Day 1: Tuesday, April 15, 2014
My flight was on Delta 2233 from Huntsville to Atlanta, departing at 5:35 A.M.
It was a misty, rainy, and foggy morning all the way to the airport.
Checking in was easy.
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| Miami Airport |
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| Flying over Miami |
The jet was not full, and the flight attendant said we could sit anywhere we liked.
I had a window seat, so I did not move, but I did take a short nap.
The flight took about twenty-five minutes.
The takeoff was horrible; it felt like we had four flat tires. Once up in the air, it was smooth sailing.
We landed at Atlanta International Airport at 7:26 A.M. and disembarked at Gate A.
My next flight was on Delta 1567 from Atlanta to Miami, departing from gate B.
I took the escalators downstairs to the tram.
I was not tall enough to see the Miami sign, so I asked the man to tell me which gate I needed to take.
I got on the tram, and the man told me to get off at Station B.
I took the escalators upstairs and walked to Gate B16, only to find that the inbound flight was running late. Our flight was delayed one hour and moved to gate 14.
The flight from Atlanta to Minneapolis was moved to gate 16B for departure.
Our flight was scheduled to leave at 9:58 A.M.
I sat in the lobby, waiting for my flight.
I started talking to a woman who was traveling to South America.
She said she had no children but many nieces and nephews. We talked about everything.
Finally, it was time to board. I sat in seat A17, toward the back of the plane, while the woman I was talking to, seated at the front, was in her seat. I said Have a good flight and I did not see her again.
We landed, and I wanted to check when my daughter's flight would arrive, but the list of incoming flights was downstairs.
I went to the food court because I was getting very hungry.
I ordered a custard tart, which cost $5; it had blueberries, strawberries, mandarin oranges, and custard on a pastry crust.
After I got my food, I found a seat next to the windows so I could see when the jets landed and took off.
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| Miami Airport |
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| Miami Airport |
After my daughter's plane landed, she met me in the food court.
She was coming to Miami via Boston, MA.
Once we finished in the food court, my daughter called the hotel to ask which bus we needed to take there.
Hampton Inn offers a shuttle bus that departs every hour to pick up passengers at the airport.
There are two different Hampton Inn shuttle buses, so we had to be sure which one to take.
We saw a shuttle bus with Hampton Inn written on the side, but it wasn't the right one, so we stepped back.
The attendant at the airport terminal said, Do you need a bodyguard? I laughed and said, 'It looks like we may need a bodyguard because we almost got run over.'
We arrived at the Hampton Inn Hotel, located at 3620 NW 79th Avenue, Doral, Florida.
We checked into room 619 on the sixth floor.
We walked across the parking lot to a restaurant.
Lora and I shared a plate of fish, cream potatoes, and salad, and we both ordered water with lemon.
The server also brought us a basket of toasted bread with butter.
My daughter's doctor's appointment was at 4 P.M.
She had the hotel call for a taxi; a one-way trip cost $30.00
It was late in the afternoon when my daughter emerged from the doctor's office.
She wanted to take the bus downtown, but I was reluctant because we were not familiar with the bus system.
All I could remember was two men being killed because they took the wrong bus in Miami.
We walked to Burger King, which was a couple of blocks away, where my daughter could charge her cell phone, which was almost out of battery.
After we charged her cell phone, we walked around NW 42nd Avenue and West Flagler Square for what seemed like hours.
We decided not to go downtown but to return to the hotel; however, we were unsure which bus to take.
No one spoke English, and they didn't understand when we asked them which bus to take to Doral.
Finally, we sat next to a woman who could speak English.
We told her we were trying to get back to Doral. She said to take bus 11, but not the first bus 11. Take the next bus, 11, to 89th Street.
We got off the bus at 89th Street and we walked to CVS.
At CVS, my daughter bought some snacks and soup.
Next door was a Panda Express where we ate dinner. We ordered shrimp, rice, and vegetables with water, totaling $10.00.
We walked to the bus stop, where we met a lovely young man from India. He said he worked as a software engineer.
He helped us take the right bus and told the bus driver where we needed to get off.
He said my car is broken, and I will be using the bus until it is fixed.
He said that he had bought a bus card.
He said that if you don't have a bus card, you must have the correct change to ride the bus.
Riding the bus costs $2.25; please have only correct change. If you put $3.00 into the coin box, you will not get the change back.
Always use the correct change!
We thanked him for all his help.
The bus driver called our stop; we got off and walked several blocks down 36th Street to the hotel.
I was so exhausted that I fell asleep when my head lay on the pillow.
Slept like a log all night.
Day 2: Wednesday, April 16, 2014
I took the elevator downstairs to the dining area.
