MSversary and other assorted rants....

Hard to believe May is here. So much has been going on that seems there is hardly a spare moment and when there is I don't seem to accomplish much if anything. April brought a trip to Austin and the annual loan conference. It turned out Rush was there that week and with nothing really happening in the evening with the demise of private lending over the past years I decided to see the show. I knew my buddy M was coming and though we wouldn't be able to sit together we could at least travel to and from the show together. I didn't get my ticket till Saturday before the show so imagine my surprise when I found myself just to the side of the stage with a great view.





As expected, it was a great show. Glad I made the decision to get a ticket!

It's always fun being in Austin and seeing friends. Normally these conferences give me a new focus and energy but this year I only felt stressed by it all. All the new regulations and proposed regulations and the overall day-to-day. The timing of the meetings from Tuesday to Thursday was a bit odd too in that I had to go back to the office on Friday. It was late before I got away from Austin and then just outside Sealy my car kinda sputtered and then a light on the dash came on. Here I am driving 70-75 down the road trying to dig out and check the owners manual about the light. Overall the car seemed to be running fine but the light was staying on and I was growing uneasy. I made it home, parked the car and there it sat for the next week.

Bill said he would check it but it would be Friday at the soonest. It worked out that I could take the honey to work and take his truck so I wasn't without wheels. When he got off we made a dash into Sugar Land for a little (used) car shopping. We didn't have a great deal of time since it was after 7p when we arrived. We did what we could, had dinner with the Myers and I took their jeep home to return it the next day.

The plan was to get a used vehicle and that was my focus. Granted I have hoped when the honey got settled job wise we could think about a new vehicle but fate stepped in and moved that deadline. After about and hour at the car lot picking cars Bill decided we needed to go check the local dealership. On a bit of a whim he pulled into the Ford dealership (which if you know him is a big deal-LOL) and found a salesman he's known for years. Within about an hour we were headed to lunch and waiting on a return call to pick up my new vehicle. It was less than 30 minutes when I got the call telling me to be there in about an hour to get my new wheels--a 2013 Ford Escape. So much for used!



And I'm loving the new wheels though it's somewhat bittersweet saying bye to the Taurus. It was a good car..took me over 277,000 miles. Lots of memories, lots of good times. Who knows how much longer she will go and hopefully be loved by another (the honey drove it in to get it sold and he said she ran perfect so who knows).

And now the meaning behind my post title. Five years ago tonight I was in Hermann Hospital awaiting the first of many tests that would lead to my diagnosis the next day (May 9, 2008) of MS. And so, I now refer to May 9, as my MSversary. What a ride it's been the last five years.