I want to make a diamond avocados are too tight joke but I actually don’t care for avocados so that would not affect me at all. I gather others feel differently.

I am still sat at the cabin, waiting for the keys that were supposed to be here by noon. Which would be fine except that the dog has a vet appointment at 4:30 and I have a fancy dinner tonight. The vet appointment is nearly an impossibility at this point. The fancy dinner TBD.

Just to bring this post full circle:. It is a hot new Oaxacan restaurant and I imagine dinner will actually feature plenty of avocado. So my sister, one of those oddball avocado lovers, may be the ultimate winner in all of this. The dinner is already paid for so somebody should go.

So 99.9% of the trip went by with no major health hiccups. I discovered that my legs get progressively weaker over a long day and/or a long drive - which led to the discovery that the steps in a pool or hot tub are TOO DAMN TALL when my legs are tired. And also that my sciatic issues in my right leg get very dramatic on a long drive, especially when exacerbated by being very tired. But all pretty manageable. Then, literally on my own front porch, I tried to get my big bag into the house (it has wheels, seemed perfectly doable!) and managed to trip on my step, get tangled in the bag, and sort of fall over sideways, partly onto the front walk and partly into a cyprus bush. After a moment to catch my breath and collect myself, I was able (with the help of my friend) to get to a seated position, then kneeling position. But I Just Couldn't Get to My Feet. Even holding onto the handle of the screen door and with my friend supporting on the other side, I just couldn't get my legs to support me enough to stand. Thankfully a couple of neighbors happened by walking their dog and offered to help - one of them was able to just get his arms under my armpits and lift me up. Once I was on my feet I was OK, I just couldn't get there on my own. It was so frustrating and humiliating. And my poor friend was on the verge of a (literal) panic attack because she couldn't help me enough. As if the cancer wasn't enough, the chemo destroying my strength and balance like this is really NOT OK. My pre-diagnosis body was far from perfect, but pretty good, comparatively. I really didn't know how good I had it.

Anyway, I'm OK now. Sore, as you might imagine. A small scrape on my elbow and a pretty good bruise down my back where I landed on the edge of the front step. And the bruised ego, of course. My friend kept saying, "You have to remember to ask for help!" And I kept replying that "I didn't want help! I wanted to do this one thing on my own!"

I was really hoping to avoid turning into my mother (in her 70s) physically. I really didn't want to turn into her at 54.

I haven't decided whether I'll post this on FB. There are people who would want the info, but too many who would worry too much, especially those too far away geographically who would just feel bad because they're not close enough to help. But I wanted to get it out and I know I can trust you guys to be sympathetic and supportive - and not to make me feel bad for making you feel bad.

Hope your keys show up ASAP, brenda, and you get to enjoy the dinner. Oaxacan (pronounced Wa-hock-an, for those of you not in the know) is delish, I'm glad either you or H will get to enjoy it, but hope you don't have to miss out.

Oh, Epic! It's so hard when you've taxed your body beyond its parameters and you didn't know it because somebody moved the parameters.

Everybody's tired at the end of the trip but you can usually heft your suitcase into your house without going ass over teakettle into a Cyprus bush.

I'm glad you weren't alone, and I'm glad it was more indignity than injury.

But that's a suck way to finish off a lovely trip!

But I Just Couldn't Get to My Feet.

Oh, you must be so frustrated. I'm sorry the body is so dang uncooperative.

Def hoping Brenda’s keys have gotten there already and she is on the way!!

Epic that sucks a lot! I’m so sorry. I’m glad you didn’t hurt yourself further though—I was afraid that story was going to end with “and so I broke a bone”!

Oh, Epic, that sucks -- I'm sorry you had to deal with all of that. I'm glad your neighbors were able to help. Be kind to yourself as you heal up.

Hope the keys get there in time to make dinner, Brenda!

Quiet and hot day here. Yep. That's all I've got.

I hope you get better quickly, msbelle.

I was afraid that story was going to end with “and so I broke a bone”!

You're right - silver lining! Other than a tiny aforementioned break to the skin of my elbow, still fully intact! (Or at least as intact as I was at the start of the trip!)

Oh Epic I'm glad you are ok but that sounds so frustrating.

Endoscopy is over. The Dr took some biopsies and said he thinks I have silent reflux and if he mentioned anything else I don't remember and M doesn't. If I have to do any other procedure where I have to go under anesthesia I'm going to ask if I can record what they tell me after because M gets focused on me and he gets anxious so he just doesn't remember. I think the Dr mentioned Barrett's esophagus but I'm not sure. It will take a week to get the results. In the mean time he prescribed a different type of antacid than I was taking before . And I have a follow appointment in a month

That's so frustrating, Epic.