Wil's Brain Update

It’s been a while since I updated family and friends about Wil’s brain issues. There have been developments since the last time I updated everyone. For those of you who don’t know about Wil’s brain history, here is the link to my first blog about his brain issues that explains his condition:

 https://ttpernia.blogspot.com/2020/02/wils-brain-surgeries.html

After that surgery in February 2020, we had 4 great years with no worry about Wil’s brain. That ended in 2023. 

Unfortunately, 2023 was a pretty bad year for us. Wil lost both parents to terminal illnesses, his dad in January and his mom in February. Then in summer of 2023, the pain returned to Wil’s face. His trigeminal neuralgia was back. It got to the point that he could hardly bear to shave and it was difficult to eat. He had to go through all of the tests all over again and get through the insurance referrals and red tape. While he was doing that, my mother passed from a rare form of dementia in August. 

Finally Wil had yet another craniotomy on October 1, 2023, to remove the cyst that had regrown. Unfortunately, this time, the cyst had adhered itself to some delicate brain structures, including his basilar artery. Trying to remove the cyst wall from the artery is impossible without risking Wil’s life. It would be trying to remove duct tape from a water balloon. You’d risk rupturing the balloon. If Wil’s basilar artery ruptured, he would be dead. 

However, the doctor was able to remove much of the cyst and decompress the nerve. This relieved the pain completely, but left Wil in danger of the cyst regrowing. The doctor mentioned that there were radiation treatments that might keep the cyst from regrowing, but Wil had to completely recover first. 

This recovery was more complex, because more cranial nerves were affected. He was sensitive to light and motion. He had difficulty with balance and walking straight. He could not move the left side of his face. He had some double vision and trouble focusing. His left eye wouldn’t close completely and he was deaf in his left ear. 

Wil moved directly from 5 days in intensive care to 10 days of rehab. The physical and occupational therapists were great and Wil worked very hard. He made remarkable progress. His sensitivities to light and motion faded. He regained balance, focus, and strength. He had some interesting deficits to overcome that were discovered in therapy. He could not walk toward a mirror without getting extremely dizzy. That was the last hurdle he conquered. 

Once he was home in mid-October, we continued therapy. Wil wore a gait belt so I could hang on to him as we walked up to 2 miles every day around the neighborhood. We played corn hole. He walked around tossing a ball up and catching it. He kicked a ball around the yard and we played frisbee. We worked hard on his hand-eye coordination. 

We also worked hard on Wil’s vision. He had trouble changing focus from distance to close up. We used vision convergence beads to fight double vision. We used artificial tears to keep his eye from drying out, because his left eye wouldn’t close completely, though it watered constantly. 

In late November, my father fell and broke his pelvis, forcing me to divide my time between Wil and my dad, as I navigated my dad through a hospital stay and rehab. It was a grueling month, having Wil recovering at home and Dad in rehab.

It was mid-December before Wil was able to return to work. His face was still drooping and there is no therapy for that. That just takes time. His eye was still bothering him and he was still deaf in his left ear, but he was ready and able to return to work. On December 30, my father passed from complications of his broken pelvis and dementia. It was a hard blow at the end of a bad year. 

Things slowly improved in 2024. Wil’s facial droop slowly improved. He began to see a neuro-opthamologist about his eye. Fortunately, his unclosed eyelid never caused any damage to his eye or vision. We began a regimen of gel in his eye at nighttime and continued artificial tears. 

In June of 2024, Wil saw an audiologist and we found out that the deafness in his left ear is profound and irreversible. We will never know if it was caused by the extreme noise of the bone saw so close to his ear repeatedly or by damage to his eighth cranial nerve. However, they thought he would be a good candidate for a cochlear implant, so we are pursuing that route. Wil has his first appointment for that in Birmingham in October. He can’t have it done locally because of the ongoing problems with the brain cyst. He has to see a neuro-otologist, which means we have to travel to Birmingham. 

Meanwhile, this summer of 2024, Wil has had some minor intermittent facial pain, mostly around his left eyebrow. His facial droop has almost completely resolved, though he still struggles to raise his left eyebrow. His left eye is now closing completely and it is really nice to have his smile back. 

Today, Wil had yet another MRI. I’ve lost count of how many MRIs and CT scans he has had. We saw Wil’s neurosurgeon about possible radiation treatments to stop the cyst from regrowing. So far, there is no evidence that it has returned, despite the minor facial pain. Still, the doctor says that the cyst may surely regrow without treatment. 

