You're No Spring Chicken

My left arm was feeling numb for the last couple of days. I ignored it pretty much all day on Thursday. I thought it would go away and I had a lot to do. I shifted in my seat through Victoria's spring concert, but was very uncomfortable on Thursday night. I tossed and turned all night long, pretty much convinced something was wrong.

I got up in the morning, the arm worse than ever. I could not tell if it was numb, painful, or what! I got in the car to drive to work. On the highway, my chest felt hollow and I started to sweat. Was I having a heart attack or a panic attack? I don't know what a heart attack feels like and if this was a panic attack, this was the mother of all attacks. My father had a heart attack at 42 years old, and the thought was haunting me.

I decided to drive on to my parents house but changed my mind and went on to work. As soon as I got to work, I felt light headed. I figured I had ignored symptoms long enough. I pictured myself on my death bed with someone saying, "Your left arm bothered you for how long before you came in for help?"

So I called 911. I have NEVER called 911 for myself before. They arrived quickly and I was in the ambulance, all hooked up to stuff. Riding backwards in an ambulance made my already feeling of nausea worse. 9am arrival to the ER is good timing, not too much going on it seems. They hooked me up some more, drew blood and took CAT scans and Xrays. Hours later, the doctor came over and said, "good news is, there is nothing wrong with your heart." Thank heavens! He said the scan showed some degeneration in the C3/C4 area of the spine.

Oh no! I'm degenerating! How could this happen, I asked him. He said, "you're no spring chicken."

Change in discussion of closing the East Haven Academy

http://easthavenpolitics.blogspot.com/2009/05/academy-closing-discussion-at-boe.html

First Day of School

School interferes with my vacation planning. Not my schooling but Victoria's. I just called the Superintendent's office, as I do every year, to find out the first day of school. I find it hard to believe this information is not posted yet for the public. Isn't everyone wanting to know when is the first day to schedule their vacation plans?

I'm also concerned about sports. Victoria will be eligible for the middle school sports teams. I hope they do not hold try outs before we return from vacation although the Superintendent is suggesting closing Victoria's school or eliminating middle school sports so it looks like my kid is the target and the solution to all of the town's budget woes. School begins August 31, 2009, a full week before Labor Day. I think there should be a law preventing school from beginning before Labor Day. Labor Day is the traditional end of summer. The final barbeque, closing up of the summer cottage, and a farewell to beach picnics.

I'll admit, I was too embarassed to ask about next year's April vacation. I wish I had. I was looking into some Italy vacation options.

http://www.sceptretours.com/

Anticipation

Each day my daughter and I do some discussion about our upcoming trip. Our Virginia vacation did not thrill either one of us, though the resort was lovely. We are hoping all of our travel companions will be joining us, but there is some doubt about Lynn and her family.

This week I made a two night booking pre-cruise. This stretches the vacation a little bit and makes a potentially cheaper travel-date departure though it's usually a wash with the cost of kenneling the dogs and parking. The reservation I made through Travel Zoo is pretty cheap. We are paying 42 dollars a night which includes a room near Downtown Disney with a refrigerator, microwave and a hot breakfast each morning. I could have gone for the carby free continental breakfast but wanted something a bit better since we'll probably be eating counter food for two days.

I exchanged emails with my travel agent this week. He won't be sailing with us this summer either. I haven't sailed without him since 2004.

Later this month it will be time to reserve excursions. Nothing is really grabbing me and I keep thinking I just want to hang around and soak in the island stuff. It's only a seven day cruise. ONLY. For the last couple of years we've taken two week cruises so this one is considered short.

We have no plans for 2010. Most sane people do not have their vacations planned for 2010 but typically I have two summers planned in a row. I keep thinking I want to visit Italy. I do want to visit but my expectations are huge for that country. I'd love to do a week of touring and one week of soaking in the culture.