November 29, 2014

Apologies for not posting yesterday, but I was unable to get to my laptop to do so, and bottom line is that it was my own fault. I guess I probably could have gotten to my laptop, as it was in Jason's room, right next door. I just didn't want to bother him since we had said good night more than an hour before and I thought that he might be asleep, and I didn't want to wake him. So, anyway, I am now posting, and bringing you all up-to-speed on what happened yesterday... and today.

Yesterday we began with a very nice breakfast with David and Miriam, and their two sons Dylan and Ethan, our grandsons. It was obvious that Jason was uncomfortable, and that perhaps the previous day was a little  more than Jason should have done. We had planned on going to the car show until we all began talking about everything and David suggested that we should really just get back home, to let Jason get back down, and we all agreed that was the best course of action.

We all went back to the hotel (including David and his family) and explained to the manager what was going on, and that we needed to check out. The manager, Steven, was very understanding and refunded us the cost of the two rooms, and the best part is that the price was reduced and not supposed to be refundable. The hotel is the Luxe City Center hotel, and it is very close to the Staples Athletic Complex, I bring this up, just so you'll know where we were staying (more about that later). We packed up all our stuff, and David and his family went back to their home. About 10 minutes later we went down to the new Van and wanted to load it up; and ran into some challenges getting into the van (the lift mechanism started to act funny). I finally called Terry of the Ability Center, where the lift system had been installed, and he talked me through getting the lift to work. That took an extra hour or so, but I thought we were moving again.

We still needed to get the van loaded, and to do this I needed to pull it away from the wall so that the doors would open. Now I couldn't get it out of park! Again I called Terry and we went over a few things and he said he was going to get a technician to come out and see what was going on. We went back in to the hotel and I went over to speak with Steve, the manager, again. I asked if we could get back up to the room Jason had been staying in so that he could get out of the wheelchair and lay back down. It was still relatively early, and the hope was that the rooms had not already been cleaned by the housekeeping staff. We were in luck, all that had been done was the bed had been done and Steve said we could go up.

The Ability Center technician, Robert, showed up and worked on the van for about two hours. He got on the phone with Terry and explained what was going on and it was determined that we should not be driving the van back home. Terry would come up  the next morning, with another vehicle for us to use, and he would drive the van back down. Robert was able to jury-rig a set-up that allowed the van to get out of park, and that way Terry would be able to drive it back down. Terry said we should just spend the night and he would cover the costs. He just didn't feel it was safe enough to have us head back down, with the van acting this way. I went back in, and again spoke with Steve (fortunately he was still at the hotel, as it was now close to shift change). He let us go back to the same rooms, so Jason was able to just stay down, and that was a good thing.

That night Linda and I had one of the worst sleeps we have ever had. Because of a big game at Staples, AND Fleetwood Mac was playing across the street there was a major crowd in the area and there was lots of noise. The night club, right below our room, had a giant sound system going and the guy running it loved his bass. We were getting pounded for hours, and didn't get a reprieve until almost 02:00 this morning. We had both called down a couple of times and there really wasn't much the staff could do, or wanted to do. Once it was quite though it was much easier to sleep soundly.

In the morning we went to breakfast and Terry, amazingly, showed up as soon as we were done. We didn't have to wonder where he was or anything, as he showed up when he said he would - and that was a drive up from San Diego (about 130 miles). We went back to the hotel, across the street, and Terry paid the bill. He and I went to the van and spent about 10 minutes going over it and confirming that we still needed to take the other vehicle back down, and he would drive the Ford. Terry said that because of the complexities of the new lift, and the hand controls that Jason requires there are three or four interlock safety systems, and they all have to be set for the vehicle to operate. He felt that there was something wrong with one of the solenoids, and that was something that had to be addressed back at the shop.

The drive back down was relatively easy, though some spots had some heavy traffic. We made it back down close to 13:00 (1pm), and got settled back in to the house. Jason wanted a shower and then the girls were picked up. As soon as they came walking into the house it was as if nothing had happened, and we were back to our normal routine. Funny how life goes that way. We will be going to church in the morning, and the girls will be going to their Sunday School (they love their Sunday School). We don't have anything else planned for the day, so we'll probably focus on clean up and putting things away, and more importantly, relaxing. Thank you, for all the continued support and prayer. Take care and stay positive.

Comments

  1. Lifting up prayer as always!
    Psalms 27:1, 4-5 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?...One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.

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