Jeeeze this typing is really limiting. I can talk for hours but don’t have it in me to hunt and peck for very long.
I am so sorry I won’t be able to come to the reunion this year! I have been looking forward to coming since I left the last one. Earlier this year I committed to a trip with my wife which coincides with our reunion. Way too late I realized the conflict. I was really looking forward to seeing all of you. Particularly since I lost all this weight and got really handsome since I saw you last.
I think we are all terribly lucky to still be around. I almost wasn’t, isn’t, aren’t?? A year ago this last month Karen had been teaching in Europe and I was home alone with the dogs. After being gone for six weeks she came home. Two later days I only wanted to lay on the couch and sleep . She was concerned but I was certain it was the Crohn’s disease I’ve had for over 40 years. I just told her that it would pass and all would be well. On the third day I went unconscious and was transported to Lincoln to the E.R. My kidneys had failed and I was a day away from total organ failure. After a week in intensive care and another week seeing a specialist for every body part I was released with no understanding of what was wrong. It took another two weeks and an infectious disease specialist to discover I had Rocky Mountain Spotted fever ( from a tick bite). It turns out I am one of a small group of people who don’t display a signature rash or other symptoms. Usually the bug is caught early and you aren’t really very sick. It had flowered in my system and I had a monumental case. It took about nine months to recover. I don’t walk with a cane any longer (which I got pretty used to) and my memory is about as normal as it should be. Really weird. I know everyone has something and I’m surely not complaining . I know there are lots of folks that would trade for my problems. The bizarre thing is that I’d have noticed someone else in this state and dealt with it but I couldn’t see anything wrong myself. I was really content to just sleep. Had Karen been gone another week I’d have been dogfood.
Again I know lots of people have bigger issues and keep it to themselves. I hope you are all happy and doing well in your late middle age. Sorry I won’t see you!! Love , Kenny