One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

I’m beginning to think our South Carolina “home” is turning into our real home.  We’ve been here since 1 December of last year and looks like we’re going to be here much longer.

We had hoped to have all the medical appointments behind us by now, but “Semper Gumby” (Always Flexible) has turned into high gear.

On the positive side, Marti’s cataract surgery has been successful.  She has a follow up check on 9 April.  I have not received a surgery date yet for my cataract from the Veterans Administration (VA) hospital, I have to go in for a pre-surgery consultation on 22 April, then after that they will schedule the surgery date.  As to that date, I have no control or input as to when it will happen, but they will require weekly post surgery follow up checks for the month after.

My mad dash home on a plane from PA for the unexpected VA appointments for my disability claim has been a disappointment.  My eye exam last Saturday went fine, but yesterday (Friday), there was only an exam for one of my several service connected injuries and the doctor wants further tests done on that issue.  When are the tests going to be scheduled?  Who knows?  So we don’t dare go anywhere too far as the appointment can pop up at any time.

I must point out, though, in all fairness, the care I have received at the VA by the medical staff has been nothing short of excellent, and I’m very pleased with it.  As for the administrative end, that is where there is a huge disconnect.  The VA hospital here in Colombia, SC is the busiest in the whole U.S., so they are overloaded and trying to do the best they can to handle the load.  I just wish I had some  input on the appointment dates. 

All that being said, we’re not going to let the Journey’s “roots” grow any deeper.  In a case of deja vous all over again, we’re going to take some short, several day long trips, in between appointments, and not further than we can drive in a day or two, sort of like before we went full time.  Of course with my PDD (Paul Dahl Disorder – driving extreme distances in a day) that could open up half the country… ;c)

First on the agenda is a service appointment on 1 April with Cummins Coach Care in nearby Colombia, SC.  I scheduled this appointment for the Journey to have its oil and filter changes as well as required maintenance done on the Onan 8KW generator several months ago, planning it for  our departure from SC for our summer travels.  Now it’s going to be just a day or two getting the work done, then back to our campground until after Marti’s eye appointment follow up. 

Then we have a twelve day window (knock wood) before my appointment that we may actually be able to go somewhere, right now we have Jacksonville, FL and places in between in our sights.

Since the Journey has been sitting dormant since December, I wanted to check things out so we have no problem making our Monday service appointment.  Since it has been pretty cold at night the last several nights, I flipped on the engine block heater. 

Of course, this morning it was in the high fifties when we got up.  No big deal.  When I turned the key, the CAT started right up, I let it warm up a bit and ensured all the air brake pressures came up to normal.  The engine purred like the big kitten it is.  I shut it down and crossed that item off the list.

With all the high winds we’ve been having as well as the tree’s buds starting to pop open, I climbed up on the roof to sweep all the twigs and bud husks off the roof and the slide awnings.  I don’t want to roll up the awnings with all that debris in them.  Good thing I did because the roof was filthy.

I swept off the roof and it looked somewhat better, but the awnings still needed cleaning.

I scrubbed them off with some general purpose cleaner.

Once they were all clean, I treated them with some water proofing spray (Thanks Karen and Al). 

Now the awnings are clean and protected.  :c)

I wish the campground allowed you to wash your RV.  So many, including this one, don’t.  So maybe I will run the Journey through a nearby truck wash when we are out for the service appointment.  It needs a bath badly.

One thing I’ve done to improve storage space on the Journey was remove the bottom, detachable portion of my ladder from its basement stowage position and hang it on the fixed upper half of the ladder, securing it with bungee cords.

This keeps the ladder handy right where I need it and gives me additional space in my basement compartment.  You just can’t have too much storage space!  ;c)

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