For breakfast, I ate an omelet and sausage links and drank a cup of orange juice.
I took a banana and two yogurts back to the room. My daughter is having surgery today, so she cannot eat anything.
We took the elevator down from the sixth floor to the lobby.
We called for a taxi, went outside, and waited for over an hour, but the cab never showed.
We needed a way downtown, and the shuttle bus driver asked the hotel manager if he could drop us off at the corner of NW 42nd Avenue and West Flagler Street.
Lora gave the driver a ten-dollar tip for helping us.
He dropped us off at the Shell Station on the corner of NW 42 Avenue and West Flager.
He said it was too hard to get that big bus into such a tight spot.
We walked to the doctor's office, which was just a short distance away, less than half a block.
While my daughter was in surgery, I waited in the lobby.
I talked to a woman sitting in the lobby. She said she lived in Miami and was seeking an old school friend for surgery.
She said she was born in New Jersey and was a divorcee with two daughters. One of her daughters was in high school, and one daughter was attending Ohio State, her Alma mater.
She was also caring for her elderly father.
The nurse gave me two prescriptions, one for pain and the other for an antibiotic.
She said my daughter would need it after her surgery.
The nurse said the nearest Publix Pharmacy wasn't far, and I could walk there.
A couple from Rochester, New York, was going to the Pharmacy, and the nurse asked if I could accompany them.
They were a lovely, sweet, and funny couple. She was getting breast implants on Friday.
The nurse gave the husband directions to the Pharmacy. They had not checked into the hotel, so their car was full of luggage.
The car had two doors that opened from the outside and two more that opened from the inside.
Away we went in their rented red mini car in search of a Publix Pharmacy.
The husband drove west on Flager, then north on 42nd Avenue.
The husband drove SW on 42nd Avenue, where we spotted a Publix, and he let his wife and me out.
The wife and I walked inside Publix, where I asked, "Where is your pharmacy?" The woman at the register replied We have no pharmacy.
Both the woman from Rochester, NY, and I started to laugh.
We explained our search for a Publix Pharmacy.
The woman at Publix drew us a map to the nearest Publix (later, I discovered it wasn't the one I was supposed to use).
We took so many turns that I was utterly lost.
The Pharmacist said it would take an hour and a half to fill the prescriptions, so we left them. One of the prescriptions was a narcotic drug, and only one Pharmacist had access to the drug, but he was not there.
The husband drove us back to the doctor's office. I thanked the couple for letting me go with them, and I never saw them again.
I once again returned to the lobby to wait.
I started talking to a couple from Charlotte, North Carolina, who both worked for the US Post Office there.
The wife was a mail carrier, and she said we have four children, two boys and a set of twin girls.
She was having breast implants done that day.
I said you had better get your wife's prescription filled before she comes out of surgery, and I told him the Pharmacist had said it would take an hour and a half to fill it.
The husband took the prescriptions and dropped them off at the Pharmacy.
His wife went back to surgery, and my daughter came out of surgery around 5:30 P.M. She was in a lot of pain. She kept saying Just shoot me!
The owner was going to take us to the hotel, so we had to wait until 6 P.M., when the office closed.
I still had not picked up the prescription, so we had to stop at Publix Pharmacy.
I had left my daughter's prescription at a different Publix location than the one we went to.
What we thought was a quick stop turned into a nightmare.
We arrived at Publix, and as I was going up the escalator, I met Mural.
We walked to the Pharmacy together, and I said to him This place does not look familiar.
I was next in line, so I gave the Pharmacist my daughter's name, and she tried to look up my daughter's prescription.
The Pharmacist said you must have left the prescription at another Publix. I did not know that there were several Publixes within the area.
I walked back to the car and said This is not where I left the prescription.
So we had to go in search of Publix, where I had dropped the prescription.
I did not know what the driver thought, but he drove several miles in the wrong direction. I said the Publix was not far from the first one because I remember coming back down W. Flager St.
The driver said I know the location of the new Publix.
He dropped me off once again, and I went inside to get the prescription.
It was the correct Publix Pharmacy.
There was a woman in the line in front of me. She had her prescription filled and stood there asking multiple questions.
I didn't think she would ever stop talking!
Finally, I got my daughter's prescriptions; the cost was $2.00.
On the way home, the driver said, "I have not eaten all day, do you mind if I stop at Wendy's?"
He ordered a Coke, fries, and a large hamburger. He asked if we wanted anything to eat, and we said yes.
We both ordered a junior cheeseburger and fries.
I offered to pay, but he covered the cost.
My daughter opened the bottle of pills and took one out, but she dropped it. It went under the seat, and she could not bend down to reach it.