So, Wil has been referred to an oncology radiologist for treatment similar to gamma knife, only less concentrated. Once the referral is approved, the neurosurgeon will work with the radiologist to map the contours of the remaining cyst wall. Then Wil should receive treatment that hopefully will stop the regrowth of the cyst. 

If that is successful and Wil receives the cochlear implant, he may finally be healed by 2025. Right now the long journey is ongoing. Stay tuned for developments in the upcoming months.

My Dollywood Experience

Wil and I came to Pigeon Forge with our travel trailer to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We love the Smokey Mountains and have had many happy times here. This is out first visit here since we bought this travel trailer a couple of years ago.

We stayed at Jellystone Park RV Resort. Yes, this chain of RV resorts is Yogi Bear themed, but it has a great rating and amenities. We didn't choose it because of its proximity to Dollywood. That turned out to be a happy accident. We were virtually next door to Dollywood, as the crow flies. Nothing separated us except some woods. The driving distance was less than a mile.

Like all theme parks, Dollywood is expensive, but I think the admission is less than Disney. A one-day admission is $92 for adults and $82 for children, with kids under 3 free. However, they have deep discounts for military and seniors. We took advantage of those. Wil's ticket with his military discount was $62 and my senior discount took my ticket down to $57. You must be 62+ years old for the senior discount.

We arrived at Dollywood late morning, nearly 11 am. I am not an early riser, plus we didn't want to tire ourselves out too much, because we wanted to see the late night fireworks. We decided to spend a few hours at the park, then come back to our trailer and return in the evening for the fireworks. That turned out to be a great plan.

Parking was very well organized and painless, at least at the time we went. It costs $25 for general parking. There is also preferred parking for $50. We opted for general parking and it was fine. If you hang on to your parking receipt, you can leave and return on the same day without paying for parking again. The same is true of your park entrance ticket.

The parking lots are labeled with letters, A, B, C, D, etc. Parking lot A is closest to the entrance, but it is completely for handicapped parking. B is the next closest and so on. There are trams that run to every parking lot to pick you up and take you close to the entrance. Trams are also available to return you to the lots. 

We parked in lot D when we first arrived. The tram wait wasn't long. The loading of the trams is very well organized and efficient. We could have walked instead of taking the tram, but it was a 15-minute walk in the heat. Even here in the mountains, it is hot in July, upper 80ºs. It was also pretty humid because there was a 60% chance of rain.

Once we got off the tram, it was a short walk to security and then the entrance. You must walk through a metal detector, of sorts. However, I didn't have to remove my cell phone. If you carry in a bag larger than a small purse, they will search it. However, the security guys were very friendly. I only had a small purse, so it was not searched.

I do recommend that you take a bag. We found ourselves wishing we had taken a tote bag or backpack. If for nothing else, you will need it to carry your cinnamon bread! (More about that later.) Wil was wearing a ball cap that he wanted to remove at times, plus he needs glasses and sunglasses. We also bought a Christmas ornament and we had a Dollywood map. A tote bag would have been nice.

The maps are in a rack just inside the entrance to the right. There is also a phone app for Dollywood. We had some specific things we wanted to see. If you type in the place you want to go in the app, it will find you and guide you to your destination. We used that feature once or twice and it was great.

Our first stop was the Dolly Parton Experience. Here is where you can find several attractions related to her life. One building is dedicated to her costumes. Even if you are not a Dolly fan (though everyone should be), the whole place was filled with her entertaining witticisms and wise sayings. We think the woman is a national treasure, so we really enjoyed it. We toured a museum about her life, the costume museum, and one of her tourbuses that was there.

All through the park, there is entertainment. The shows are mostly musical performances. We also watched a dance troupe perform on the street in the Dolly Parton Experience area. There were random performers in several areas, in addition to the shows in the theaters.

All of the areas are themed, much like DisneyWorld. If you have young children, you will want to spend time in the Country Fair, which has the bulk of the kiddie rides, as well as carnival type games. There are 10 different themed areas and we did not visit them all. Most of the park is one large circular path, with a few themed areas off shooting from it.

We tried to ride the train which loads and unloads in Rivertown Junction. Wil once was a conductor on Disney's train ride in Disneyland and he wanted to ride it for nostalgia. We quickly realized that you have to arrive well in advance, like 45 minutes to an hour, for the train. Trips are only 20 minutes, but they only run the train once per hour. We opted to do that when we returned in the evening.

