Cruisin' With Susan, 2013

I'm so excited!  Just over six years ago Susan M, one of my Cushie friends, invited me on a cruise to Bermuda. I was delighted and excited to go. Then I found out I had kidney cancer and had to bow out at the last minute - the cruise embarked the day I left the hospital. My surgeon said that there was no way I could postpone my surgery for another 5 or so days so someone else went in my place.

So, that was it for my first (and only!) Bermuda cruise.

Then in 2008, I heard from my friend again, asking me if I wanted to do the cruise then! Of course, I said yes… She said she was celebrating and upgraded the whole cruise to the Western Caribbean. We had a superior balcony stateroom and I could wear some of the clothes I got for the non-cruise.

You can read all about our 2008 cruise here: http://www.cushingsonline.com/cruise/cruise.htm and see a slideshow of pictures at http://www.cushingsonline.com/cruise/cruise.html

Last year, September of 2011, we went on a land trip to Gloucester, MA.  Blog posts and pictures for that trip start here http://maryoutandabout.posterous.com/last-trip-for-awhile.

I was at work today when I saw Susan's name pop up on my cellphone and knew she wanted to go on another trip.  As soon as I got in my car, I listened to her message.  YES!  Another cruise!

We talked on the phone and decided on this trip:

Then, Susan booked the cruise and called back to say it was even cheaper than we thought it would be.  Major WooHoo.  And, we have the all-important balcony.

Posted via email from Mary'Out and About

Sailing, Sailing...

Over the years, we went on several Windjammer Barefoot Cruises.  We liked them because they were small, casual and were fairly easy on the wallet.

They sailed around the Caribbean to a variety of islands, although they sometimes changed itineraries depending on weather, crew, whatever.  One trip we were supposed to go to Saba but couldn't make port.  A lot of people got off at the next port and flew home.

The captains were prone to "Bedtime Stories" which were often more fiction than true but they added to the appeal of the trip.  We didn't care if we missed islands or not - we were just there to sail over the waves and enjoy the ride.

The last trip we took with them was about two years before I started having Cushing's problems.  (You wondered how I was going to tie this together, right?)

The cuise was uneventful, other than the usual mishaps like hitting docks, missing islands and so on.  Until it was a particularly rough sea one day.  I was walking somewhere on deck and suddenly a wave came up over the deck making it very slippery.  I fell and cracked the back of my head on the curved edge of a table in the dining area.  I had the next-to-the-worse headache I have ever had, the worst being after my pituitary surgery. At least after the surgery I got some morphine.

We asked several doctors later if that hit could have contributed to my Cushing's but doctors didn't want to get involved in that at all.

The Windjammer folks didn't fare much better, either. In October 1998, Hurricane Mitch was responsible for the loss of the s/v Fantome (the last one we were on).

All 31 crew members aboard perished; passengers and other crew members had earlier been offloaded in Belize.

The story was recorded in the book The Ship and the Storm: Hurricane Mitch and the Loss of the Fantome by Jim Carrier.  The ship, which was sailing in the center of the hurricane, experienced up to 50-foot (15 m) waves and over 100 mph (160 km/h) winds, causing the Fantome to founder off the coast of Honduras.

This event was similar to the Perfect Storm in that the weather people were more interested in watching the hurricane change directions than they were in people who were dealing with its effects.

I read this book and I was really moved by the plight of those crew members.

 I'll never know if that hit on my head contributed to my Cushing's but I have seem several people mention on the message boards that they had a traumatic head injury of some type in their earlier lives.

 

Posted via email from Mary'Out and About

Phoenix, AZ Trip

Last week my DH decided to attend a conference in Scottsdale and asked if I wanted to go along. We had been in Phoenix just after my kidney cancer surgery 4 years ago. At that time they convinced us to buy a unit here by giving us a "free" Alaskan Cruise. I'd always wanted to go to Alaska so I jumped at the chance.

So, DH said maybe we could stay at the place we'd bought - the Shell Legacy Golf Resort in Phoenix. I agreed to come on this trip if we could stay there and if our dog Mimi could stay at her sisters. Both worked out and here I am!

Our flight left home at 6:00am yesterday morning so it was a very long day. We arrived here at 11:30am or 2:30pm our time. After check-in and lunch, DH went to his conference and I settled down for a nap.

