Home Again Jiggidy Jig

Theresa arrived in Virgina Saturday. I was still hurting and Doctor Davis wanted to see me again so we decided to stay in Virginia and have a nice visit. Besides, my sister is a great cook and Ronnie, my brother-in-law, keeps an assortment of candy in his country store/garage that I frequently raided during my short walks. Their home in Virginia is about as close to an old Southern plantation as you can get. They have about 30 acres with about half pasture for their horses and some wooded acreage that Ronnie clears during his spare time. The two story colonial house is set back from the road on about three cleared acres with plenty of mature trees to provide shade in the summer. The weather while we were there was perfect about 70 to 75 degrees during the day and cool at night. So during the day I could sit comfortably on the patio and listen to Ronnie's favorite blues station and drift away in a hydrocodon induced haze. On Tuesday I had another visit with Dr. Davis who just happens to be my niece Fran's father-in-law. He is without doubt the best doctor I have ever had treat me. If I lived anywhere near Radford, Virginia, Russel Davis would most definitely be my doctor. Fran is his office manager and with her and the excellent nursing staff he has I got the best care an unfortunate cyclist could ask for. Dr Davis didn't see any reason I couldn't make the trip home so Theresa, Ronnie and Sandra packed my gear and we departed Wednesday. The eleven hour drive to Gainsville was tedious and a little painful but I was amazed at far you could go in just an hour. For the last two and a half months it took me all day to get to the next town much less the next state. Anyway we stopped every two hours or so and I would go for a short walk and stretch my legs and change positions. The drugs dull most of the pain but I still feel the bones rub against each other when I move and that's a little disconcerting. Coughing presents intense pain in spite of the drugs, so I use my best manners when I eat and drink. We stopped in Gainsville and spent the night with Eve. We called her before we left Virginia and warned her that we were coming and she said she would fix supper for us. Knowing Eve I was not too surprised when we sat down to eat and she had prepared......spare ribs. Theresa and I got on the road Thursday around 1 o'clock and arrived back on the island around six. Today I checked in with my local doctor and got a new prescription of vicoprofen. My blood test had revealed slightly elevated liver enzymes and the new drug should bring them back into normal range. Broken ribs are like fingers and toes, not much you can do for them except manage the pain and don't sneeze. This week I am going to lay low, rest and stay close to home. The last thing I want is to get sneezed on and catch a cold. I want to get back on the bike as quickly as possible....the journey awaits.
http://www.amnews.com/public_html/?module=displaystory&story_id=51525&format=html