Summer Events 2018

At some point you have to drag yourself out of bed, no matter how crappy you feel, or how many cats are cuddling you. 

Mom came up to hike Silver Creek Falls trail with us, we did the 5 mile loop!!! (yes I spent a few days in bed after but it was worth it.)

I didn't drink much this summer, it made the concussion symptoms worse. but Riesling, with ice cubes, in the bouncy chairs was sure nice. 

I felt so good that I went for a little jog, then spent a few days in bed again. Exercise made me really dizzy. 

That was it in a nutshell. Feeling okay then feeling rotten. All summer. 

My ex-student graduated, and they had a midsummer Gatsby themed party for him. I dressed appropriately (because you know I love costumes, and sequins)

Cab and I took a trip to Reno, it was awful. 8 hours in the car, carsick, headache, dizzy, then casino, bright lights, noise, and to top it off, I had a cyst that got HUGE and here I was in urgent care the day we got back. No pictures of that trip. I just tried to get through it. 

So the next adventure was to the south part of Olympic National Park. Mom drove the truck with the camper solo, and I drove up with Ru in my car. We went the scenic coast route and it was a rough drive. The campsite, campground, and lake were all amazingly beautiful. We went on short hikes, and rested. I remember the juxtaposition of the lovely nature scene, and the horrible panic attacks I had every night. 

Ruben's 15th Birthday

Ruben turned 15 this summer, he asked for a special birthday breakfast of eggs benedict, and it was the most delicious breakfast I've ever made (that didn't have syrup)

I took him and his friend Max Brown to have a burger at Red Robin. 

Cab got Ru an ice cream cake with white cake and rainbow sherbet. It may be the best cake I've ever eaten!

Then we went to visit Grandma, and she had another cake!!!

Ru is indeed a lucky boy

Practicing driving in the Sprague parking lot. Lots of going slowly over speed bumps and practicing cornering, slowly. 

Ru is much taller than me now!

Funk on the Mountain

Elke drove, and we went to do a fun gig with FBI up near Mt. Hood. It went surprisingly well. We didn't do another gig till November, which was probably for the best. 

Baker Bay Camping

I had planned a little camping trip and although I was unsure if I would be able to do it, I had lots of help from friends and family. I borrowed a walking stick from my mom, and just took it slow.

This was the infamous "nuts in my nuts" moment I believe. 

If it wasn't one thing it was another, my nose swelled up. 

The Concussion

I called the summer of 2018 "The summer of SUCK". Throughout everything else that I did, I had headaches, terrible dizzy spells, and randomly woke up to puke in the middle of the night. This was not helped by the stress of the end of the school year, and Ru and I had just moved into Cab Searcy's house, which didn't go well.

The concussion happened in the staff vs 8th grade basketball game when I either took an elbow or head, still unsure which, to my right temple. I didn't go down, but I was out for the rest of the game. It was on a Friday, and I proceeded to drive Ru to Brownsville, come home and be on the computer getting music ready for the next day and paying my bills. Then Saturday I had a gig. Sunday I fell apart, and Monday I was in the emergency room, nearly unable to stand due to the dizzy spells.

I started treatment the last week of school, was on "disability" all summer, and started back to work on a modified schedule in September 2018. I had many therapy appointments, physical therapy for the dizziness and pain, eye therapy because I couldn't focus close up, and lastly memory therapy so that I could do my job. I don't know that I'll ever fully recover. It's been over a year since the accident that I'm typing this, and I still struggle occasionally with the dizziness and memory issues.

Before the game

After the game before I realized I was so hurt

The players

Where I spent most of the next few months. In bed with cats.

I listened to a lot of audiobooks because they didn't want me to look at screens. 

Don't drink the water

Salem had an algae bloom in Detroit lake, the main water source. I drank and cooked with bottled water for months.

Cousin Haley's Wedding

Hayley and Jim got married in early June, and Mom and I went in hats. Hats for Hailey.
there had just been a royal wedding, and we were both fascinated by the hats.