Wil's Brain Surgeries

Wil has been scheduled for more brain surgery, which will be on February 24. This will be his third brain surgery in less than 11 months. It’s amazing that he has come through 2 brain surgeries and is so normal. Well, as normal as he ever was! Brain surgery sounds so serious, complicated, and scary. Of course, that’s because it is. But, round 3 is less scary than round one.

For the people who don’t know, here is Wil’s story, as succinctly as possible:

About 3 years ago now, Wil began to have pain in his jaw. He thought it was a dental problem. The dentist found the tiniest crack in a molar. This molar had previously had a root canal, so the dentist decided it needed to go. He pulled the tooth and told Wil that, after it healed, they would discuss options for replacing the tooth. 

Unfortunately, the pain persisted. The dentist gave him a clean bill of dental health, so Wil sought answers with his doctor. Around the same time, he noticed that parts of his face were numb. The pain was getting worse, spreading from his jaw to other parts of the left side of his face. Wil was finally diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia.

Trigeminal neuralgia is a fairly rare condition caused by something irritating the fifth cranial nerve, also known as the trigeminal nerve, because it splits into 3 branches that go to the forehead, cheek, and jaw. The pain caused by trigeminal neuralgia hits at random, unpredictable times and is severe. In fact, before there were treatments for it, trigeminal neuralgia was known as the “suicide disease,” because many people found the extreme pain unbearable and took their own lives rather than suffer that level of pain.

Wil was prescribed some meds for nerve pain, which was actually just a higher dose of meds he already took for nerve damage to his arm (from his time in the Air Force). He was referred to a pain management doctor and told to “grin and bear it.” It was difficult to watch the bouts of pain that came and went. It got to the point that Wil could not stand for anything to touch his lower lip or the left side of his face, and he had to be careful what he tried to chew.

Over the course of two years, the pain progressed and became even more severe. That finally made Wil a candidate for surgery. Usually what causes trigeminal neuralgia is an artery pulsing too close to the fifth cranial nerve. The surgery to separate the nerve from the artery and put a cushion in between is done through a 1-inch or so hole through the skull behind the ear.

The neurosurgeon prescribed some different meds while Wil underwent tests to determine exactly where and how the artery and the nerve were interacting. However, the last CT scan revealed a surprise. Just 2 weeks before his scheduled surgery, it was discovered that Wil had no artery irritating his fifth cranial nerve, but rather a rare type of cyst growing around his fifth cranial nerve and crushing it. 

The doctor was surprised and postponed the surgery until he could have a longer time in the operating room. The surgery became much more complicated. While this long-practicing neurosurgeon (over 20 years in practice) did 4 or 5 regular surgeries for trigeminal neuralgia every year, this would be only the 4th epidermoid cyst removal of his career.

Epidermoid cysts are rare and interesting. They form in utero when cells that were supposed to be skin get trapped inside other places, like the brain. It takes decades for them to grow large enough to cause problems. They are not easy cysts to find because they are clear and filled with clear fluid. The fluid is caustic to the brain, so surgery to remove them must be delicate so as not to allow any of the cyst’s fluid to leak into the brain and cause chemical meningitis.

The surgery was rescheduled for a longer window on April 1, 2019. It required a crainiotomy, the opening of the skull. Over the course of 4-5 hours, the doctor cut a u-shaped incision from the front of Wil’s ear way up and over to the rear of his ear, about 8-9 inches. As this flap of skull was held back, the doctor carefully peeled the cyst off the fifth cranial nerve and found that it had also adhered to the third cranial nerve. It was also very close to the seventh cranial nerve. Those details were very important to Wil’s recovery. The doctor was able to remove it all.

Though the surgery was a resounding success, Wil’s recovery was hampered by his third cranial nerve having the cyst peeled away. The third cranial nerve controls how your eyes and brain perceive and justify your position in space and your motion to the motion of things around you. When we left the hospital after 4 days, Wil had to use a walker to maintain balance. Trying to move while others moved around him made him weak and dizzy. Over the course of the next two weeks, he slowly got better. Most importantly, the pain from the trigeminal neuralgia was completely and instantly gone after surgery.

Two weeks post surgery, we had a setback when Wil developed Bell’s Palsy. The entire left side of his face drooped. He could not smile on that side or raise his eyebrow. A call to the doc sent us to the ER. Because Wil was only 2 weeks post-surgery, the ER doc was reluctant to diagnose Bell’s Palsy and send us home. Plus, a CT scan revealed spaces in Wil’s mastoid bone that should not have been there and could be a sign of infection. We ended up spending 8 more days in the hospital over Easter, while Wil received massive doses of antibiotics and steroids. The Bell’s Palsy was probably because the surgery had irritated the seventh cranial nerve that controls facial muscles.

