Libby's/Neuropathy Conference

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone, just wanted to let you all know how my trip went last

month.

My life has been blessed by my trip. I thought I was going to have OT

rent a car while I was there for the 13 days, but, I only had to for

3 days instead. Plus I never had to pay for any lodging.

At the last minute my Mom got a hold of distant family relations that

lived in Oklahoma where I was flying into. They picked me up from the

airport and allowed me to spend the night, plus they drove me to

Libby's home in Arkansas (1 1/2 hr drive). On the way to Libby's they

stopped off at other relatives homes for me to meet. I hadn't seen

any of these people since I was 6.

When we arrived at Libby's I was greeted by her two kids and

granddaughter. Libby had grown her hair out since her last picture.

She is as beautiful in person as she is on the Internet. Libby and I

visited continually and when cooking was done we both got into the

kitchen and we shared our hands. Meaning: I would peel potatoes until

my hands got tired, then Libby would. Same with everything. We seemed

to sense what either other would need and did our best to help each

other out.

Libby has a flight of stairs that I climbed daily to go to bed and it

helped me drop another couple of pounds. LOL. The 2nd day I was there

we had quite the day. A bird escaped out of Libby's fireplace and was

loose in the house. Libby and I tried to get that bird out all day.

After several trips up and down the stairs after the bird we finally

got it cornered in her kids walk in closet. While I held a blanket

over the whole door Libby captured the bird in a towel and he was set

free. We kept thinking we would tire the bird out, but instead he

exhausted us. It was so funny.

On Friday Libby was trying to figure out what she should make for the

potluck on Saturday for the CMT Support Group Meeting, she had never

said what she was considering making whenever I brought the subject

back up again and asked what she thought about Taco Salad, she smiled

and said that was what she was thinking. LOL Libby and I felt like

sisters. So much of our life matched. It was scary, but very nice.

Libby had changed her support group meeting to the Saturday that I

was there and so I got to meet a few of her support group members. I

felt blessed to meet these very special people. We had the meeting in

a beautiful park that had a covered area and a little pond with

ducks.

On Sunday my Aunt picked me up to stay a couple of days with her in

Mountain Home, Arkansas. I saw a lot of very beautiful countryside.

On Tuesday my Aunt drove me back to Libby's where Libby and I were to

immediately drive to Ardith's cabin in Missouri (Ardith is the VP of

CMTA), but our vehicle we were to use to drive up wasn't

available.... So my aunt came to the rescue and drove us up to

Ardith's. We had a very pleasant lunch and visit with Ardith and it

was then that Ardith offered to let me share her Hotel room. CMTA was

paying for the room and it had 2 beds and she wanted the company. So

I did.

The next day I got a rental car and drove to Branson, MO. I stayed

off the major highways so I could see the scenery and didn't get lost

once.

Branson is a very pretty town, but very busy and traffic was horrible.

While I was there I saw 2 shows, both at the IMAX theater because it

was one of the few things that had a show when I was available. I saw

Wild California & The Dolphins. Both were fantastic.

I met a lot of people. I even met Martha and her husband Murray from

Colorado. (you might know Martha as Murkam). Martha and her husband

have a smile on their faces all the time. Very nice and caring

people. At one time I asked Murray to get me some little hot dogs

from the buffet. I said a few. He brought me about 20.... ugh No, I

didn't eat them all. I felt rather wasteful, but I would've been sick

to my stomach if I'd attempted to eat them all. Most people there had

what's called Idiopathic Neuropathy. There were about 8 people that

had CMT there. They had an exhibit room where you could get brochures

on CMT and Neuropathy and Diabetes (sp)and foot wear, T-shirts for

sale, and ointments.

Some of the speakers were Ann Donavan the President of The

Neuropathy Association, Dr. Gil L. Wolfe who spoke on Neuropathic

Pain, Ardith Fetterolf VP of CMTA speaking on Living with Peripheral

Neuropathy (which is what we have), Finkelstein speaking on

Disability Benifits and Neuropathy, & McBroom spoke on The

Serious Side of Humor. All speakers were very good and I learned from

each.

Ardith had a lady there that builds special shoes for people that

have drop foot or other foot problems. They say the shoes can

actually replace the need to wear AFO's. She did have a pair of

Sandal Shoes that I was interested in, but the cost shut me down.

$1,000 and insurance won't cover any of it YET.

McBroom had everyone rolling on the floor with humor. He had a

bag of red clown noses that he threw out to the crowd. We were to

where these noses. It was a very funny scene. Then he had people

tell Dr. jokes wearing the noses. While they told jokes a clown wig

and wond was passed around for people to put on and scratch or

whatever with the wond. (The end of the wond had a birds beck on it

that moved. I used it on a gentleman's ear and stuck the wig on his

head. Very nice picture. Later he threw Marshmallows out into the

crowd and told us to split it in half (eating one half) and then

putting all the half's together in a sticky glob. Again we all were

laughing hysterically. All of this was to remind us that when we hurt

all we have to do is find something humorous and the pain will seem

as if it is gone. I felt very fortunate while I was there. I was

never alone. There was always someone wanting to sit with me or do

something with me. This made me feel very good. Plus the fact that

everyone thought I was 29. LOL. I LOVED THAT...

Next years conference will be in June in Las Vegas, Nevada. I have

been asked to help with it. I feel very privileged and very scared.

As I drove myself back to Libby's I found myself in a town I didn't

remember going thru before. Yes, I was lost. But, not for long. I of

course made it back safely to Libby's where I continued my visit.

On Sunday Martha and Murray drove to Libby's and we all visited

somemore over lunch. My dads cousin came to pick me up and while I

was saying my final good-byes I fell flat on my... WELL ---- I hurt

my hand and Murray splinted my fingers for me. I bruised my knees and

twisted my back. But at least I didn't totally squish Libby's son,

whom I fell on. When I looked into his eyes he looked terrified.

After all, he's 9 and I'm a grown woman falling towards him. LOL

Anyway. That was my trip that I feel very fortunate to be able to

take. Libby and her family were the kindest people and I very much

so miss them all.

Sorry this was so long. Jeanie