[Lekooks] Happy New Year!

[Mary Davidson]

Here's hoping 2018 is better for us than 2017! We had a lot of ups and
downs last year and I wanted to resume my New Years email that I had sent
out in previous years. We are still traveling the country and wanted to
catch you up on our travels and future plans.

The major "down" in 2017 was Rollie's health. This time last year he was
hospitalized for 9 days in Soldotna, AK, where I was working. A blister on
the bottom of his left foot, at the base of his big toe, had become
infected. Oral antibiotics did not help. He found a podiatrist who poked
around in it and 3 days later the infection had entered his bloodstream.
New Year's Eve 2016 he was in the emergency room and then admitted for IV
antibiotics. They took him to surgery to clean out the wound and reported
that they didn't think the bone was infected. He was discharged 8 days
later with
a PICC line and infusion pump to continue the IV antibiotics, plus a
"woundvac" which kept negative pressure on the now 2 inch wide hole in the
ball of his foot to speed up healing. He had to keep it elevated at all
times, used a scooter to get to the bathroom and I was so happy we had
found an apartment near the hospital. I didn't miss a work shift through
all this, I don't get paid if I don't work. After 2 weeks the home infusion
nurse pulled the PICC line so there was one less piece of equipment to lug
around but still had the woundvac pump and tubing. He had wound clinic
appointments 3 times per week and podiatrist appointments once per week for
3 months. I was also happy I worked the evening shift and we got all these
set up for late morning. After 2 months he was done with the woundvac and
using crutches but was still supposed to keep it elevated as much as
possible. After it was healed up (March) and we went for one of his last
podiatrist appointments an xray showed that the infection had entered the
bone and had been eating away at it all that time. He was readmitted to the
hospital for amputation of his big toe and half of the next bone down
(metatarsal). We were shocked, the podiatrist was shocked. We had already
accepted jobs at Denali RV Park and Motel for the summer and were assured
that he would be healed and walking by late May, which he was. We have
health insurance through the agency I work for and after our out-of-pocket
maximum was met, they paid for everything except the home infusion nurse,
because they claimed it was out-of-network even though they were the only
such agency within 200 miles. Go figure! He has a prosthetic insert to put
in his shoes to help him balance. He is back to bowling and doing OK. He
also is monitoring his blood sugar and adjusting his insulin for every meal
instead of only taking it at night as he had been told to do previously. I
know too much about human physiology to understand how that is possibly
adequate. Besides, that is how it is done in the hospital. His physical in
August in Northfield was good.

But on to our positive events last year: Actually the Big One was our 16
months in Alaska which started in May of 2016. Driving up was the only
thing on my bucket list and I was not disappointed! Please see my blog and
photos:

maryandrollied.blogspot.com

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNZ43Cz4p_HFX7RMWjuVuI4
ImaYeFZ5U2orD-xly2S3gt6O3AOLm8Wb1Wf2u8HKEw?key=emZ4cmU3cXA5Q
VhVWGMxZWpLUmpJZkZkSjN2dXdn

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNQDjxDlIba-Kn2grXs4USA
EY5mHGAP0h1UJJ5qydH5OUikSJEDKfWC4tvPLB18QQ?key=b3VUdFg2aHRtW
TJuZGx5Ym1RMGk1MldEVzdaS0JB

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipMvc9aXHfQrLr3VOzI7B_IE
gpYSqY_hHRP-wtP2TtLy1gT2fnWFzPO_WDUSHLvwmg?key=NEZLQW9sOWEye
EkwWHlKVi1uMExVQWVBMW5TYXhn

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipPNdzq5p52g3Fi1qVkpwyH6
s6Umqi5w-C5mu79b4Lu3ksmKpXBJaYvGhoKKyZKu5w?key=a3F0YU5zOGZYV
jJPTVI1X2tyT3ExdEpvbG5ZUkRR