But, he improved and exactly six weeks after surgery, Wil returned to work and seemed as good as new. That wonderful time lasted about a month. Then Wil began to leak cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Eventually, it was discovered that CSF was leaking though the spaces in his mastoid bone, into his inner ear, and making its way down to his nose. Every time he leaned forward or did anything to cause pressure (physical extertion, sneezing, coughing), CSF dripped from his nose—embarrassing and concerning!

A second craniotomy was scheduled for July 31, 2019. The neurosurgeon reopened his skull in exactly the same place and discovered two things. First, the bone wax used to seal off the spaces in his mastoid bone had not adhered and had become “chunky.” Second, there was a lot more fluid in Wil’s brain than there should have been. The doc sealed up the mastoid spaces with Duragen (a synthetic collagen) and some of Wil’s own fat taken from his abdomen. He also installed a lumbar drain to monitor CSF levels.

Over the next three days in ICU (because of the lumbar drain) Wil did great and there was no excess fluid. On the fourth day, the lumbar drain began to fill quickly with fluid. I learned that the ventricles in the brain that filter and drain CSF can stop working well after any brain surgery. The human body produces about a pint of new CSF fluid every day! So, the ventricles must filter and drain that much or one can develop hydrocephalus. However, despite the fluid, the doc decided to remove the drain, send Wil home, and hope the issue resolved (as it sometimes does).

This time, Wil was good for 4 months. The recovery was much easier, since no cranial nerves were touched. Wil was back to work as good as new only 2 weeks after surgery. Life was good right up through Thanksgiving. However, in early December, while lifting heavy boxes after Christmas decorating, Wil began to leak CSF. He also developed a massive headache. Though the headache went away, the leak did not. January 2020 tests revealed that excess CSF had blown out the Duragen and fat patches in the mastoid bone. 

So, a third surgery has been scheduled for February 24, 2020. Yes, a third crainiotomy in less than 11 months. The plan is to reopen the skull, repatch the mastoid bone, and install a shunt with a pressure valve to permanently solve the excess CSF problem. The shunt is entirely internal and unseen. The valve opens anytime CSF pressure reaches a certain level. The fluid is drained down a tube that goes all the way to the abdominal cavity were the body reabsorbs it.

I am so hopeful that this surgery will be the last! Recovery should be easy again, because no cranial nerves will be disturbed. I am planning to take off one week of school. Wil should only be in the hospital 2-3 days this time. Then I will have a few days home with him to monitor his recovery. He should be back to work in 2 weeks. It won't be long before things are back to normal...fingers crossed!

Ornaments, Decorations, and Memories

Today was “Black” Friday. For many, this was a day of shopping frenzy. The mere thought of fighting crowds for a bargain makes me shudder. For me, this was a much happier day. It was hardly black. The day after Thanksgiving is the day that we unbox and begin decorating for Christmas. The first part of the day is arduous. We have many boxes of decorations in storage and the amount grows every year. All of them must be loaded onto Wil’s truck and hauled home. It took 2 trips. But most of the day was filled with happy memories.

I started my decorating with my classroom. There I have a tall “pencil” thin Christmas tree that I decorate with school-related ornaments my students have given me over the years. There is a gold pencil, several apples, “best teacher” ornaments, a miniature teacher bag with tiny teacher tools spilling out, many Peanuts and Snoopy ornaments (to match my classroom decor), and simple balls hand-lettered by students. Many of the ornaments have student names on the back and as I unwrap each one, a sweet little face springs to mind.

Back home, I unpacked many more ornaments and decorations. I have more here that were given to me by students. Some harken back over 30 years. There is the beautifully carved rocking horse music box from Denley, the nutcracker from Taylor, the snowman from Natalie, and the mug from Misty. On my tree at home are more ornaments from students—some I can recall and others I cannot. There is the beautiful, fragile ornament from Denmark given to me over 25 years ago by a colleague.

Many more precious ornaments are family related. There is the “Baby’s First Christmas” cradle ornament from my daughter’s first Christmas and a similar rocking chair ornament from my son’s first Christmas. There is the wedding cake ornament from 2008 when Wil and I married, as well as the Paris Hotel ornament from where we spent our first married night in Las Vegas. I have a tiny baby jingle bell from my grandson’s first Christmas. I even have a plaster paw print from my first grand-kitty.

I have an enormous and ever growing collection of ornaments from my travels. A long time ago, I decided to buy Christmas ornaments as souvenirs from the places I traveled. I have a few from limited travels with my first husband. I have many, many more from my travels with my best friend, Debra. She and I have criss-crossed the country and crossed a couple of oceans on summertime adventures. I have a quickly growing collections from my travels with Wil.

What I love about my travel ornaments are the memories they stir. I look at my New York City ornament and remember the bustling crowds. I unwrap the Boston ducks ornament and I can picture the Public Garden. I unbox the Minnesota ornament and remember staring up at the huge Paul Bunyan statue. I slip the ornament of Louisa May Alcott out of its cellophane and I am transported back to her Massachusetts home.

