parts which were at right angles, which was far more comfortable. Amazingly, we found our luggage quickly and got it on a cart, while the steward still pushed my chair. And, finally, there were signs designating different directions to go for cabs, buses, cars, etc., so it was easy to locate a cab whose driver loaded our luggage, while the steward took the wheelchair after I was seated in the cab.
We told the driver which hotel we wanted to go to, and gave the address. It took less than half an hour to get to the hotel, which was on a main street with shops and restaurants and trees, and was busy. It was also very hilly. When we pulled into the hotel driveway, there was someone there, asking if our name was Liss, and when we said yes, immediately brought out a wheelchair, and wheeled me into the lobby. We had finally arrived in Vancouver, and hoped that our luck had turned. END OF CHAPTER TWO (to be continued)

Labels: Alaska, Holland American Line, vacation, Veendam

From previous trips, we learned that planning is extremely important. Well, we had all our reservations, trip insurance, new camera and netbook, lists of everything we needed or might need (first aid, snacks, books, etc.). We even finished packing early in the evening the night before our day of flying to Alaska. We got up in plenty of time to get ready for the cab to take us to the airport. Everything was fine…………..until fifteen minutes before the cab was to arrive.

I was fully dressed, and just taking down some towels to the laundry room, when I missed the last step of the staircase, and fell, fortunately, head first into a soft chair. My head and body were fine, but my right foot was not as fortunate. I knew right away that I was in big trouble. (I’ll tell you here so you’ll understand why I knew that: in high school one day, I fell two steps and broke the 5th metatarsal bone in my right foot, enough said.) I figured it was either a broken bone or bad sprain. Shelley helped me put a constricting bandage and ice on it while I elevated the foot. (Not for nothing do I know RICE: rest, ice, compress, elevate; I’ve sprained my feet a number of times.) We had all of a couple of minutes to decide what to do: cancel the trip and hope that the trip insurance would cover it all, and we’d be able to go next year, or go and hope for the best. We went.

When we got to the airport we got a wheelchair, and we were courteously escorted through security with our luggage, and taken to our gate. Then the wheelchair was taken away. Sometime between then and when the plane arrived, I realized that I had to use the restroom. We were at Gate 13, and the nearest restroom was at Gate 7; no choice but to walk. I managed it, thanks to an urgent physical need, determination and a very high tolerance for pain.

We were schedule to take a plane to Atlanta and from there, to Anchorage. We missed the connecting flight by ten minutes due to thunderstorms in the area. The Delta people were very helpful: planned a new itinerary that took us to Dallas/Ft. Worth, Salt Lake City, and then eventually to Anchorage. They got me wheelchairs at every airport, got me on the plane first, even changed our seats, when possible to give my right foot more room. Each flight provided us with a beverage and our choice of mediocre cookies or peanuts. Shelley did manage to get us sandwiches during one of the stopovers, but there wasn’t time for more than that. Snacks we brought with us did help. We left Philly at about 8:30A, EDT, and wound up in Anchorage at 3:30A, EDT (11:30P Alaska time). We were escorted to the baggage area with me in a wheelchair, and then left there. Fortunately, our luggage had flown directly from Philly, because the rest of the people on the flight had to wait a while before theirs came. However, we had another problem: we couldn’t find a cab, and the cabs couldn’t come curbside. We called our hotel, got the number and called Yellow Cab, and asked Delta for help. Part of the problem, which Shelley encountered, was that when a cab did come by, Shelley had to come back into the baggage area, where I sat in a wheelchair surrounded by four suitcases. By this time we were both exhausted, and the pain was the worse for my having to walk to my seats on the planes, and sit without leg space. I must have really looked totally forlorn, because a nice couple came up to me and said that they had noticed that Shelley had been trying to get a cab. They offered to drive us wherever we had to go, but just at that moment, Shelley came: triumphant, because we now had a cab and a driver who would help with the luggage. We drove to the hotel, where we dropped off the luggage, and then drove to the hospital.
During our “airport breaks” we used our time to good purpose: we called the travel insurance company, my health insurance company and the Anchorage hotel. The hotel arranged for a wheelchair for me while I was there, the health insurance company told me which Anchorage hospital ER I should go to, and the travel insurance company started a file on my accident and worked with the Holland America cruise line and the Vancouver hotel regarding wheelchairs and other issues. They were terrifically helpful.

At the hospital, which was in the “not so nice” area of Anchorage, I was treated very well. The x-rays showed a slight, but definite break in the same bone I broken before. I was given a hard shoe, crutches and vicodin. I accepted the first, tried the second, but took them knowing I wouldn’t use them because other parts of my body started complaining very loudly. I argued with the doctor re the pills, but he convinced me to take one that night so I could get some sleep. The remaining pills I delivered to my GP when I saw her yesterday, so she could dispose of them.
Back to the hotel, a wheelchair awaited. We had planned on a day of sightseeing in Anchorage before going on the cruise, but that was out of the question. However, we spent some time arranging with the cruise line, which had a meeting room in the hotel, for wheelchair transport to the pier, and on the ship, etc. I experienced for the first time the problems a person in a wheelchair encounters. I didn’t realize how narrow aisles in gift shops are. And, wheelchairs don’t come with rear view mirrors, or back up or turn signals. Not being a motorized vehicle, Shelley pretty much had to push me. (He came to say that this was his first opportunity to push me around.) I didn’t have the upper arm strength (but I do have arthritis) to turn the wheel continually. Carpets and slopes didn’t help.

