Alaska or Bust!

June 19, 2010

Tomorrow morning, Sunday, June 20, at 7:00 a.m., Rand, Thuan, his wife Tina and their eleven-year-old daughter Cindy and I, leave for the airport to fly to Seattle and start our cruise to Alaska. Sometimes I thought this day would never arrive – other days I hoped it wouldn’t! I have learned so much about Rand, traveling with a handicapped person, rules, regs, potholes in the system, stumbling blocks of all kinds and companies that actually know what they are doing. This trip has been planned and executed much like a military invasion! Rand, Thuan and I have taken two “dry run” trips to Reno for the purpose of finding out how the systems work, how to prepare for all phases of a trip with Rand, including hotel rooms, restrooms, airline procedures and seating, security screening, arranging for shuttles with hydraulic lifts, loaner electric wheelchairs, restaurant table placement, and on and on and on. Through it all, Rand has been a trooper and kept a positive attitude, not always true of “The Wife!” Some areas operate like a well-oiled machine such as the airlines. Other areas are chaotic and just plain unsafe – like shuttle buses with drivers who have never used a handicapped vehicle before.

I was amazed that it took one hour to get Rand through the airport security check the first time. Thuan and I got it down to 30 minutes by the last time through when we planned out a system. We have to remove Rand's usual items: shoes, belt, watch, etc, and then we have to take off all of his braces and send them. along with his cane, through the scanning device. He then is rolled into the security area; he is wanded and then patted down. After that his wheelchair is gone over with a fine-toothed comb, as is his cane. Thuan and I then go through security and get ourselves back together and wait for Rand on the other side where we “reassemble” him and his equipment. We think that 30 minutes is good time and are proud of all three of us for cutting so much time off the process.

Earlier this week I brought one large (30 inch) suitcase and one small one to Rand’s room so Ariel and Thuan could pack the things on my list for him. Yesterday I got a call saying that the small suitcase was waaaaayyyyy too small! So I took another large one over to his house and they filled it to the brim. YIKES! I also took a luggage scale along so we can keep the weights under 50 pounds. It isn’t that Rand is going to be a fashion plate on this trip it is just that he is high maintenance and requires a lot of supplies. I don’t plan on having any of the closet or drawer space in our stateroom!

Speaking of that, our stateroom is handicap accessible and has a veranda. Thuan and his family are right across the hall from us. Unfortunately, the weather prediction is for cool weather and lots of rain all along the Alaska coastline next week. I hope we have some sun – I’m packing a bathing suit just in case. Rand is taking my Antarctica parka as he is always so cold. I knit all of us hats to wear and we will be a sight to behold!

I finally solved the dilemma of how to transport Rand’s electric wheelchair to and from the ship. You wouldn’t believe all the different ways there are to do that and you sure wouldn’t believe the costs involved! I finally found a company in Seattle that rents electric wheelchairs and bed rails to passengers on cruise lines. What a relief!! Both of those items will be waiting for us in our stateroom tomorrow – knock on wood.

Since the last blog posting, Rand has had an artery scan and there is no change in the plaque build up since his stroke. His blood clotting rate is normal and not fluctuating like it has in the past. WHOOPIE!  He still has a blood draw every month to check on it. He continues to have physical therapy every three weeks and Thuan works with him five days a week. He can walk considerable distances on smooth surfaces by himself but with someone hovering next to him, just in case. I think his speech is improving a bit, but I’m biased. He will never be able to carry on a conversation but he is adding new words to his vocabulary now and again. I credit his weekly music therapy sessions for improving his confidence, vocabulary and comprehension.  Emily, the therapist is wonderful!  Rand also took golf lessons again this spring and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Is Rand excited about the cruise you ask? Well, that depends. Rand only lives in the moment. He does not remember what happened earlier in the day and can not anticipate the future, so he doesn’t/can’t think about the cruise that is coming up. When I ask him about it, he either smiles and says “yes,” or he looks blank and says “no” because he doesn’t understand what I’m talking about. I’m anxious to see what he remembers, retains, enjoys, etc. about the whole adventure.

A full report will follow with pictures!

Keep Rand close to your hearts.

Love, Connie