One by one the ornaments remind of Hawaiian flowers, Alaskan glaciers, Caribbean cruises, Smoky Mountains, and Norwegian fjords. A tiny golden gavel takes me back to the Supreme Court building. A little Key West bottle opener reminds me that I should have had a wild time there, but didn’t. There are ornaments from world famous landmarks and others from tiny shops in tiny towns. Just from our driving trip to Iowa a few weeks ago, I have ornaments from Lincoln’s museum in Springfield, the National Motorcycle Museum, the Field of Dreams, Hoover’s Presidential Library, the American Gothic House, John Wayne’s birthplace, the Mark Twain Museum, the Superman Museum in Metropolis, and Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage. It’s an extremely diverse group of happy memories.

Because I have sooo many ornaments collected on travels, we added a second Christmas tree to our house this year just to house the travel collection. Our first tree has a classic angel on top. For the travel tree, I opted for a beautiful star. Hundreds of years ago, my ancestors traveled by the stars, so I thought it was appropriate.

I didn’t get all of the ornaments unboxed and unwrapped today. I got a late start after working at school, doing a bit of necessary shopping (long after the morning frenzy was over), and having our usual Friday night Mexican dinner. I am looking forward to many more happy memories to be revealed and hung on our Christmas trees tomorrow. 

Angels Often Wear Disguises

Sometimes random people happen into your life at just the right time. These are people you don't know and probably will never see again. They appear, help in a time of need, and disappear just as quickly, but they leave a lasting impression. I encountered one of these angels in disguise last night.

The short backstory is that Wil and I took our boat out to see the Blues yesterday, taking along 3 of his co-workers. It was my first boat trip since I broke my foot. Now in a walking boot, I thought I could handle the trip. We put in at Navarre and made the 90 minute boat trip through the East Pass at Pensacola and back around to the Pensacola Beach Pier. The show was great!

After the show, we headed back. I smelled smoke shortly into the return trip. The boat engine had a mechanical problem and we lost power. Three boats stopped to inquire if we needed help (bless them!) and one called the Coast Guard. They towed us to Lost Key Marina, off Gulf Beach Highway, a few miles west of our route. Our passengers decided to Uber home from there. We called Tow Boat US (we're members) and finally were towed back toward the east.

A bit into the trip, our tow boat captain informed us that the tow to Navarre from there at tow boat speed would be 5 hours! (About 90 minutes by regular speed) So, we opted to be dropped off at Shoreline Park boat ramp. Wil got an Uber ride to Navarre to get our truck and trailer from the Navarre Beach boat dock and I stayed in the boat tied up at the Shoreline dock.

It was well-lit and I was safe there, but I had a little over an hour wait by myself until Wil returned. My cell phone battery life was below 20% and I had no charger, but my BFF texted with me and kept me company, which didn't use up much of my battery. A few people had spoken with Wil at the head of the dock as he was waiting for Uber, one even offering to drive him to Navarre! However, they were headed to Milton, Uber was on the way, and we wouldn't impose on a stranger like that.

Oddly enough, no one spoke to me for the hour I sat there. People came by, boats were brought in and loaded on trailers, others came to fish on adjacent docks. Whatever the reason, it was okay with me. I was safe and didn't need anything. Once Wil got to our truck and headed back my way, he called me two or three times to report his progress.

A minute or two before Wil's arrival, shortly after his last call, a man and his young son wandered onto the dock where our boat was tied. They were carrying nets and a bucket. I got the impression they were hunting crabs. Sure enough, the little boy wandered my way and started a conversation. He was 6 years old (I found out later) and, like most young kids, had no filter. His first comment after exchanging hellos was "What are you doing here?"

As a teacher, talking to kids comes easy to me, so my answer just prompted more questions and we chatted for a minute. The dad came along behind him, exchanged pleasantries with me, and warned the kid not to bother me. Then the man complimented my boat and commented on the brand. Wil and I have a Stingray boat and they are not common around here. He told me about his friend's Stingray.

This man was nothing but nice, but not someone I might have struck up a conversation with under the circumstances. Alone on a boat in the dark, I might not have been so friendly. The man was wearing nothing but swimming trunks. He was missing teeth, had a beer belly, and was shoeless. Judging by appearances may be wrong, but first impressions are mighty and appearance is the first thing we notice.

However, I was completely unthreatened by this man. Because he was with a child who approached me first, that really helped. Secondly, I knew Wil was arriving any minute. Lastly, he was totally non-threatening and kept his distance, not just out of my personal space, but out of the boat's "personal space."

After a brief exchange about the boat, the man said, "You look like you've had a long day." His perception was disarming. I found myself telling him about how the boat was disabled and we had been towed twice and Wil had to Uber to Navarre. I can't remember exactly what he said in reply, but it was appropriately sympathetic.

As I told my story, Wil arrived, prepped the trailer, backed down the boat ramp, and rushed to the dock. As Wil went to help me out of the boat, the man offered to help. Wil assured him we were okay, but it was a struggle for Wil to pull the boat closer, hold it steady, AND help me out with my broken foot. So, I found myself telling the stranger that I had a broken foot.

