Southwest X 3

I finally have some order coming from the boxes...and my goal is to be mostly finished in under three weeks.  Squabbles over who's in which room have been settled, but I'm thinking 'Jack and Jill' bathrooms aren't as ideal as I was hoping for.  One too many pranksters in this lot for a calm ablution routine.  And with Nathan moaning and boobing from the sofa, May won't get here fast enough.  Prescription-strength Naproxsyn is worthless. I'm no doctor, but sedation medication can't be a bad thing if only used occasionally, right?  I just nod my head at him and say "I know..." and move on to the next task. 

I had an early morning call from the Mayo Clinic to sort out our medication and travel details for the return home.  Long flights and lots of sitting aren't good for circulation, so Nathan's going to have some Fragmin treatments as well.  I know ALL about those subcutaneous missiles in the arms or stomach. I just got to get him safely home so that his dad can take care of that part of his recovery...because I don't have the best aim when my eyes are closed.

Now that the house ordeal is settled, we've had a bit more time to plan for this big event for Nathan.  Every time there's upheaval going on, Jeff is on graveyard.  Guess what?  Four more weeks of it to go.  I've been wondering how to pull everything together without help...and I reached the conclusion that 5 airport check-ins, 1 big whiny kid in a wheelchair, hauling carry-ons and luggage here and there, with uncertain accommodations in Rochester, plus the task of getting a rental car picked up and returned with a 195lb weight attached to me, not to mention potty-breaks and food stops...I can't do it by myself. 

I had to call Southwest today to make sure that we were lined up to medical assistance and help from check-in to boarding.  They nicely informed me that Minneapolis doesn't have curbside check-in.  Hmm.  That's a problem.  Where do you park an 11 year-old in a wheel-chair that's heavily medicated while taking care of rental cars and luggage?  Eeks.  So after talking it over with Jeff...and what to do with work, school, kids, and expenses...we've decided that I needed a pack mule to go along.  He'd like to go, but we have the quandary of what to do with four other kids and their needs.  So, after talking logistics and reasonable scenarios, we decided our pack mule is going to be....Cameron!  He's beyond excited to get to go to St Louis and Minnesota. Good thing we are pre-boarding and guaranteed the front 3 seats together...or I'm sure that some unsuspecting traveler would get their ears talked off by Nathan's overzealous twin.

We called his Great-Grandma and Aunt Gale to make sure that it was OK that we added another person to their grand schemes for our visit.  They are thrilled!  Four and a half days is probably not long enough to see everything St Louis has to offer...but it should be quite a trip for two very excited boys.  I'm sure that Cameron will be my traveling salvation as we go from Spokane, to Las Vegas, to St Louis, to Minneapolis, to Denver, and back to Spokane in 10 days!

And YEAH for Southwest Airlines for accommodating our needs so well. My only regret was that we couldn't figure out the medical transportation grants that are being offered through SWA...but we couldn't wait for uninformed employees to get back to us.  The Mayo is hopping fast and medical social workers are not.   Hopefully this will be the only time that we fly for medical assistance.