One of the most beautiful beach in Australia. North of Sydney.
There is a time in life that you have to be your own mentor,
believe in your dreams be courageous and let no obstacles take away your vision and the time is called “Always” – Anonymous
Have you ever traveled with the Sun? We did. In 2016 we started our travels in Europe. Covered UK including Scotland, Northern and Western Italy, Spain, Portugal, Gibralter, touched Morrocco-Tangiers, and then Guayaquil, Salinas, Quito in Ecuador, Sydney in Australia and Auckland in New Zealand. We had glorious 8 months of summer. The beauty of this period was we did not need any warm clothing during our travels. No bulky clothes to carry. Just the sun, sea and beautiful temperatures that we very easily got used to.
Then in February…we landed up in freezing Seattle. Our home for the next 6 months. Our Son lives here and so we were excited to arrive, only to be greeted with chilly wind and rain. It’s been a month since our arrival and I think we must have had 5-6 days of sunshine. A week into our stay in Seattle, I got a severe earache and went to urgent care. The doctor on duty said I had an ear infection. So I was prescribed an antibiotic. Two days into taking the antibiotic, I was not seeing a difference. I don’t take medicines, so most of the time meds like antibiotics work fairly quickly. This did not happen. So called up the doc again. They told me that they might have to change the antibiotic. So a new antibiotic was prescribed. Two days later my state of pain was the same and I was not seeing any recovery. The second day into the second antibiotic I felt a bit of numbness on the tongue and my right eye was flickering. This time I took myself back to urgent care. I was very worried as my gut was telling me something is wrong. At the urgent care, clinic the doctor thought I was having a stroke. After asking me to move my arms and legs, she said I should head straight to the Emergency Room at the hospital.
We called an Uber, as we do not have a car in Seattle. Once in ER, the doctor again asked me to move my arms and legs and ruled out stroke. Which was a relief! But by this time my right eye was going crazy and my ear pain was intense. The right side of my tongue had lost its sensation. So what was this happening to me? The doctor diagnosed it as “
Bell’s Palsy
“. I was completely distraught hearing this. I was in the hospital for about 2 hours total. And by the time I left the right side of my face had completely dropped. The doctor was trying his best to reassure me that I will be ok. He even said to me that most people recover from this condition. I had to take his word. But in the next breath, he said it might get worse first. (Please read this Bell’s Palsy information.) Don’t take ear pain lightly. I went home and straight to bed. When I woke up the next morning, the right side of my face was paralyzed. I was in shock. I was not able to drink or eat anything as it dribbled out of the mouth. My right eye would not close but the eyebrow dropped over it making heavy. The forehead was numb. I had never expected a condition like this to happen to me. Life deals a hand and you have to play it. Brave it and do the best you can to make things better. I was in Seattle to go to the Skagit valley to see the tulips and San Juan island to see the Orcas. How was I going to do this now? Once again several friends who are doctors assured me that I will recover, but they told me it may take time.
It’s been three weeks now and I am well on my way to recovery. This is an unbelievable condition, that gives you an insight into what people must feel when they get a stroke and are impaired for life! This condition once again had humbled me, where you have to face your life, even when things are not in your control. You can remain positive and keep going. I am now looking forward to planning the rest of the year! I will get to see the Tulip festival in Skagit Valley and a trip to see the Orcas on San Juan island. Maybe even go to Victoria BC to see the Butchart Garden!
Yes, this blip in life is not going to keep me from my travels. I am forging ahead with my plans and hope to continue writing more often.
Stay tuned to some of the destinations we visited last year!