The man immediately knelt at the edge of the dock and offered me his hand and help.  I could not have asked for a more gallant gentleman. By using his hand and Wil's free hand, my exit from the boat, with huge walking boot was way more graceful than it otherwise would have been. I got my balance and hobbled away with my cane. The guy cautioned me, "If you fall, be sure to fall away from the water!"

Wil and the man chatted, I assume something about how Wil was going to use the rope to wrangle the boat onto the trailer. Wil called to me, "Watch out for the steps!" The deck was two different levels. I was on the lower level walking alongside the upper level. I had assumed the lower level was even with the ground, but there were three steps to the upper level to get to the ground.

Within a minute, the man was kneeling next to the steps on the upper level offering me his hand and help again. Without a handrail, his help was most welcome. He walked along behind me. His son had stayed behind and was peppering Wil with questions, which Wil largely ignored. He was trying to singlehandedly get the boat turned and headed the right way. The man called to his son over his shoulder, "I think that man has had a bad day, if you keep pestering him and he throws you in the water, don't cry to me!"

Once I was safely on ground, this man headed down the ramp, feeling his way gingerly on the slippery concrete underwater, hanging on to our truck. He cautioned the kid to stay on the dock. The kid was eager to follow dad, but the man turned around and said, "I told you to stay put, now SIT!" This kid who was constantly talking and moving around, immediately shut up and sat. He knew when dad meant business, though the part about him staying quiet didn't last long.

This is the kind of parent I love. He had been so patient and tolerant with the kid, answering his questions and talking to him. When the kid was pestering Wil, he cautioned him that he would have to accept the consequences (not that Wil would ever throw any kid in the water). But when he meant business, the kid KNEW. He did not want the kid to be unsafe.

As Wil approached with the boat, it soon became apparent that the posts of the dock were getting in the way and the rope wouldn't reach for Wil to get to the ground and down the ramp. By this time, the guy was standing by the winch and told Wil to throw him the rope. Wil did and the man finished pulling the boat onto the trailer and began winching it up. Wil hurried to help and moved the boat around to center it as the man finished the winching.

Wil gratefully shook the man's hand and thanked him. The man gingerly came back up the ramp with his bare feet. Wil got in the truck and moved the boat up and out of the water, then away from the ramp. I also shook the man's hand and thanked him, telling him that he came along at just the right time to help. He was gracious and told me he was happy to help.

I hobbled away toward Wil and this man gathered up his son and they walked on with nets and bucket to another dock. As we parted in different directions, the kid must have asked this man why he helped us. I didn't hear the question, but I heard the man say, "Why son, helping people is just the right thing to do! Someday you might need help and you would want someone to help you. Those same people I helped might be the ones that help me someday." I was reminded of Andy Griffith and Opie.

The teacher in me wanted to turn back and tell the kid the story of Androcles and the Lion or the fable of The Lion and the Mouse. Of course, I didn't. This father had taught his son a far more powerful lesson through his words and actions that I ever could with my stories. This barefoot, partially toothless guy with a beer belly is a true gentleman and is raising a son who hopefully will be the same.

I never learned this man's name. I probably will never see him again. I have no idea how he came to be there or where he was from. He certainly didn't fit the image of this affluent bedroom community for Pensacola. I don't know how he came to be there at a time when we needed him most, accompanied by the perfect companion to engender my trust, and at the perfect time that I was willing to trust him.

Sometimes, angels are in disguise. If you can let yourself trust and see past the disguise, you might not see their angel wings, but you will see their heart of gold.

Researching My Family Tree

Back in the early 1980s, I did genealogy research on my family tree. I was a librarian and had access to the resources available in that day and time. Most of the records were on microfilm. I borrowed them from the State Library of Florida, waited for them to arrive by snail mail, viewed them on a huge microfilm reader, made copious notes, and then returned the microfilm via snail mail.

The process back then was daunting. Most of the records were not indexed, so census records had to be combed through page by page for each county. The records were in longhand and had often times become badly faded before they were put on microfilm. But between 1981 and 1983, I had the time to devote to this. I managed to trace my family back for several generations. I was quite proud of having some branches traced back into the 1700s.

Then in 1983, my daughter Sarah was born. I worked full-time as the sole family breadwinner and breastfed her around the clock. Life became much more difficult. Then in 1985, I left my job as librarian and left behind my direct link to the State Library of Florida. I went back to school to earn my teaching credential. I started a new career and then had another child. My busy life left no time for genealogy.

I created a booklet of my research for family reunions on my dad's side of the family. I also created this huge poster, 4' x 8', of the family tree for that side of the family as far back as I could go. After that, I stored my research away and rarely visited it again.

Now, 30+ years later, my life has changed again. My children are grown and gone to lives of their own. My career is 27 years old and, while still busy, is comfortable. I work hard at teaching, but I know what I am doing and I can handle my career efficiently.