I was sitting in the front seat. I had to unbuckle my seat belt, lean my head toward the back, my butt stuck in the air, to look for the pill. Never found it!
At Hampton Inn, the driver got out and looked for the pill. He found the pill, which was lodged in the track of the front seat. I would never have found it!
We thanked him and slowly walked to the room, taking the elevator to the sixth floor.
My daughter did not sleep that night.
She was chatty Kathy all night; she had been given steroids, which kept her awake.
To keep the swelling down, I was making ice packs all night long.
Day 3: Thursday, April 17, 2014
The next morning, we took the elevator down to the ground floor.
We ate breakfast in the dining room and had an omelet with ham.
My daughter took two boiled eggs and a yogurt back to our room for later.
We spent the majority of the day in bed, resting.
The television was playing murder mysteries on the ION channel.
Later that day, I walked to Taco Bell to buy a Nacho Bell Grande.
That night, Mural called to check on my daughter, and he offered us a ride to the doctor's office the next day.
Day 4: Friday, April 18, 2014
We took the elevator to the dining area.
For breakfast, we ate scrambled eggs with ham.
I sent a text to Mural to let him know that my daughter's appointment was at 1:00 P.M.
We walked outside in front of the hotel to wait for Mural and his wife, Toshiba.
They got lost twice, which caused them to run late.
Mural said, "Did you know that there are three (79th): 79th Street, 79th Avenue, and 79th Way?"
We returned to the hotel after Toshiba and my daughter finished at the doctor's office. We thanked them and said goodbye.
While my daughter slept, I walked to Taco Bell and ordered two Nacho Bell Grands.
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| A beautiful sunset poolside |
Day 5: Saturday, April 19, 2014
We took the elevator downstairs to the dining area, where we ate breakfast.
We ate an omelet, wine, and drank orange juice.
We walked upstairs to get the iPad.
It was warm, so we sat by the pool and played Boggle.
My daughter fell asleep, so we took the elevator back to our room.
I went for a walk. I needed stress relief after being cooped up for several days. I left the hotel and walked up 79th Avenue. It looked interesting.
On my walk, I saw several stores, a restaurant, a bus stop, and an apartment complex.
I walked up 36th Street, where I saw Carino's Italian Grill. I went to the door, but it did not open until 11A.M.
Last night, we had a storm, with thunder and lightning that left everything wet and muggy.
I was starting to get hot and sweaty, and I needed something to cool me off.
I saw a Burger King and I decided to stop for a vanilla ice cream cone.
After I finished my ice cream, I bought two Whopper Juniors and took them back to the hotel.
My daughter was awake when I returned, and we ate the Whopper Juniors and drank some hot tea.
We again played Boggle on the iPad.
Later that day, I walked to Taco Bell, where I bought Cinnamon Buns and two Loco Tacos.
We sat up late watching ION on TV.
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| Carino's Italian Grill |
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| Walking up 36 Street in Doral |
Day 6: Sunday, April 20, 2014
Today is Easter Sunday, and all the employees were in a jolly mood. Everyone was saying Happy Easter.
We took the elevator downstairs to the dining area.
For breakfast, we ate scrambled eggs and waffles and drank orange juice.
We took the elevator back to our room, and I wrote in my journal.
We rested for a spell, and later that day, we took the elevator to the ground floor. We walked outside to sit in the sun beside the pool and play the word game Boggle on the iPad.
Lora was feeling better, so we slowly walked next door to the El Tropic Restaurant cafeteria for lunch.
El Tropic Restaurant is a Latin American Restaurant. My daughter ordered Tilapia, rice, and black beans with vegetables.
I ordered a Plantain dish, which was diced into chips with ground beef, cheese, andjalapeñoo peppers.
Plantains are a type of fruit that belongs to the banana family. They are a starchy, low-sugar variety that is cooked before serving, as it is not suitable for consumption raw. It is used in many savory dishes, much like a potato, and is very popular in Western Africa and Caribbean countries. It is usually fried or baked.
We were served a basket of bread with butter.
We both had more than enough for another meal, so we got a couple of to-go boxes.
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| El Tropic Restaurant Cafeteria |
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| Plantain dish, diced into chips and served with ground beef, cheese, andjalapeñoo peppers. |
Day 7: Monday, April 21, 2014
We took the elevator down to the dining area.
For breakfast, we ate eggs, sausage, waffles, a banana, and blueberry yogurt.
My daughter took the elevator back to our room and took a nap.
