We're in Colorado!

Hello, everyone.

Yes, as I've said in the title, we've successfully arrived in Colorado with our lives and stuff intact. I had one big harrowing experience in coming here, though.

We were driving down I25 toward Denver, about a little over 40 minutes from our final destination. Just north of Colorado Springs, I suddenly noticed the trailer swaying back and forth. I was controlling it, but not knowing why it was doing this, I thought maybe it would correct itself or get out of control worse. Then it dawned on me that one of the two tires on each side of the trailer must have blown. I was correct.

My wife, driving the van behind me, was in a panic as she related to me after we safely made it to the side of the road. She started smelling smoke, and started looking for where it was coming from. Then she noticed smoke coming from the trailer. She yelled for our son to call me and tell me to get off the road. About that time, however, is when she saw the tire shred apart and I started fishtailing in the heavy traffic on each side of me. She relates that she was in frantic prayer as well as telling me to get off the road.

About the time I realized what had happened, I looked over in my window to see if I had a way to pull over to the side of the road. Amazingly, I did. Most likely because the tire blew on the right side and and so people were slowing down in fear of me fishtailing into them. So I moved over with success. Upon looking at the damage, since we had one good wheel on that side it could ride on, we decided to slowly make our way down the side of the road until the next exit, about a mile away. We did and parked in front of a 7-11 under construction there. A Starbucks was there to provide a place to recoup as well. Which turned out to be a good thing as we had to wait over 2 hours before roadside assistance came and replaced the tire.

So we arrived a few hours later than expected. Better than spending the night(s) in a hospital. We were truly thankful for all the prayers for our safe travel.

So now we have been here over a week. A lot has happened this past week. I'll just relate the more important things. One, key thing is the YMCA job appears to be a lock at this point. I met with Colleen, the Health and Wellness director at the YMCA, twice last week. The last time was to get some paperwork done. She's submitted the background check to Texas, so we are just waiting for that paperwork to get back before we can proceed, which she said could take as long as six weeks or more. So I wait. Wait for Texas to respond. Once that happens, however, I'll go into HR and fill out their paperwork and then I'm officially hired. According to Colorado state law, I'll be considered a resident once I'm gainfully employed. So that will also become the moment I'll be an official Colorado resident.

Aside from that is doing all the other switch-overers of our address. As well as obtaining new stuff, like I've still got to get my driver's license, register the car, etc. I do have a new bank account, I've changed addresses with Social Security and changed my direct deposit info, since that takes 2 months to switch over.

And money is tight, more than I expected it to be. We have enough to buy some groceries and gas for the truck, but not much more. But we're budgeting closely, working to get enough money through work. Like as of today, I've had one request to get a bid on doing window cleaning. Still waiting to hear where they are located. Hopefully that pans out to be my first CO client. Lenita is still looking for kids to baby sit, and Kalee is still looking for a job so she can eventually pay for our new apartment or other location. It will all come together in God's good time, I'm sure.

At this point, I would like to thank all those who have donated money we would need to move. It was just enough to pay for our trip gas, motel in Amarillo, the trailer, and food along the way. I was hoping we'd be able to save up for our emergency fund from that money, but it was not to be. It will happen as we roll along, however. At any rate, know your money was used well and appreciated very much.

Anyway, if you want to know our new current address and phone number, send me an email at rick@copple.us, or private message me on Facebook if you know me via that route, and I'll give it to you.

As far as my PD is going, great! Still, after all this excitement, no medications are being taken. I even have some functions slowly, ever so slowly, returning. I'm hoping they mostly return back to "normal" whatever that my be. But I'm getting more surefooted and all.

In  a few days, it will have been one year since my DBS surgery. (Sept. 29th). It is like the time before DBS is fading. But that's why I started this blog, to document my disease progression, to determine what has helped and what hasn't, for me. So I can look back and see how far I've come. Hard to believe I am doing so well, even before DBS, than I was toward the end of 2014. Exercise has helped a lot to reverse a lot of symptoms. It also, I believe, prepared me for DBS as well. My balance had improved as well as other issues. Even though since DBS I'm not as sure footed as I used to be, I still have great balance. My last visit with my neurologist she asked me how my balance was doing. I told her overall good, though sometimes I more easily trip over stuff (especially when I'm tired). I then proceeded to show her by lifting one foot off the ground and holding it out in front of me. She told me not many of her clients could do that.

Yes, eventually this disease will overtake me. But at least I feel I have some time left to get things done I want to get done, and to spend some quality time with Lenita and the grandkids. I suppose if Lenita was Bilbo talking to Gandolf, she would say, "Grandkids, Gandolf, grandkids!" (That's a reference to Bilbo responding to Gandolf's query as "Mountains, Gandolf, mountains." in the Lord of the Rings Movie, for those few who didn't watch them.) I feel the same way too. We've come here for the grandchildren, though the mountains are a nice side benefit.

All in all, things are going well. I watched Lenita as she stood on the balcony with the grandchildren earlier today, thinking we've made it possible for her to do what she really wanted to do. She's happy, therefore, I'm happy. God is good.