Lately, Wil and I have been watching a TV show called "Who Do You Think You Are?" on TLC. On the show, minor celebrities are walked through their family trees and travel to places where prominent ancestors lived. They develop an appreciation for all of the challenges faced by their ancestors. Most of the family research is done through Ancestory.com.

Yesterday, Wil encouraged me to join Ancestory.com for their free 14-day trial. I was skeptical. I didn't want to spend the money once the 14-day trial ends. But, he prodded me into it. I was soon plugging in ancestors I could remember and combing through research. After a couple of hours, we drove to our storage warehouse so I could fetch my old genealogy files. With a few more names and dates that I already had, I knew I could speed up my research.

Back home, I delved back into the research. I was amazed at how different the research process was. Of course, I shouldn't have been. I am quite computer literate and know my way around the internet. I knew that resources would be much easier to find. What I hadn't realized was that most of the research had already been done for me. I can look at other people's family trees when I find that we have common ancestors.

I was hooked. I spent the rest of the day until late last night, following branch after branch back in history. Those walls I hit in the 1980s when I could not find an ancestor's birthplace or parents or maiden name had been torn down by other researchers. Information that had previously eluded me was now at my fingertips.

I was able to debunk old family myths. That old family story about 2 Turman brothers coming over from Scotland is bogus. I even know which scoundrel started the story. I actually discovered that my family has been in America for a very long time, but I traced one branch back to England and then to France.

I was astounded to trace one particular branch of my paternal grandmother back over 1000 years. Yes, over one thousand years! I got back to a line of Barons, starting with the 9th Baron LeStrange, all the way back to the first Baron LeStrange, then back to France from whence that line came. I was getting bleary eyed last night, so when I got that line back to the year 890, I had to stop. Europe kept very good records, especially of nobility.

Another line of my paternal grandmother has an interesting history. My 10th great-grandfather was Pietro Alberti. He was notable because he was the very first Italian settler in America. He arrived in New Amsterdam (now New York) in 1635, only 15 years after the Pilgrims. There is even a stone memorial marker honoring him in Battery Park in lower Manhatten, erected by the Italian American Society.

He had signed on as crew on a ship headed to America. He fought with the captain over wages and the captain almost put him ashore in west Africa, one of the stops along the voyage. But he held on until he reached America, where he thrived. He owned nearly 100 acres in what became Brooklyn. Most of that land eventually became the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Pietro married into a prominent Dutch family. He and his wife had several children before they were killed in an Indian raid. The children survived and were cared for by the community.

Their son, Jan (anglicized to John) married and had a daughter named Elizabeth. She married into a family from Northern Ireland named Stewart. Several generations of Stewarts later they had migrated to Delaware, then to Virginia, then North Carolina, and then into South Carolina. Another daughter was born that they named Elizabeth. She married a man whose last name was Scott. They moved to Georgia.

Elizabeth and James Scott must have been very patriotic. Several of their children had the names of prominent men in US history. One of them, Benjamin Franklin Scott, married and moved to Alabama. There, my great-grandmother, Sarah Rosetta "Rosie" Scott, was born. She married that descendent of the LeStrange barons. They had my grandmother.

I actually remember great grandma Rosie. She died just after my 6th birthday. She was 87 years old when she died. By the time I knew her, she had become quite childish. I guess you could say she lost her mind. She had a doll that she kept with her all the time and thought it was a real baby. As a small child I couldn't understand why a grownup had a doll or why I couldn't play with it.

I was never close to her daughter, which was my grandmother. My dad was her youngest child. By the time I came along, she already had many, many grandchildren. She meant well, but could never keep my birthday and my brother's straight. We visited her once or twice a year in Andalusia, Alabama. I never knew her first husband, my grandfather. He died 2 months before I was born. I do remember her next 2 husbands. She lived to almost 97 years old, outliving all 3 husband, dying after being widowed 3 times.

I think back to Pietro and his adventures coming to America, being the only Italian in the small settlement of New Amsterdam. I think of all of those ancestors that were actually born into nobility in English castles. They could never have dreamed that their descendants would become simple farmers in Alabama.

I knew about my ancestors who fought in the Civil War. Last night, I found my ancestors who fought in the American Revolution. God only knows what wars my ancestors were involved in back in merry olde England. The LeStrange coat of arms has 2 lions on it that Wil says should be associated with Richard the Lion-Hearted.

It is amazing to think of all of the things that had to happen to lead to me. What if Pietro had stayed in Italy? What if the ship captain had tossed him ashore in Africa? What if the Indians had raided before Jan was born? What if the LeStrange ancestors had stayed in France or had never become the Barons LeStrange? What if Elizabeth and James Scott had never moved to Georgia? Benjamin Franklin Scott might never have met his wife in Meriweather County, GA. The slightest change in anyone's plans and I could possibly not be here.

