About two weeks ago, I caught the flu – I have no idea how – and I ended up in the hospital. In retrospect, that may be the good news. I have an artificial aorta valve, which, when I got it in 2002, had a projected life of about eighteen years. But I have now had the valve for almost twenty-two years, and, recently, I’ve been having trouble breathing. I’ve been complaining that the valve is starting to give out, but my doctors didn’t seem to feel any sense of urgency. My stay in the hospital has changed their minds. This is all by way of saying that I’m not particularly hale or hearty, but I hope I will be so, with a new valve, in a couple of months.
In the meantime, here are some pictures from an aborted trip to Death Valley. It was aborted because the adjustable suspension on our VW Touareg started to give out, and the warning on the dashboard started flashing: Stop! Apparently, a rat had chewed through one of the hydraulic lines, so we limped west to Lone Pine and then north to Reno.
Hopefully the new valve will do the trick. Sending love and healing prayers your way, my friend
Wonderful shots of Mt Whitney. Hope you get both yourself and car all patched up soon!
So sorry to see you laid up in the hospital. On the other hand, Lone Pine is the prettiest place to have your car laid up. We had a varmint, probably a squirrel, chew through our catalytic converter.
You’re looking fierce, Steve! And very glad you caught the aorta stuff…beautiful shots of the almost-DV trip…hope you’re back there before wildflower season’s done.
Be well
M