Check out Michelle’s incredible dip! It’s so good. You need to make it and invite me over.

Here’s the rest of the San Antonio story.

David is not in remission. The Humira does seem to be keeping him more stable. Lately when the weather changes he hasn’t been flaring. So, he’s still in a lot of pain, but we are seeing improvement.

When my in-laws arrived at the hotel where we were staying, the front desk gave them keys to a room that was already in use. Picture it: you walk in, open the closet to put your things away, and there’s already clothes hanging up. You walk around, and the bed is messed up. I’m just glad the other people weren’t in the room.

It was a huge mistake on the hotel’s part, and after they apologized profusely, they gave the whole family free breakfast in the hotel restaurant every day we were there. The food was excellent, and you can’t beat free!

Thanksgiving Day we had turkey with the family at a restaurant. It was really good, and of course it was nice not having to clean up afterwards. Then we spent the afternoon playing Loaded Questions and watching the football game.

Friday David and I went with one of his sisters and her husband to Gruene, Texas. Settled in the 1840′s by German immigrants, it’s home to the oldest dance hall in Texas (and no, David wasn’t up to dancing), antique stores, and The Gristmill. The Gristmill is a restaurant overlooking the Guadalupe River and was originally a cotton gin.

Now I take my desserts very seriously, so when I say this, please understand, it’s kind of a big deal. The Gristmill has the best pecan pie I have ever put in my mouth.

We did a lot on Friday. David did better than I had anticipated. He was able to walk around in most of the stores. He even looked at antique comic books and hand carved walking sticks, although he couldn’t find any tall enough for his 6′ 4″ body. One of the little shops there is called Creative Treasures. They have candles in “Fried Green Tomato” fragrance. They smell great. Not like french fries or tomatoes if you ask me.

That night we saw a parade on the River Walk. They have floats, but instead of being on vehicles, they’re on boats. We were so excited that we got front row tickets. Then we learned that there is such a thing as too close.

No guard rail. No getting up to go to the bathroom, and you’d better be nice to the people behind you. That water is cold! David’s size 13 feet were hanging over the edge. The chairs were really uncomfortable for him. The parade was about an hour long. Poor David.

Traveling with chronic pain, chronic illness or a disability is rough. Even if you pre-board. Next time we travel, I will not be a submissive wife. I will buy a wheel chair whether David likes it or not. A word of advice, big cities and big hotels are more accommodating of disabilities than small towns, old stores, etc. On another trip I booked a wheel chair accessible room for us. It turned out to be a big mistake because there was no tub for David to soak in. Maybe this will help other people with chronic illnesses or disabilities when they’re traveling.

Hope you had a great Thanksgiving! Do you have any tips for traveling with chronic pain or a disability?

P.S. Do not do this.

Do not ever decorate the rim of a plate. It is culinary blasphemy. My professors would have flunked me if I presented a plate with garnish on the rim. I have no idea why restaurants do this. Your waiter touches the rim of the plate. Please do not do this.

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• He’s Disabled!
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This Thanksgiving we took a family vacation with David’s side of the family to San Antonio. While we were waiting for our departing flight at Love Field, we had dinner at Chili’s. We met a lovely couple who had just arrived in Dallas from San Antonio. They were going to meet their daughter’s finance’s family. If you are reading this, lovely couple, I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

They convinced David to let me find an airport wheelchair to push him in so that he wouldn’t have to walk so much. Thank you, lovely couple. I think we entertained angels unaware.

Getting through airport security took far less time with David in a wheelchair. Everyone was very nice and helpful. We thought you had to register for pre-boarding when you purchased your plane tickets, but as we stood in line to board the plane, passengers kept telling us to go to the front of the line. The Southwest Airlines ticket man pushed David to the plane entrance, where a flight attendant said,

“You should have pre-boarded.”

David was standing with his cane at this point. Have you ever flown Southwest? There are no assigned seats. It’s just first come, first serve. The plane was nearly full.

“Folks,” the flight attendant yelled, “This man is disabled! I need some of you up front to move so that he and his wife can sit together!”

“Oh, it’s okay. We don’t have to sit together,” David and I said, quietly.

“No, no. It’s okay! People are moving for you!” she boomed.

I know she was being helpful, but it was kind of embarrassing. Several people moved, so David and I were able to sit together on the second row. Then, of course, everyone wanted to know what was wrong with David.

“Did you break something?”

“Were you in a car accident?”

David and I considered telling everyone that he was dying of cancer, and that he was going to San Antonio to have Thanksgiving dinner with his mother one last time before the end, but we didn’t. We just said the truth. He has arthritis.

“What are they doing for that?”

“Do you have any fillings in your teeth? The arthritis could be from lead fillings!”

No, it’s genetic. His grandfather got arthritis at a young age. They’re trying several medications, he gets massage therapy, he swims twice a week, he sees a chiropractor, he’s right handed and he eats his vegetables. I don’t know what his sign is. Sorry. I don’t do horoscopes.

It really was kind of funny. So funny in fact, that it became the family joke on our trip.

“They’d better give us a good table at this restaurant, because David’s disabled!”

“Move out of the way people! Clear the sidewalk! This man is disabled, and his wife wants to look at antiques!”

“That lady at Wal-Mart asked to see my receipt because David’s disabled!”

This picture was taken while we were waiting for our return flight. (The salsa at Las Palapas in the San Antonio airport tastes like canned tomato puree with a little cilantro thrown in. Yuck!) David is sitting in one of the airline’s wheelchairs. It has a tall red pole that sticks up in the air announcing to the world, “He’s disabled!”

More about our trip next post.

Love,

A Young Wife

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