I carry a bit of the DNA of each of those ancestors. From whom do I get my temperament? my wit? my brown eyes? my personality quirks? Last night I showed Wil a photo of my maternal grandmother. She died at age 24, so obviously we never met. However, even from the blurry old photo, you can see that I look very much like her. But where did she get this jaw line from? The answer is, of course, it came bit by bit, from every ancestor that preceded us. I am the sum of my ancestors.

Icy Day in Pensacola

Yesterday and today, a rare event has occurred in Florida. The panhandle is pretty much shut down due to ice. I haven't seen an ice storm like this here since I was a child. There was snow in Pensacola in March of 1993, but not ice like this.

Nearly every bridge in the panhandle of Florida is closed, including the 3-mile bridge that connects Gulf Breeze to Pensacola. The I-10 bridge is closed over Escambia Bay and the Blackwater River. Of course, that doesn't really matter since the entire interstate highway is closed from mile marker 7 (Pine Forest Road in Pensacola) to mile marker 112 (Holmes County). Besides the bridges, most roads are icy.

During the day yesterday, the weather alternated between rain and sleet. We were hoping for snow, but no such luck. Before we went to bed last night, we bundled up and stepped outside. The precipitation had changed to pellets of ice falling from the sky. Wil put out his iPad (I know, not smart) and videoed little ice pellets bouncing off of it. We also videoed it falling from the sky, with it looking like tiny comets streaking across the lens.

This morning, we were up before 7 AM. Once again, we bundled up to go outside and take photos. The grass is crunchy with ice. Ice covers everything--the deck, mailbox, outdoor furniture, mailbox, etc. It is very difficult to walk without slipping and sliding. The puddle at the end of the driveway has a thin film of ice on top.

It is beautiful to see, but miserable for people without power. Unfortunately, the ice weighs down the trees, which sometimes fall and take down power lines. Three to four thousand homes in the three westernmost counties of Florida are without power. That makes it miserably cold for those homes. The temp is still in the 20s. It might make it up to the mid-30s this afternoon.

The ice is dangerous, too. There was a multiple vehicle crash on the I-10 bridge over the Blackwater River last night before the highway was closed. Seventeen vehicles were involved, including 5 semi trucks. One of those trucks went over the bridge into Blackwater Bay. The driver of that truck is assumed dead. Emergency workers have not recovered that yet. Several people were taken to local hospitals, some in serious condition.

Another kind of accident occurred in Molino, in northern Escambia County. A train derailed in a remote area. At least 2 cars fell into a creek, with more cars piled on top. Emergency workers had a difficult time getting to the site. The train cars that derailed were carrying phosphoric acid, so this will be bad for the environment. A few residents in that area were evacuated.

The only bridge open now is the Garcon Point Bridge. It's normally an expensive toll bridge, but the toll has been suspended. Not many people use that bridge because of the $3.75 toll each way. The building of that bridge was controversial and so is the amount of the toll. But in emergency times, people are glad it is there.

Residents of Santa Rosa Island, the beaches--Pensacola Beach and Navarre Beach, are stranded on the island. All bridges to that island are closed. Navarre was the last one to close. The good news is that there are no power outages out there. The bad news is that emergency services are limited on the island.

My mom called me last night, just to see if we were okay. She was worried about the closed bridges cutting our peninsula off from Pensacola. I reminded her that we have a hospital in Gulf Breeze and there are no bridges between my house and Fort Walton Beach. Plenty of emergency services are available to me.

School was out yesterday and today. I was a little annoyed that the superintendent closed schools on Tuesday, before this event really began. However, he did make the right call, as it turns out. By afternoon, it would have been dangerous for school buses to be on the roads. Today, it would have been impossible.

Now the questions is will schools open tomorrow? Today, the temp is supposed to get up to 35 degrees. That is barely above freezing, but if the sun comes out, there will be some melting of ice. The problem with that is temps are due to fall back into the 20s tonight. Right now the ice is crunchy and rough, since it fell from the sky as ice. The icy surfaces are rough and bumpy. If the ice melts and refreezes, it will be much slicker. That's already happening were some cars have tried to drive and have packed down the ice.

So, only time will really tell. I guess I'll stay tuned for more news. Meanwhile, I am grateful to be bundled up in my warm home.

Hawaii Trip, Friday

Friday

Today was an EARLY day. Since the ship was leaving port at 2:00 PM, all excursions were supposed to be back by 1:00. That meant an early start. I got up at 6:00 AM, without any problem. Unfortunately, I couldn't pry Debra out of bed. So, I was on my own for breakfast and the excursion.

We left the port about 8:00 AM, on our journey to Waimea Canyon, also called "The Grand Canyon of the Pacific." It was quite a long drive to the other side of the island. We made a comfort stop (bathrooms) in the little village of Hanapepe at a tourist gift shop. The bathroom was large and beautiful. Obviously, that is how they get the tour buses to stop there. Still, it was a welcome stop and I always appreciate an opportunity to shop.

Back on the bus, we wound up the mountainside on a narrow winding road, with many switchbacks. No part of the road was straight or level. The guardrails were short and offered no security on a big bus. Still, as I had no other option, I trusted in the driver and we got there safely.

