My 62nd Class Reunion
Independence is very important to everyone, especially those of us with IBM. As muscle strength diminishes and limbs get weak and twisted, the important thing to remember is that others have probably struggled with this same dilemma. My family has decided I need a companion when I travel by air. Luckily, my oldest daughter was available for my high school reunion trip, and she would get to visit her children and grandchildren while there.
We set off early to the airport since using the passenger assist agents to push me in a wheelchair always takes extra time. The flight went well and even though we were a bit late to land, we were able to meet my friends for lunch and have a great visit.
Then we headed out to Port Orchard, where I was born and raised and where I graduated high school. To be honest, it’s been a while since I’ve driven, especially since we bought a Tesla a year ago and driving it is different than any car I’ve ever had. So, I borrowed my friend's hybrid for a couple of weeks before the trip to get in some practice. I’m glad I did - it gave me more confidence with the rental. The only thing was, I didn’t have the hand strength to pump gas into the car. I hadn’t even thought that would be an issue. I’m glad my daughter and friends were with me to help.
The room and view were fantastic, and the waterfront had a walking trail. We decided we needed a walk and dinner, then crashed. I met my brother for breakfast early, which was great, and a bit later in the trip, I visited both of my sisters. I got to see some old friends as well. It was so great to see all of them.
The reunion committee did a great job. They had put pictures and stories all around the room and mementos on tables for viewing. They even had our elementary school pictures from both elementary schools in our town; underneath, they’d written everyone’s name. There were no speeches, no music, no folderol. Impressive. All we did was go around and visit with everyone there. Most were still mobile and pretty much healthy. It's pretty good for our 62nd reunion. Ninety people attended, 50 of whom were classmates.
While I was up there, I also went to the Western Washington Fair with my daughter and granddaughter. The girls went straight for the rides, and while I was sitting it out, I ran into an old friend. How crazy is that?! We toured the rest of the fair, with its farm animals, photography and grange displays, and more. I won’t tell you what the girls ate, but I had a plain hotdog - good ol’ fair food, and I took a scone home for later.
You can see this was a busy trip already, but I haven’t even told you about the day at the zoo with Yvonne, my two granddaughters, and my great-grandson. He took the map and led us all around the zoo—his favorite being the aquarium. I sat that out. I had to sit some stuff out since this was a lot. But I still had great fun. My great-grandson seemed to know just about everything you could know about all the different animals. We ate pizza, and then we all went home and crashed.
My parents are interred in Port Orchard, so my daughter and I visited their marker. It was perfect for my daughter, Yvonne, as her last few trips to the area weren’t long enough to allow her to visit.
Yvonne caught the shuttle to the airport the next day and went home, while I met up with my friend to spend a few days at the Oregon coast in her condo: more on that visit in a future post.
All in all it was a great trip!! I highly recommend you attend these kinds of things. You are tougher than you think, and while the energy of the social events may wear you out for the day, they will energize you to remember all the people you love and the fun you had.
“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
This blog post is based on personal experiences and is not meant to provide medical advice.
Always consult your healthcare professional for personalized guidance on your health journey.
