Bulldog Canyon.

While Kay was having her eye surgery, we were in the Phoenix area where we stayed in an RV Park in Buckeye, Arizona. We got to visit with my great nephew, Derek Wallace, and his wife, Rebekah, who live in Buckeye. 

Derek and Rebekah Wallace

We also got to visit with my brother Roy and Sue again at Christmastime. Some of their children and grandchildren also joined us for Christmas dinner. Such fun! So much fun that I forgot to take pictures. I did get a picture of Roy and Sue when they took us to the biker bar for lunch.

Russ, Kay, Carol Sue and Roy Wallace

Biker Bar

Our fourth week in the Phoenix area was spent in Bulldog Canyon National Forest Service Off Highway Vehicle Area. We needed a permit to camp which we got at the ranger station in Mesa for no cost. The area is gated and we received the combination to the lock when we got our permit.

Our trailer camped in Bulldog Canyon OHV Area, Tonto National Forest. 

 My boss, aka, Queen of Camping, suggested I rake the stones before putting out the rug and chairs.

I thought I was retired. Apparently not. I got an Attaboy for this.

 The view from our free campsite

 Jake, checking out his boundaries

Another view from our campsite

Jake loved going for walks. The view overlooking Bulldog Canyon.

 This is what we see on our walks.

 More of what we see on our walks. I love the desert. Why do they call this the Tonto Forest?

Our site as the sun sets. 

Did I mention that I love, LOVE, the desert Southwest?  Oh, and boondocking? 

Goodnight sun.

Can you see the wild horse trail? Jake is standing on it. It is about 18" wide. This is right next to our site!

This picture is taken from our site. Wild horses came through almost everyday and sometimes two or three times a day. Jake always let us know when they arrived.

 Then there were more sunsets!

Did I mention that I love the desert Southwest? Oh, more than once.

Finally, Kay got a good report from the eye doctor and we were free to move about the country. Off we went to Yuma and Yuma Lakes, RV Resort. We caught up with Bob and Cindy Rooley and made plans to go to Mexico together. 

We also connected with Linda and John Wilde who now winter in Yuma.

Kay, Linda, Russ, and John Wilde at Juliana's Patio Cafe.

 We were sitting in the outside courtyard. Jake was with us. He did not like the peacock getting close to us. He barked, warning it to stay away. I had to put him back into the truck.

 Mr. Peacock was right next to our table!

We love the parrots at Juliana's Patio Cafe. 

My favorite place to eat in Yuma. The food is good, too!

Our campsite at Mittry Lake.  We had to spend a week out of the system before going to Mexico. We had neighbors for one night. 

What's not to like about being right on the lake at sunset? 

Lining up to go to Mexico. Six of us joined this caravan. We are third in line.

More adventures to come. We are enjoying Mexico. I hope you signed up to follow by email so that you don't miss my next update. Leave us a message of encouragement. I love writing the blog. Are you enjoying following us?

Health Issues on the Road

Many of our friends have asked us about how we handle health care on the road. Kay has kept her primary health care in Boston and I am using the VA in Manchester, NH.

On our first trip last year, we both contracted Valley Fever while in Arizona. We were a long way from our health care providers. A virus should have run its course after 10 days. Since we were both experiencing flu like symptoms for over two weeks and not starting to feel better, we found a walk-in clinic and received excellent treatment. After another two weeks and an antibiotic, we finally started feeling better. The rest of our trip was uneventful.

When we returned home, I got my thyroid checked, and there was no significant change in the spot that was being watched. However, a routine mammogram turned up a growth in Kay's breast. It was biopsied and found to be malignant. Kay had the growth removed and because it was caught early enough, she needed neither radiation nor chemotherapy. We were both glad to be home for this one!

Everything was fine as we started out on our second trip across the country to the Desert Southwest. Although I had my eyes examined at the VA and got new glasses before we left, Kay decided to wait until we could go to Mexico and have her eyes examined and buy the glasses there (much less expensive as she has no insurance for this). But, during the first two weeks of our trip, Kay realized that she needed more than just new glasses. Kay began to notice that lines that should have been straight were wavy or distorted. She also noticed that when she looked at the diamond shaped yellow caution road signs, the sign would sometimes disappear and just a pole was there with nothing on top of it.

As we traveled towards Colorado Springs, Kay began researching ophthalmologists. She found one with good reviews and called and made an appointment. The ophthalmologist told her that she had a hole in the macula and referred her to a retina specialist. The retina specialist said that she needed treatment within the next three months. If she did nothing, in all likelihood she would become blind in that eye. This surgeon recommended that the two existing cataracts be removed before the repair of the macular hole. That would have meant a delay of 10 weeks in our departure from Colorado. Due to the weather, we were not staying in Colorado long enough to get the necessary surgeries done there.

The retina specialist in Colorado Springs referred Kay to a retina specialist in Phoenix. The new eye doctor said that he did not need to remove the cataracts before he repaired the macular hole in her eye. The surgery involved removing some torn layers of tissue in the eye and removing the vitreous fluid in the eye. Then, a gas bubble was used to replace the fluid. After the surgery, Kay had to keep a face-down position for four days and nights. That position causes the gas bubble to apply pressure against the hole, forcing it to close.

Because Kay had a gas bubble in her eye, she was not allowed to significantly change altitude. We stayed in a campground near Phoenix for three weeks.

The surgery was a success. The hole is repaired. Kay is still experiencing some of the same symptoms (although to a lesser degree), but has been told that the eye will continue to heal over the next six months. The gas bubble is gone and Kay has been cleared to move about the country!

We have learned that we do not need to let fear of health issues stop us from traveling. Plan to take care of health issues when you are home; be prepared to take care of health issues as you travel. It can be done!