We went up for volunteer positions with Alaska State Parks at Lowell Point
State Recreation Area near Seward, then my agency found me an assignment at
Central Peninsula Hospital in Soldotna, 2 hours away. I spent my 3 days off
with Rollie and worked four 10-hour shifts, had an apartment and rental car
(a Prius just like the one we sold!). State Parks transferred Rollie to a
busier park closer to me where the salmon were running and the park hosts
had left without warning, Crooked Creek State Recreation Area, in late
July. In August I gave up the apartment and car, they extended my contract
to the end of March, we took a quick trip to Fairbanks to scope out other
state park or RV park jobs for the next summer and I was able to live in
the RV again with Rollie and the dogs. He drove me to work (40 minutes). In
September we found an apartment in Soldotna and winterized the RV for
storage. Snow started in October and just kept piling up, small snow after
small snow. I don't remember getting more than 6 inches at a time but we
had at least 2 feet on the ground. It was beautiful! And there was very
little wind so no drifting. The temperatures were milder than MN and
without wind chill it was not bad at all. The Kenai Peninsula is definitely
my favorite part of Alaska! The rest of our winter was a blur, see above.
The bright spots were my walks with the dogs in the snow, through parks and
woods, to the nearby Kenai Rver and seeing our neighborhood moose, a cow
and calf, and many bald eagles. I am so happy we have these
cold-and-snow-loving dogs because I would not have seen as much of the
beauty without these walks! In April the snow melted fast and it was warm
enough for us to move back into our RV in Early May, in time for Barbara
and Peggy to visit us. We showed them around the Kenai Peninsula,
Resurrection Bay, Cook Inlet, moose and bald eagles. Then they moved with
us to Denali, with all 4 of us plus the 2 dogs in the pickup, towing the
5th wheel, for 7 hours. Still saw snow up north and more moose and caribou.
We were too early to start our summer jobs but had gotten the OK to come up
early and a room in the motel was ready for Barb and Peggy. We were able to
drive into Denali National Park as far as the road was open. It was not
officially open that early and the buses were not running. We saw lots of
wildlife! We were able to combine driving them back to the airport in
Anchorage with a final podiatrist visit for Rollie.

Our summer 2017 jobs were our first paid campground jobs and were not what
we expected. Communication was lacking and we were never really sure what
we were supposed to be doing. I ended up folding sheets and towels for the
small motel because someone else wanted my office hours working with
Rollie. I am used to rolling with the punches and doing whatever needs to
be done. It was much less stressful than working the office, as Rollie
found out! Our days off were spent traveling 2 hours to Fairbanks for
groceries, other shopping, eye exams,oil changes and taking the dogs to the
dog park there. We visited Denali National Park numerous times and explored
the area. We were thrilled to be visited briefly by Sue and Erik and showed
them Horseshoe Lake. Topping it all off were Alex, Laura, Peter, Hannah,
Michael and Megan all visiting us for a week in August when we were
finishing our jobs and preparing to head home. We took Michael and Megan to
Seward and Soldotna for a couple days at the end as they stayed longer.
Rollie went on a fishing charter and we all packed and froze the fish he
caught. We ate the last salmon on Christmas! Our trip home through British
Columbia was not as noteworthy as the trip up on the Alaska Highway. It was
rainy and/or smokey most of the way. We stopped in Anacortes, WA to get new
steps for the RV as we had a small accident, our fault, no other damage,
just ask any RVer about forgetting to fold up the steps. Then heading east
across central WA our truck kept overheating in the Cascades and we were
towed to Wenatchee where we ended up buying a newer truck. Oh, what's a
little money when you are having such adventures! Followed smoke all the
way across the northern states even into MN. Visited friends and family in
MN and WI then headed to MO then AR for niece Brooke's wedding in NW AR.
Got to see all my boys and their girls again plus all my siblings, spouses
and kids! A good time was had by all! In the meantime my agency found me an
assignment in Durant, OK, near the Texas line and I started there October 6.
Rollie took a volunteer position across the line at Eisenhower State Park
on Lake Texoma, which is the dammed Red River, dividing OK and TX. We are
living in the RV in this beautiful state park seeing deer every day and I
work 30 minutes away. Just had a cold spell so now they say winter is over
and back to 50s and 60s. Life is good! I finish my assignment March 17 and
we already have campground jobs lined up Maine for late April to early
October. We will do the Gulf Coast when we are done here and then head to
Maine. We have already visited San Antonio and Fredericksburg in the Texas
Hill Country which we enjoyed. Now this is the life! Come visit us in ME!

Happy New Year!
Mary and Rollie

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