All in all, the park was much more crowded in the daytime. When we returned in the evening, the crowds were much smaller. In the evening, we didn't have a wait for anything, except the train. At lunch, the dining venues were crowded, but not so much at dinner.

I do have to give the park a great deal of praise for their bathrooms! I went 3 times, twice during the day and once in the evening. I probably would have gone more often if I weren't sweating so much. I never encountered a wait for a bathroom stall! That is miraculous! Plus, the bathrooms were clean and well-stocked with paper products and soap. There was an attendant in every bathroom. Wil said the mens' rooms were just the same.

We had lunch at a BBQ restaurant and I got sticker shock. I know food is more expensive in theme parks. They have a monopoly, of course. I just didn't expect to spend over $50 for the two of us to eat a simple meal. Later, we had burgers for dinner and the cost was about the same. With lunch and dinner there, plus beverages and cinnamon bread, we spent about $150 on food and drink for the two of us on our one day there.

If you are going to spend the whole day there, I highly recommend biting the bullet and buying a souvenir cup. You can refill it for free for the day at any of the plentiful drink stations at any food venue. If you do not opt for the plastic souvenir cup, the 16 oz drinks in paper cups are $3.59 and that is the only size available. Of course, they are refillable, but the paper cups are not durable. Just a note, the souvenir cups come with attached straws, but the regular drinks only have paper straws and some dining venues do not even have those.

After lunch, we enjoyed the shopping in Craftsman's Valley. There are many craftsmen, including candle making, soap making, blacksmith metalworking, etc. There is also a Christmas shop. If you are looking for Dollywood souvenirs, the Emporium just inside the main entrance has the best selection. Also, the only way to exit the park is through the Emporium.

We visited the bald eagle aviary. They have quite a collection of non-releasable birds of prey. These are birds that have been injured or for some reason cannot survive in the wild. Many of the eagles are on display in a large outdoor aviary. We also watched the Birds of Prey show in the Wings of America Theater. 

We are not big on thrill rides. They are primarily located in Wilderness Pass, Wildwood Grove, and Timber Canyon. We did visit Wildwood Grove in the evening, because that is the only place to view the summer drone show. The drone show was amazing, definitely not to be missed!

If you do like thrill rides, they are plentiful. There are several big roller coasters and a drop ride. Some of the roller coasters are fast, some twist and turn you upside down, some are extremely tall. There is a water raft ride that doesn't look exactly thrilling, but it will get you very wet, which might not be a bad thing on a hot day.

Several people told us to get some cinnamon bread. It is only available at two places in the park. One place is the Grist Mill in Craftsman's Valley. The other place is the bakery right inside the entrance. We bought a loaf (smallish for a loaf and $12.99) and devoured it in the afternoon while back at our trailer. We had to buy another one in the evening to eat the next day. That stuff is incredibly delicious!

After a few hours in the park, we were hot and tired. We took the tram back to our truck and returned to our trailer for a siesta and to cool off. We returned to the park about 6:00 pm. We waited for an hour for the train ride. I'm glad we did it, but overall, I didn't think the ride was worth the hour wait. 

After that, we went to Jukebox Junction (1950's themed), so Wil could drive one of the classic miniature cars. We also had burgers at a 50's diner there. We bought our second loaf of cinnamon break at the bakery and they had shopping bags, which made it easier to carry. From there, we took the long hike to Wildwood Grove and waited for the fireworks and drone show.

Wildwood Grove is not meant for old folks like us. It was noisy and crowded. There was a big dance party that preceded the fireworks and was definitely geared for kids. Fortunately, there were plenty of places to sit. There are low brick/stone walls with flat tops along the paths which are perfect for sitting.

The fireworks and drone show was advertised as a summer event. I hope they continue it through other seasons. The fireworks were spectacular, as they usually are. The drone show was jaw dropping! It takes hundreds of drones and precision programming to pull off a show like this one. I have videoed the whole 9+ minute show and you can watch it on my Facebook page.

We, and everyone else in the park, left after the fireworks/drone show. In spite of the mass exodus, we had a short walk to our truck (now in lot B) and traffic didn't back up until we reached the highway. We were back in our trailer about 30 minutes from the time we exited the park, including the walk to the truck.

Overall, Wil and I give Dollywood a high rating. We have decided we will return, but probably in a cooler season. I suspect it would be less crowded in other seasons and we'd have more stamina if it weren't so hot. I think Wil would return just to get more cinnamon bread!

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.