Before Ports, We Have Airports...

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I have been so pleased with the resurgence of Mom's energy as she recovers from the surgery. Over the past week, she has seemed as though she were going stir crazy from lack of activity. Since her port was not scheduled to be installed until Tuesday (the 24th), I suggested that she make a quick trip to Florida for a little R&R. To my excitement she accepted the invite!

On Friday, I had to work a little bit, so Mom got acquainted with my building. She especially loved the meditation garden on the 6th floor. There is a gazebo overlooking the New River, and Mom adored the purple flowers that covered it. She also liked watching the boats out front... and the view. She said that she can see how the view causes me to reflect and think about things. It's very theraputic.

After I finished my work, we went for a little tour of the area, and ended up back at my favorite restaurant on Ft. Lauderdale Beach. It is called Spazio, and we were able to snag a table on the sidewalk, and enjoy the weather, the beach and the people watching. There were sailors in town this weekend, so we got a kick out of talking to them. How DO YOU keep those pants to incredibly white?!

On Saturday, we drove up to Palm Beach and checked out Donald Trump's house. Even though we weren't able to drive up to the gates, we could tell that it was quite garish, but that was to be expected. Apparently it's not a house at all, but a private club.

After Palm Beach, we cruised back down South to Hollywood and visited the Hard Rock Casino. That was a real treat. Mom had asked several times how close I was to the casino, especially after all of the circus with Anna Nicole had started. The weather wasn't great, so it was a perfect time to check out an indoor attraction. Something really funny happened as we walked in, but I don't think I could do it justice on a blog. It's the kind of story that needs to be told in person. Ask Mom about it when you see her next.

On Sunday, we had the most active day yet. We spent the afternoon in South Beach. That's right, Mom went to South Beach. :-) The weather was still pretty dreary, so we were really lucky to get a great parking spot. We walked up and down the main drag and ranked our favorite buildings. The Tides Hotel was magnificent. Then we got to see Versace's pad. Wow.

When we got back to Ft. Lauderdale, we had just enough time to take a boat tour before dinner. It was the perfect way to end the day. The tour took us from the dock near my apartment, through downtown, then a residential area, then the beach area, then Port Everglades. We got to see more boats, big houses, 2 battleships, an aircraft carrier and a nuclear submarine. I'd say it was a full tour. lol.

On the last night, I cooked dinner for Mom, Matt (my roommate) and Bohdan (my neighbor and best friend's husband). Of course, Mom being a mom, she needed a picture of the three of us at the dinner table... to show my dad that we are a respectable lot. lol. We sure fooled her... or something.

Without a doubt, this trip was a great decision for all of us. I was amazed at Mom's energy... we had a blast... it was a great bonding experience... and now Mom knows that the quicker she gets better the quicker she can come back. :-) I'm really looking forward to the next visit.

Since her return to Texas, she has had her port installed in her chest. She was lucky enough to get just a single port, so that it wouldn't be so intrusive. I see that as a good sign. The treatments will begin next week, and we're all really nervous about how she will respond to them. I sure hope that they don't make her too terribly ill. I know that she loves hearing from everyone, so maybe if we band together and send her lots of lovely messages she will not get so sick off of the chemo. It's worth a shot! :-) Thanks again for all of your support... and a BIG SPECIAL thank you to Lenice. I don't know if I could have gotten Mom here without your help.