He finally got back here about 10PM (local time) and we went out to the grocery store for supplies. He'd had dinner at the conference but I hadn't eaten since lunch. Turned out I knew someone from Delaware at the conference. Small world!

Anyway, finally bed around 1am (local)/4am my time. DH had to get up early for next day of conference and I slept on. At 8:30am local some ATT people were here to install wifi. I don't think so! I told them to come back later but, of course couldn't get back to sleep. I noticed a message on the answering machine - the spa had called with a special offer at 7:59am. How early to people here get up?

The rest of the day so far has been goofing off and doing webwork. I had a better wifi connection before the ATT people come back but I think I've fixed that.

The pictures in the post below are from the balcony here. We're overlooking the golf course. I thought that might be quieter than overlooking the pool!

The conference is over today so there will be more sightseeing - and more pictures. Then, home on Saturday.

Bermuda: before Day 1

Thursday, while getting ready to go, I went to Target for a few last minute items. I was almost near the registers when I had a really tight feeling in my chest. I just stopped and rested statue-like on my cart for several minutes. I was terrified. What would happen to the vacation if I had a heart attack? Would/should Tom go alone since some friends would be joining us? Was this a sign that I should never go to Bermuda? The last time I was supposed to go there on a Cushie Cruise, I got cancer. Maybe I'm just not supposed to be there.

The more immediate questions were what would happen. Would I collapse onto the floor and the shopper who keeps passing this aisle have to do something about me?

What should I do? I couldn't call Tom because he was at work. Calling 911 would be really embarrassing.

So I stayed as a statue and eventually the moments passed. I'd had no other symptoms, no arm pain, so I decided to go home.

Surprise, surprise. Tom was home when I got there. He thought we should go to the ER but I talked him out of it, so he called our PCP for a visit the next morning.

Friday was supposed to be leisurely packing. Now I had a doctor appointment with EKG. (everything looked ok) Then church called with an urgent computer/website thing I needed to go do and Mimi needed to go to her sisters, then I needed to take my mom some farm veggies we didn't get to... Aarrgghh.

Finally finished packing about 1am and had to get up at 4 am for flight.

What luck!

May, 2010...

In November 2008, while Tom was recuperating from surgery, he answered the phone and there was an RCI offer too good to be refused. He signed up up for a seven-day cruise and a one-week land trip. This is the second of those trips (the land trip) and I hope our son will get to go with us!

I plan to do a journal like I did for Alaska, my Cruisin' with Susan and our RCI Western Caribbean Cruise but I probably will upload it all after the fact so I don't waste much time online posting a day-by day.

This is where we'll be:
St. George's Club

Your trip to Bermuda would not be complete without a visit to St. George's, with it's winding lanes, pink sand beaches, unique architecture and unspoiled beauty. The St. George's Club, located atop Rose Hill overlooking the town is Bermuda's premier Vacation Ownership Resort and Cottage Colony

Seventy-one cottages nestled amidst 18 acres of lush tropical landscape. The Club offers the outdoor swimming pools (one heated) and three tennis courts. The resort's private beach and beach club are a short distance away. The beach club is open seasonally and offers a restaurant, bar, beach chairs and water sports equipment rental. St. George's Club also offers on-site moped rentals and a convenience store.

After a busy day of sightseeing, relax at Griffin’s Bistro and Bar at The St. George’s Club, open for lunch and dinner, plus Sunday's special Brunch which is served until 6:00pm and rated one of the best in Bermuda!

Website Address: http://www.stgeorgesclub.com

Perched amid the blue-green waters of the Atlantic Ocean, Bermuda is unlike any other island destination you may be familiar with.

Lush, tropical surroundings, splendid and unusual pink-hued beaches, and a selection of cultural attractions and sporting options are all excellent reasons for visiting these islands. Furthermore, Bermuda has a distinct air of British propriety and a unique European flavor. Visitors will cherish memories of the islands' pastel-toned homes, ubiquitous flower gardens, charming winding streets, and gracious, friendly people.

