University of Miami

Thank you all for your prayers. Miami was not what we expected it to be. We left at seven AM. Three and a half hours latter we were looking for the building in the gigantic University complex. We were three hours early so we ate lunch and I had some coveted Cuban Coffee, boy do I love that stuff.

The Doctor said David has a complicated case. Alzheimer’s is not ruled out however David is also showing some signs of Depression and has Metabolic Syndrome.

So what came first the chicken or the egg?  Is the Depression due to the Alzheimer’s diagnosis? Is it contributing to the memory loss? Does the excessive weight play into the energy loss even though he had the weight before the memory problems began? The Doctor said these are all good questions he doesn’t have an answer for.

The one thing he was sure about is that if David doesn’t get his increased blood pressure, elevated insulin levels, excess body fat and abnormal cholesterol levels under control he is going to have a catastrophic event happen sooner rather than later. He recommended we see another specialist if his course of action doesn’t help with the memory loss. So just incase we are saving to go to John Hopkins in Baltimore, Maryland.

On the bright side Dr Henry had a wonderful bedside manner and was kind when I started to cry. He explained things really well and spent an hour and fifteen minutes with us. I guess it was worth the $500.00 appointment fee.

When we left the parking lot attendant gave us directions to get back to the turnpike that took us an hour out of our way. As we passed the airport the thought of checking the car as baggage and flying home was not far from our minds.

We were in Fort Lauderdale when Discovery launched. I was hoping to see the con trail being told before that the shuttle could be seen on clear days as far south as Miami and as far north as Atlanta. It must just be at night. Maybe you space folks can tell me if that is true. What I wouldn’t give to be at a dinner party where someone who knows about the program could chat with me for hours. I watch NASA TV more than I’d like to admit.

As we listened to NPR live in Orlando on my I Phone I could feel the hope come back into me. Since Challenger I always feel a pit in my stomach when I hear “throttle up” but after that point I feel the hope of what is possible and that if we reach for the stars literally we can succeed.