Summer Heat Led to A Cool Fall

In June, I traveled to Vegas with Nick for our annual Licensing Show and despite a few mishaps and a constantly swollen left foot, we had a successful business trip with plans for the coming year.  I took an extra week to travel home to CA to spend some quality time with the family before getting back to the grind.

I finally started feeling great in July with all the swelling finally gone and an increased stamina.  I flew out to Lake Tahoe to spend the Independence Day holiday with the brothers and their families.  And, thank goodness I did--New York had record breaking temps of 100 degrees+ that week!  After a relaxing massage, a few novels, and some well deserved time by the pool, I was rested and ready to return to work . . . I also enjoyed seeing Harry Connick, Jr. in concert and South Pacific before it closed on Broadway.

August was truly a roller coaster!  I went back into the hospital on the 3rd to have the 'mad scientist' remove the screw from my heel.  And, while the procedure was quick and painless, the recovery turned out to be a steep uphill climb!  About two weeks later, I started having serious swelling and pain again.  Unfortunately, the surgeon was out of the office through Labor Day on vacation, so I couldn't reach him in person.  I tried my best to limp along, completing a business trip to Toronto and taking a short vacation at the end of the month.  I spent the first few days in Buffalo, NY visiting my old roommate Alaska and her family, including 1 month-old Emma Claire!  It was fun to hold a new baby all weekend.  We also had fun visiting Palmyra, NY, the area where the Mormon church was founded, as well as Niagara Falls (all with ice packs along for the ride!).  I then took a few days to relax in Puerto Rico.  Unfortunately, Hurricane Earl ripped through the island just 48 hours before my arrival!  Unsure of whether or not my hotel was still standing, I took the risk and flew to San Juan anyway!  It rained every day, but I did manage to have a few authentic meals and to finally get some sun on the last day . . .

Returning from Puerto Rico at the beginning of September, I finally couldn't stand the pain any longer!  I visited the hospital to get an MRI of my foot.  Low and behold, I had two stress fractures across my 2nd and 3rd metatarsal!  Keith and Rachael came to visit me just a few days later and I toured them around the city's tourist hotspots with that blasted boot on--believe it or not, I even managed to board the ferry to the Statue of Liberty with that tumorous appendage!  At what was supposed to be my pre-op appointment on September 14, Dr. Weinfeld ordered me to remain in the boot and told me it would take 4-5 weeks for it to heal.  I joked with him that I had developed a co-dependent relationship with that boot and that all I really wanted was to break up with it for good!  With all my family scheduled on flights to arrive for my next surgery at the end of the month, I had to hurry and cancel their trips, telling them we didn't know when we would be able to operate on the right foot.

Taking every opportunity to enjoy this unplanned "walking" version of Fall, I was able to enjoy some fun weekend activities like apple picking, a corn maze, a visit to a local pumpkin patch and a farm in October.  With the foot all healed, I then traveled to Mexico City at the end of the month for a business trip.

By mid-November, I was finally feeling back to "normal" with my new and completely healed foot . . . I stayed in NYC for my first Thanksgiving and Mom came to spend the week with me!  We had so much fun seeing the Rockettes in their holiday spectacular show, West Side Story, and the Macy's parade balloons!  Unfortunately, she lost her wallet during her trip, but after a very panicked morning, we were able to find a solution to the lost ID and money and she made it safely home to CO a few days later.

December crept up so quickly . . . I took the chance to fly home to CA for the first time in 6 months!  It was great to see my nieces and nephews and to see how much they've grown!  One of my good friends Crystal got married on New Year's Eve and we then rang in the evening at Knott's Berry Farm.  The warm CA air was a welcome departure from the single digits we had in NY right before I left!