Gout & Cross Country Adventures
Within a months time span, slaDE and I have been blessed twice with the company of my Father w/hen he made a cross-country truck trip from home — Ontario. On Dad’s first visit, I was very tempted to travel back home with him. I’m feeling a bit homesick and weary of the Calgary winter, longing for a much-needed vacation. Florida was our last spontaneous trek of any length, and prior to that, our Level 3 Yoga teacher training in Abbotsford. Before that a blur of travel and momentous occasions (i.e. our wedding, Nelson yoga retreat, Lost Prairie, etc). Experiencing a whirlwind summer and then living through a quiet snowy haze has left me wanting and longing for more. I dream and yearn for the day when we can set foot in our Airstream and travel at our whims delight! Never in my life have I ever been so busy with such a full-on schedule. Adjusting to a full-time job after contracting for 7 luxurious years was quite difficult and extremely challenging. but 2 years into it, I’m enjoying my life and the community of friends and yoga I’ve built at work. But holy smokes, teaching 4-6 classes on top of full-on employment has left me feeling rather drained and looking for a retreat of any kind. And that opportunity came when Dad ran solo this trip out to Calgary. Spontaneous travel is my forte, so I decided that now was an opportune time to head back home on a quick visit. It’s been ages since I’ve run a long trip with my Father. Unfortunately slaDE~ has less freedom in taking a vacation, so this trip is a solo journey for me, for uS. However, I am truly happy to spend this quality time with Dad. Little did I know how eventful and meaningful it would be!
When Dad arrived in Calgary Sunday morning, he was suffering immensely with a swollen inflamed ankle and a gout-riddled right foot (of course that would happen to be the foot he has to use the most when driving — poor Dad; driving an 18 wheeler and suffering such pain is not a pleasant or meaningful way to live through one’s days). In the afternoon, we spent some quality educational time with my herbologist friend Ray, who provided a consult with my Dad on trying to help cure his gout naturally. Although we intrinsically believe in healing without the use of pharmaceutical drugs, when immediate relief is needed and a short-term solution has to be guaranteed, sometimes medicine is the only way to go, unfortunately. An eventful evening was spent dodging between hospitals for the quickest possible way to see a Doctor for my Dad’s serious gout inflammation. With the hospitals behind us, we dropped Dad off at his truck and went home to spend a lovely evening together before my journey adventures.
I was up until about 3am packing, cooking and tidying up. The night before any big trip is usually rather hectic. Although I’m not a big time procrastinator, I find that things on my to-do list scramble for individual attention, like needy children yelling “me first, me first!”. And being a good ‘mother’, I have a hard time favoring one task over another. Hence prioritizing objects is not my strength nor forte. Especially knowing that I’d be getting up in 2.5 hours. BlaH!
Sleeping solidly and soundly (but never enough with only 2+ hrs to my name), the alarm clock bolted me out of bed so that I could get slaDE off to his work for 6am, shuttling the car to my workplace, only to arrive 2 hours early. Double blaH! Luckily I had things to do, ‘gripping’ enough to keep me wakeful through the morning.