2010 Travel Report 5
Balloons & Eye Trouble
Our last report ended in early September after we had returned from our summer travels. We spent September catching up on chores, and then hit the road again to check out New Mexico State Parks, and to attend the Albuquerque Balloon Fest.
We were at our 4th state park in Eagle Nest, NM when Dinah woke one morning and couldn’t see out of her right eye. The Dr. determined that a blood vessel had burst, but could not determine the cause because the blood obscured the inside of the eye. He suggesting waiting for it to clear and returning for another exam.
The appointment was made, and we moved on to the Albuquerque Balloon Fest, where we parked with hundreds of other RVs around the edges of a field where balloons often landed. On several mornings (We were there for five) there were mass ascensions where the sky was filled with balloons of all descriptions, and some of them landed in our field. We just set chairs out in front of our RV and watched. Allen had fun helping to land and collapse several balloons. Many of the balloons were shaped to resemble other things – animals, people, a lighthouse, a Pepsi can.
From the Festival we went to Cochiti Lake Corps of Engineers Park north of Albuquerque. By this time Dinah had made several visits to the eye Dr and he still could not see into the eye, and she couldn’t see out of the eye. So a procedure was scheduled to remove the blood and check out the eye. We parked in the hospital parking lot Thursday afternoon; the operation took place Friday morning and found a tear in the retina that was repaired with a laser. After a check up on Saturday morning, we headed for home.
We have made the 450 mile round trip to Albuquerque twice since for check ups, and things are going well. Dinah’s vision is still a little blurry in her right eye, but is expected to return to normal over time. In the meanwhile, she is not letting it slow her down.
Allen volunteered with Organizing For America (the old Obama campaign) working to get out the vote, and on election day was a poll watcher at the polling place in Hatch, NM.
In November we celebrated Dinah’s birthday with a restaurant meal. Dinah got the necessary clearances, and made preparations to offer her quilts, quilt kits, and quilt patterns for sale at the Las Cruces downtown Farmer’s Market. She has been setting up her booth there on Saturday mornings, and is slowly reducing her inventory of quilts and kits.
We had a quiet Thanksgiving at home; we hope you had a very happy turkey day, and we send you our wishes for a happy holiday season.
Dinah & Allen Downs
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06/26/2011