Finally!!! We got though all the paperwork, etc. at the pier, got in the ship’s wheelchair, got up a very steep ramp with the help of one the crew, and got to the room. Words cannot express our feelings when we realized that the wheelchair would not fit through the cabin door. END OF CHAPTER ONE (to be continued)

Labels: Alaska, Holland American Line, vacation, Veendam

We saw Buzz Aldrin at the Free Library of Philadelphia, Tuesday, July 21, 2009. He talked about his life and about his new memoir, Magnificent Desolation: The Long Journey Home.

On the 40th anniversary of the historic moon landing, Buzz Aldrin - the lunar module pilot for Apollo II and the second man to set foot on the moon - told us about the tense moments of the Apollo II mission and his life afterward as he stuggled with depression and alcoholism. In his new book, he reveals how close Apollo II came to aborting its landing less than 60 feet from the moon's surface, how a computer overload almost jeopardized the entire mission, and how he and Neil Armstrong had to manually land the spacecraft with a mere 20 seconds of fuel left.

We highly recommend his new book, Magnificent Desolation.



::Shelley
August 20, 2009

Labels: Buzz Aldrin, Free Library of Philadelphia, Moon

June 6, 2009. Antique Roadshow


On June 6, Lynn and I went to the Atlantic City Convention Center for the taping of the "Antiques Roadshow." Over 6,000 people attended this event. We saw, among others, the Keno brothers (furniture experts) and Noel Barrett (toy expert) another Roadshow
rock star.

After the appraisals, we made our way to the exit. WHYY TV took my picture with my three volumes of the poetical works of John Milton, printed in 1864 by Little, Brown and Company in Boston. I bought the books for $2 in West Chester, PA, when I was in college. The appraiser said that it was worth $100 today. If the books were printed back in the 1700s, it would have been worth thousands of dollars!

The show will air sometime in January 2010. For more information, go to
http://www.pbs.org/antiques


June 14, 2009. Peter, Paul and Mary


On June 14, we saw Peter, Paul and Mary (Mary was out sick) at the Kimmel Center here in Philadelphia. It was in 1961 when they first performed at the Better End coffee house on Bleeker Street in Greenwich Village. They are still performing many concerts and still going strong today.

They are an amazing group of musicians and singer/songwriters.

If you haven't had the chance to see them live in concert, then now is the time!



June 18 & 19, 2009. The Legacy of Galileo Symposium

On June 18 and June 19, we attend a special symposium on Galileo at the Franklin Institute here in Philadelphia. He discovered the four satellites of Jupiter. The Franklin Institute celebrated the 400th anniversary of Galileo's first use of the telescope for scientific observation.

The exhibit shows what was achieved in Florence during the Age of Galileo and highlights the Medici's commitment to the promotion of science and technology. Check out the astrolabes and compasses.

In addition, we saw one of two frail, aging Galileo telescopes that came all the way from Italy. Built around 1610, it shows what the instruments actually used in his observations looked like. Recently, experts have been able to identify handwriting on the telescope as that of Galileo himself, conclusive evidence that he made the telescope.

P.S. It's only around til September 7.


June 20, 2009. Diana Krall

On June 20, we saw jazz singer and pianist Diana Krall at the Borgata Hotel in Atlantic City. She appeared with a jazz trio (Jeff Hamilton on drums, Robert Hurst on bass, and Anthony Wilson on guitar). Much of the music came from her recent album, "Quiet Nights."

When she paused to talk, she spoke about her traveling on a tour bus with her 2 1/2-year-old twin sons, and her meeting President Obama.

Her voice reminds you of Peggy Lee and Julie London.



::Shelley
July 6, 2009

Labels: antiques roadshow, Diana Krall, Galileo, Paul and Mary, Peter

On Saturdsay, May 16, 2009, we attend a lecture at Houston Hall, on the behind scenes of the Constitutional Convention with noted historian Richard Beeman, whose new book, Plain Honest Men: The Making of the American Constitution, offers a full-scale account of the deliberations of the Founding Fathers. Professor Beeman's presentation was followed by an audience Q&A.



::Shelley

Labels: Houston Hall, Richard Beeman, University of Pennsylvania

Lynn and I were Session Monitors/Volunteers at the 2009 American Association of Museums (AAM) Annual Meeting & Museum Expo, April 30-May 4, 2009, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center here in Philadelphia.

As a result, we received a free pass to see the keynote speaker, Walter Isaacson, President and CEO of The Aspen Institute and #1 New York Times bestselling author.

The AAM conference was a great resource for learning about the role museums play in our society.


::Sheldon Liss
May 5, 2009

Labels: AAM Philadelphia, PA Convention Center, Volunteer, Walter Isaacson