Bermuda consists of 150 tiny islands located about 570 miles off the coast of North Carolina. Collectively, these islands encompass only 21 square miles of land. Bermuda was discovered by the Spanish in the 16th century, and became an English colony during the 17th century. Today, afternoon tea and conservative British values rule. Both Bermudans and tourists zip around on mopeds, as cars are not available for rent on this island. Public bus and ferry services are readily available. Bermuda's vacation facilities and activities include restaurants, tennis courts, and golf courses as well as marinas and beaches.

 

Thanks for reading!

Four Years Post-Op Kidney Cancer Surgery

Yesterday was my 4-year surgery anniversary.  Amazing how time flies.  If anyone had told me then that I’d have four years to live, it wouldn’t have seemed like “enough”, though.

Four years ago yesterday was also the first (and only!) Cushie Cruise, leaving for Bermuda on Mother’s Day.  I wasn’t able to go due to financial reasons, but a very kind Cushie Angel made it possible.  I got new clothes, and was very excited.  I’d never been to Bermuda.

So, along comes this surprise cancer.  I told my surgeon-to-be while still in the ER about this cruise and he said no way could I go.

I ended up getting out of the hospital the day before the cruise, the day before Mother’s Day, and the doctor was right.  There would have been no way I could have gone and enjoyed this cruise.  It was a few weeks before I could even walk, and several days before I could consider getting off pain meds.

Another lucky Cushie got to go in my place, so all was not lost.  I got to use my new clothes on a “second chance” cruise and I’m now 4 years cancer free!

Happy endings all around!

Here’s a review of the cruise by other non-Cushies with lots of pictures: http://www.cruisereviews.com/RoyalCaribbean/ExploreroftheSeas115.htm

If you’re a member of the Cushing’s Help message boards, you can see cute pictures of “Penelopee Cruise” at http://cushings.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=16494.  Penelopee was made from someone’s 24-hour UFC jug.  The pictures and captures are a real hoot.

At four years post-op, I have no signs of my cancer returning or showing up in another organ.  (Hooray!)  I do have an enlarged lymph node between my lungs but that seems stable at this time.

Energy levels are still very low thanks to the combination of post-pituitary surgery panhypopituitarism, the removal of one adrenal during kidney surgery and low-functioning remaining adrenal.  Beats the alternative, though!

Daily (l-o-n-g) naps are a must and, I guess, will always be.  Doctors haven’t seem to come up with any ideas for extra energy for me.

I don’t have any lingering symptoms from my bout with cancer, so it’s all good.

As I learned to say in church yesterday, despite my illnesses, “I am blessed!”

Day Seven, November 21, 2009: Great Stirrup Cay

Another lazy day!  Today, we’re going to take the tender over to NCL’s private island, Great Stirrup Cay.  GSC is part of Bahamas' Berry Island chain and lies about 50 miles from Nassau.

It’s right next to a private island of another cruise line – you can see another ship at anchor right next door!  Also, there are parasailers circling our ship in some of these shots.

We decided to go over later in the day since we weren’t going to do any activities except, you know, have BBQ lunch.

We had to get tender tickets in the Photo Gallery, so we did that and waited for our ship to come in.

 

One woman must have thought that the crossing was a little rocky since she held on to a railing for the entire five minute ride.

GSC has a lot of beachy activities in addition to just swimming/sunning.  They have the ubiquitous “helmet” of beer where you buy 5, get one free, served with ice in a football helmet.  And various versions of rum punch.

There’s snorkeling (and instruction), parasailing, ping-pong, beach volleyball, kayaks, rafts, floating mats, hammocks, hiking, massages, yoga and probably more stuff.  Kids have other games, too.

We found a nice picnic table and had lunch.  It was about time, after all!  After that, we walked around a little, stuck our feet in the water, walked some more, then back to the tender for “home”.

Looks like Tom went nuts with the camera! On the tender:

Then, a bit of reading/nap/general goofing off before the all aboard and we left GSC

Looking straight down from our balcony,  What blue water!

Napping, reading, ice cream…

 

On 12, by the Sapphire Pool, for one last sunset before we head home.

   

There were several things we wanted to do but somehow never got to them.

We did get packed up for home, had dinner in Chinn Chinn again – Chinese this time, just enjoyed our time together.

It was a great trip and I’m glad we put a deposit down on another one.

Today's Stats:
Forecast: Sunny, 80F/27C
Sunrise: 6:59am
Sunset: 5:20pm
Arrival: 10:00am
All aboard: 5:30pm