En route, we could see another of the 8 Hawaiian Islands, the island Ni'ihau. When we were on Maui, we had seen from a distance the island of Kaho'olawe. So, though we only visit 4 of the 8 islands, we actually saw and learned about 2 more. Kaho'olawe is called "The Target Island," because it used to be used by the navy for bombing practice. It is the smallest of the 8. Even though it is no longer bombed, it is virtually uninhabited due to the lack of fresh water.

Ni'ihau is called "The Forbidden Island." In early times, under King Kamehameha, it was a place to escape to for refuge if you had broken a law. Nowadays, you are only allowed to live there if you are 100% Hawaiian. There is a cattle ranch there, but only about 130 people live there. The island has no infrastructure, no paved roads, no running water, no electricity.

When we arrived at the Waimea Canyon, the weather had cleared and the canyon view was amazing! It was HUGE and deep. From the overlook, we couldn't get a view of the bottom. Unlike I picture the Grand Canyon, this one is lush and green. I took many photos. Looking south, you could see all the way to the ocean.

Kauai is known for its abundance of chickens. Though all of the islands have many chickens, Kauai is the most overrun with them. They have no natural predators in the islands, hence the population explosion. What makes it worse in Kauai is that when Hurricane Iniki hit, in 1992, it destroyed many chicken coops and let most of the domesticated chickens free. I surprised to see chickens roaming around the Waimea Canyon Overlook, even at that high, unpopulated place. At least they are pretty chickens. The males have striking colors.

From a distance along our route, we could see the highest point o the island shrouded in clouds. That mountaintop, Mount Kawaikini, has the distinction of having the highest annual rainfall in the world, 450 inches, with rain falling an average of 350 days a year! So, if you ever see it clear up there, you know it is going to be a clear day. Because of the abundance of rain, they see a lot of rainbows on Kauai. I saw one at the port while boarding the bus and another on our route.

We came back down the mountain on the same twisty winding route. The views were dramatic all along the way. We saw canyons, mountains, cliffs, ocean, beaches, and the other island. In places the surf was dramatically high.

We made our next stop at Po'ipu Beach. I have seen many striking and amazing sights on this trip, including here on Kauai, which is by far the most beautiful of the islands, but what I saw at Po'ipu Beach was the best. There is a feature there called the Spouting Horn. The surf pounds against black lava rock. At one point there is a lava tube. Water rushes under the lava rock and gets pushed up the tube and spurts up 30+ feet into the air like a geyser. I took lots of photos and video of the water spraying into the air. I could have watched it all day.

Back on the ship, I found that Debra had finally hauled her butt out of bed. She really missed a treat today. I guess she'll have to read this blog. We had lunch and then went down to our balcony to watch the ship leave port.

The port at Nawiliwili Bay here on Kauai is just big enough and just deep enough for this cruise ship. I wanted to see it maneuver out of the harbor and through the narrow channel. With the help of a tugboat, the ship slowly turned around and carefully threaded through the eye-of-the-needle channel.

I had talked to Wil earlier and he told me about hail in Gulf Breeze. As I was leaning on the rail of our balcony, I overheard the lady on the balcony next door mention hail and Gulf Breeze. I couldn't resist leaning around the wall and introducing myself. They are indeed from Gulf Breeze. In fact, the gentleman had been raised in Pensacola and had attended N.B. Cook for elementary school. His wife is an elementary school teacher in Gulf Breeze. It truly is a small, small world. I traveled halfway around the world and ended up next door to a person whose home is just a few miles from mine.

Once out of Nawiliwili Bay, the ship turned north. Before leaving Kauai, the ship was giving us a view of the Na Pali coastline. The ship sailed along the coast to show the sights to the port side first, then turn the ship around and show the sights to the starboard side. We had a balcony room on the port side which gave us prime first viewing.

The Na Pali coast is not accessible by road. The only way to see it is by boat, helicopter or our cruise ship. I hadn't heard much about it except that it had high cliffs and it was very beautiful. Once I saw it, I knew why the cruise company went out of their way to show us. I already knew Kauai was the most beautiful island, but I was unprepared for the breathtaking sight of the Na Pali coast.

Words seem so inadequate to describe this, but I'll try. It truly may take 1000 words to replace one picture. (Of course, I took many, many photos!) First you have to understand that Kauai is the oldest of the 8 Hawaiian islands. It is roughly 5 million years old and eroding. The big island is the youngest and is still growing as those active volcanos keep erupting.

Because Kauai is eroding, it has more sandy beaches. It has better soil for growing, hence the beautiful flowers and farms all over the island. The mountains are different, too. All of the volcanos are extinct and natural erosion has carved them into more jagged peaks with steeper sides. Natural erosion carved out the Waimea Canyon. Along the Na Pali coast, there are steep cliffs. As we sailed north, the coastal mountains became steeper and steeper. The lush greenery everywhere gave way to solid rock cliffs, punctuated with the occasional isolated green valley.