I was restless, so I went for a walk. I walked several blocks north on 79th Avenue. I stopped at the Shell Station where I bought lottery tickets. I spent $5 on a scratch-off and won $4. I spent $5 on lottery tickets and won $27.00. When I returned to the hotel, I went to our room, grabbed my iPad, and took it to the pool area, where I spent the day.
I talked on my cell phone to my cousin until the battery ran out.
My daughter came down later and we played the word game Boggle on the iPad.
I called my sister, but she did not answer. She called me back later.
While I was talking to her, my cell phone died.
I had to take it inside because the outdoor power plugs weren't working.
We were playing Boggle in the dining area when we met Matthew.
Matthew said he was born in New Jersey, and he now lives in Miami.
He told us he thought we must be bored because we were playing Boggle on the IPAD. I said no —we were inside charging my cell phone.
He told us he had moved to the South Side of Miami to care for his aging father, who was over 80.
He said that his mom, who was twenty years younger than his father, had died, and his father was alone.
They had moved from New Jersey to Miami because it was cheaper. Matthew said that he was an only child.
He said that both of my parents had been in previous marriages.
My daughter said that she needed some Advil and aspirin and had no way to get them.
Matthew said I need to come get cigarettes so I can pick you up some Advil and aspirin at Walgreens.
Matthew went to Walgreens, so we took the elevator to our room, where we ate leftovers.
My daughter called Delta Air Lines to request a wheelchair for tomorrow's flight.
She called IBEW to make two payments on her car.
She called her lawyer to discuss making flight plans to return home for the trial in May.
We took the elevator back to the lobby to wait for Matthew.
Matthew drove to Walgreens on 36th Street, but he got stuck in work traffic, which took forever.
When Matthew returned, my daughter told Matthew about her ex-husband and kids.
She told Matthew how her ex-husband had cheated on her, how he had taken her kids, how he had taken all her money and left her destitute.
It was getting late, and my daughter needed to wash clothes, so we said goodbye.
We took the elevator back to our room to get a load of clothes.
I took the elevator to the lobby to change the washer and dryer.
I filled the washer with the clothes and stopped at the drink machine for a soda.
The soda machine took my money but did not dispense a soda.
I took the elevator back to the lobby.
The woman at the front desk said I could get a drink out of their machine. While there, I bought a chocolate candy bar.
We watched ION on TV.
I took the elevator to the washroom to put the clothes in the dryer, and when they were dry, my daughter returned to fold them.
We set the clock for 4 A.M. because our flight leaves at 5 A.M. tomorrow, and then we went to bed.
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| Shadows |
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| Poolside |
Day 8: Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Today we are flying home.
We are both taking the same flight to Atlanta, Georgia. In Atlanta, I will take the next flight to Huntsville, Alabama, and my daughter will take the next flight to Boston, MA.
The shuttle bus took us to the Miami International Airport. We checked in and asked for a wheelchair. We were instructed to wait for a Delta representative to bring us a wheelchair.
The woman from Delta pushed the wheelchair through security and to the waiting area. I followed with my luggage, as I was curious about how disabled people are treated. Delta stores its luggage for free.
We sat in the waiting area until the time to depart.
We were among the first to board, including children and those requiring assistance.
The plane was full, and the attendants said that anyone wanting to stow their bags would be charged a fee. I gladly said yes.
My daughter had a seat next to one of the windows, and I let her sit there so she could rest. We were served soda and snacks.
A small black boy sat in the aisle seat next to me. His parents and siblings sat across the aisle from us. When we arrived at Atlanta Airport, a wheelchair was waiting for my daughter. They said we would take care of her, so I said goodbye and headed to my next flight. My flight to Huntsville would take about twenty-five minutes.
Hubby was running late.
He picked me up and we rode to Logan's Roadhouse in Madison, Alabama, to eat lunch.
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| Logan's Roadhouse in Madison |
My Adventures were getting lost! Getting help from a stranger! Spending Easter with my daughter in Miami!
The employees at Hampton Inn were very kind, thoughtful, and helpful.
The employees ask every day about my daughter after her surgery.
We made hot tea every day.
In our room, we had a refrigerator and a microwave.
The shuttle driver took us to my daughter's doctor's appointment.
God was looking out for us in Miami!
We were helped several times by strangers (6 Good Samaritans)
Matthew (whom we met in the hotel) went to the drugstore for aspirin and Advil.
The man for India helps us get on the right bus.
The owner of Spectrum Aesthetics gave us a ride back to the hotel after my daughter's surgery.
Mural and Toshiba gave us a ride to and from the doctor's office.
The couple from Rochester, NY, gave me a ride to Publix Pharmacy
The shuttle bus driver gave us a ride to the doctor's office
Relaxed mostly
Our Many Adventures
