traveling with chronic illness and allergies, or how to give yourself a panic attack, part 2

We did it. Or more, I made the lists of everything that needed doing and then stayed on top of checking off whether they'd gotten done. And my husband did them all. I helped where spoons allowed: doing laundry, packing the kitchen stuff, the food and electronics and my and my son's clothing. My husband packed everything else, and made sure the house was clean and the chickens were fed before we left. And he tetris packed that car. 

I drove, because winding roads make me carsick, and my son loves it when his Dad rides in the back seat with him. The two of them held the animals on their laps. We had called ahead and requested our room not be cleaned with chemicals, but instead with vinegar and baking soda before we came. It was thankfully only a two hour drive, and it was BEAUTIFUL. I swear, Oregon and Washington are two of the most beautiful places I have ever encountered in my life. I LOVE the Pacific Northwest SO much!

We got to the hotel and went inside and....no harsh smells. I couldn't small the pool! And I can ALWAYS small the pool. It didn't feel overly humid inside either - which hotels with pools tend to do. So far so good!

We had a pet room, which meant other pets had stayed there before, and I could smell the faint smell of dog - but it wasn't bad, and again, no harsh chemical smells other than the sheets, which they promised not to bleach. But those would soon come off. The window opened out to the Columbia River, and the view was lovely - railroad tracks and then water, and the sound of....barking? Sea lions! Incessant barking, but not sharp like dogs....comforting in its consistency somehow, in its constant noise. Background noise. I was going to find out where they were later for sure!

So while this hotel isn't *perfect* (we are in a pet room which has previously had other pets here and my eyes were kind of burning the first day and night), it is as close to perfect as a hotel could be for our price point. No chemical smells, no over the top reactions, soundproofish rooms, HUGE suites - we have a kitchenette area, two beds, a sofa and extra tables - this hotel is BRILLIANT. There is space for the litterbox, the dog crate, all our food, our kitchen stuff if we're frugal about the space, and all the toys, electronics and clothes. 

And. Frenzie's eyes have been watering nonstop since we moved into our house (carpet, gas oven/stove).....by afternoon of the first day being here they were completely cleared up. And no more sneezing - she has been sneezing constantly for as long as here eyes have been watering. So I bet my house IS part of what is making me sick, not JUST the regular Portland mold and moisture.  I knew it was an issue, because Frenzie's eyes have never watered like that anywhere we have lived, plus she is sneezing ALL the time...she is our canary.  

Also, how amazing is this?

My friend M gifted me her scooter while I need it, and it was at S's house. Since she wasn't coming to the conference because of chronic lyme, she suggested I ask C 

9other mutual friend coming to conference and basically running it in S's place) to bring it, WHICH SHE DID - AMAZING. S's eldest helped get it into the van, because they have brute strength apparently!

So my husband and C unloaded it, but no cord for recharging...but the website it came from was listed on the scooter. So I called their after hours number, and they didn't have one, but gave me the # of another health supply place here in Astoria. It was/is RIGHT up the street from the hotel.

The after hours tech met my husband at the store, and gave him a cord we could borrow while we are here! How amazing is that?!? It's a $120 cord and he's just like, "Here, I trust you, go ahead and take it for the weekend."

Of course we will bring it back! But what kind of alternate Universe have we entered here? What an amazing gift, all of these people doing all of these amazing things so I will have more mobility. And needed, because there are sea lions on the docks, just happily barking away, day and night, and clearly they WANT us all to visit them and bask in their fearsome glory.