OASIS - PART DEUX

Let the healing continue. :)  It's only lemonade.

Sunday was filled with packing and planning for Mexico.  Valerie's mom made several trips over to feed us and Valerie's sister, Michelle, made sure we got a proper battery for the car and a car wash.  (For those of you tuned in for our last Oasis trip - the same dinky battery was still in the car.)  I'm not sure I would have even been able to see out of the windows - the car was SO dirty.  We left at about 6:30 p.m. last night and drove to a hotel just across the border.

This morning we woke up and - after texting Michelle with some last minute tile problems - we headed across the border.  (Michelle and Mom P. are managing the installation of tile in our shower while we are gone.  It's one of the last big projects we need to get done to have a habitable home.  We've had the tile sitting in our garage for months but haven't had it put in - for obvious reasons.)

Even just the drive across the border was tremendously different than the last trip.  When we first came to the Oasis, Valerie was curled up in the passenger seat, in pain, and barely aware of what was going on.  This time, she was alert, helping me read directions, and talking about how out of it she was last time.

Less than 2 hours here and she's up and walking.

We arrived at the Oasis about 15 minutes later and again the differences were startling.  Last time, I parked at the curb and they brought out a wheelchair and gingerly pushed her in.  This time, I parked and she walked in, assisted only with the walker.

We got to our room - 304, right next to our old room, 303.  It's pretty much a reverse copy of the old room - the only difference is that I requested a lazy boy this time and we got one.  Valerie was pretty bed bound last time, but this time, she's already laid in both beds and the lazy boy.

After they did an initial blood draw and we were welcomed by our old friend Dorian, we went for a walk to the beach.  It's about 2 blocks away but we didn't find a very smooth path.  The sidewalks we used were pretty rough and pushing a walker makes you feel every bump and crack.  But Valerie made it to the Arches (I posted a few pictures of those last time) and we sat and had tacos in a small restaurant overlooking the Pacific.  DID I MENTION THE DIFFERENCE IN THIS TRIP?!  :)

We walked back and Valerie took a long, well-deserved nap.  When she woke up a little hungry, I went to get a plate from the dining room.  What they were serving was not very appetizing to her, but luckily we came prepared.  I made her a hummus sandwich and she took all of her supplements that they had already made up for her.

I posted a couple of pictures of the bull ring last time.
Taking them was more fun this time.

She will begin a full day of IVs tomorrow.  She's a little nervous about using the port for the first time.  It's still bandaged up and we haven't even really seen it yet.  She's also very excited at the prospect of just getting stuck once for ALL of her IVs this week.  woo hoo!!

It was nice coming back and being greeted like old friends.  Everyone has been telling Valerie how great she looks and how nice it is to see her again.  So many things are so much better.  It's going to be a good week.