I can't even hazard a guess about the heights of the cliffs. They were enormous! I was on the 8th deck of the ship and they were way higher. The ship has about 14 decks and the cliffs were way higher than the ship. Some sailboats and motorboats where cruising along the shoreline and they looked like toys against the massive cliffs.

But it was much more than their size that made the cliffs impressive. The most remarkable attribute was the texture. Natural erosion over thousands of years has carved the sides of the steep cliffs into sharp, wavy ribbons. It was late afternoon when we sailed past, rather close, and the interplay of light and shadow was breathtaking!

The beach was narrow, but at a couple of places there were isolated coves with wide secluded beaches, only accessible by boat. The surf was relatively calm, unlike the high surf along the south side of the island, where we viewed the Spouting Horn. If I lived in Kauai and had a boat seaworthy enough, the secluded beaches along the striking Na Pali coast would be one of my favorite places.

I plan to post a photo album of Hawaii on my Facebook page, but if you can't view that, you should search google images for Na Pali coast, Kauai. I have no doubt that you will find incredible photos. It must be a photographer's paradise.

Tonight we pack for our last excursion to Pearl Harbor, then our flight home.

Hawaii Trip, Thursday

Thursday

Thursday was a pretty lazy day. We slept in a bit. However, I was still up by 8:00 AM, Hawaii time. My body has still not adjusted completely to the time change. After breakfast, I opted to go shopping on shore. Debra stayed aboard; she had a spa appointment. I offered to exchange a shirt for her at Hilo Hattie's.

I took Hilo Hattie's free shuttle to the store. I exchanged her shirt, then did some shopping for myself and family. Hilo Hattie's is an icon here on the islands. They sell souvenirs and Hawaiian clothing, real tourist stuff. I enjoyed myself greatly.

I finished shopping and Debra finished in the spa in time for lunch. We also went up to the observation deck above the pool to try the drink of the day, called a Blue Lagoon. I can't remember all that was in it, but I know it was grapefruit juice and blue Curaçao. I liked it.

We relaxed and later dressed for the luau. I wasn't ready to put on a sarong, but I wore a flower in my hair, bright colors, and my kukui nut lei. We were each given an orchid lei when we arrived at the luau.

The luau is held on a large plantation and it's quite an affair. It wasn't quite the way I had pictured a luau. I guess my image comes from the Brady Bunch visiting Hawaii. I imagined sitting on the beach, tiki torches everywhere, a pig roasting on a spit, native girls dancing the hula in grass skirts, native men twirling fiery torches, and waves crashing in the background as the sun set over the pacific.

Instead, we got a huge outdoor pavilion surrounded by lush tropical gardens. Native vendors were selling expensive wares. Bars were set up. There was a band. We were bused in by the hundreds. There were over 700 people there. Photographers staged photo ops at every opportunity.

I was impressed by the open bar. They only offered two kinds of drinks. We were each offered a Mai Tai as we passed the first bar. It was okay, but I am not crazy about dark rum. The other bars were also offering a drink called the Blue Hawaiian. I know it was light rum and some combination of tropical fruit juice, but was bright blue. Those were delicious! I drank 3 of them during the course of the evening.

There was some entertainment and a hula lesson. We were served salad, bread, and fruit. Then there was the ceremony of unearthing the pig from its roasting pit. Soon, we were sent to the buffet line. In addition to the yummy roast pork, there was macaroni salad, vegetable chow mein, rice, mashed purple sweet potatoes, mahi mahi, teriyaki chicken, and, of course, little cups of poi.

We had all been encouraged to try poi. It is taro root mashed with water. It is as yucky as it sounds. It is the consistency of wallpaper paste with a bland, slightly sour taste. I tried it, of course. I was not impressed.

After dinner, there were tropical desserts--rice pudding with rum sauce, coconut pudding, pineapple upside down cake, and banana cream pie. It was okay, but nothing remarkable. After visiting the cacao farm, I was hoping for chocolate.

Then the real entertainment began. It was basically theater in the round. Through music, dance, and dialogue, the natives told the story of their ancestors coming to Hawaii from Polynesia. Naturally, there was hula and fire dancing. It was interesting, dramatic, and long.

Some of the native men were FINE looking in their skimpy loincloths. There was just a strip of fabric in the front and a strip in the back attached with narrow bands on the sides. There was plenty of skin showing. They were way more skimpily dressed than the girls. As they danced and twirled, I kept expecting their fabric to flip up and see them flash the crowd. I think every woman in the place was holding their breath. The male dancers were pretty adept at ALMOST showing off their man parts. Finally, I caught a glimpse underneath, but all of the important parts were actually covered with some sort of skimpy thong. Oh well.

We had to wait in long lines to board the buses back to the ship. By the time I showered and got ready for bed, it was late and I was very tired. I knew I had to sleep as soon as possible, because Friday had an early excursion scheduled.