Saturday, August 23, 2014

Bay Beach (Amusement Park) - mostly

Let me say, I like the outdoors but I am not an outdoors person in particular! That said other than the mud and wet our little overnight camping adventure (after the Amusement Park) Fri and today was fun. My parents have a tow behind-full size (all amenities I guess you'd say) camper so my Sister and I had drove up separately yesterday, met my parents at Bay Beach and afterwards followed them to the Campground.
My Sister, the kids and I did tents - although my Mom had gotten a fold out/reclining chair so I was still able to sleep upright and off the ground. Honestly other than bathrooms I like the campfires, playing at the park w the kids and we had a good time exploring the (small) downtown last night in Algoma, which is on the tip of Door County and right on Lake Michigan.
I definitely was happy to be home this afternoon though, it wasn't a ridiculously long drive (about 2.5 hrs) but I was tired, couldn't wait to shower in my own comforts and I like being un-packed! =)
I have to say I had been praying all week to feel atleast reasonably ok while at the Amusement Park Fri and overnight which despite waking up no-less than 4-5-6 times Thurs night my low back and leg didn't hurt to bad and I couldn't complain to bad how I felt at the Bay Beach! I honestly think sometimes God just knows when we need a break and will always believe he listens even if we don't always get our answer!

As far as Bay Beach (the Amusement Park) we got there by 9:30, the rides open at 10 and Zan, Quinn and I where in the first bunch to get on the Ferris Wheel which otherwise the line gets ridiculously long. I'm not sure there is any ride you have to wait more than 20mins and typically more like 5-15min wait but the Ferris Wheel gets sooooo backed up!

From there Zan and I did the kiddie helicopters, I went on the tilt-a-whirl, (no affect whatsoever on the lightheaded/weird feeling I've been having intermittently!) - My Dad, Quinn and I did this one. Another of my favorites and ironically a ride I detested as a kid!

After that we did a wide variety from the Carousel, 100ft slide (you ride down on potato sacks though the slide could seriously use some new grease!), Giant swings, the kids did some kids rides. My Dad, Mom and Quinn did the scrambler (that line also gets pretty long or I'd do it!) and we did some of the other rides + some rides multiple times.
In the past few years Bay Beach purchased a old wooden roller coaster that used to be owned by Elvis Presley at his park - (the Zippen Pippen) so I decided to try that this year. YIKES! Probably NEVER again! Wowza on your body is all I can say, perhaps worse to me b/c I don't have full range of motion in my neck!? I've already had somewhat of a stiff neck for a week or so so today my neck and body feel like they've added about 40yrs on and feel like creeky stairs whenever I move! It was Fun (for the most part!) but wouldn't do it again!
The Park also purchased a new wooden rocking boat (like at carnivals where it tips way up in the air one way then comes rocking back and goes up in the air the opposite way) though surprisingly none in our bunch did this.
Really the best part about Bay Beach is even when it's busy the lines aren't anywhere near Six Flags or Disney wait times and the tickets which you need at most 3 but typically 1-2 per ride, per person are 25c a piece.
Consider at a fair the tickets are typically $3/piece that's crazy! This park is owned by the City of Green Bay but has a trust set up by some Lady when she passed away so her on-going endowment runs most of the costs, pays for upkeep/new rides apparently and she wrote in to her will that park costs could never increase beyond a certain point. When we where kids and went there every year, roughly 20 yrs ago the tickets where 10c a piece so the cost haven't increased much!
Typically we'll have a stack of tickets left at the end of the day (when we are done anyways) so we just give them to someone at the park or as they are coming in to the ride area. It's neat!
I am glad overall it was a good day and my stiff/sore/tired body will recover. I know I could not do all that craziness and thus in turn not pay for it the days after but what is life if we don't do the things we enjoy? Honestly I need days like yesterday to re-charge as I had been feeling a little discouraged, I've been feeling not that great so to spend a day almost (almost!) forgetting it all is just what I needed! =)


On an un-related note I was reading some med records from PMR and Neurosurgery and just wanted to share this thought Dr.Bragg had in one of her recent clinic post-visit notes.
..."The other potential would be cranial vault expansion, as Erica has significant thickness to her skull." (no smart arsh comments anyone) =) "She said she discussed this with other physicians who have significant experience with Mucopolysaccharidoses who felt that the reason that she has poor CSF flow is related to her underlying Mucopolysaccharidoses.
"The 1 thing is that Erica does feel better when she has had externalized shunts, so I do feel there is a compliance issue related to her CSF and her inability to be headache-free when her shunt(s) is internalized." -
Prior to this comment she talks about the concern with potentially adding an anti-siphon device both in would it slow CSF down to much (she comments regarding this especially b/c I sleep upright and have almost without fail since beginning to see her minus the short varied periods we've had H/A's under good control) or on the other hand she wonders are the H/A's due to over drainage and partial intermittent occlusion of the shunt catheter. <-- In the case of if it where intermittent over drainage a anti-siphon device may be helpful. Last wk when she had talked to her Codman Rep that person also was not clear on what we should do in this regards.
I just share these sentiments b/c while Dr.Bragg and I of course talked about these options (she also mentions getting more info about the potential for IT) I know I don't always likely remember everything we talk about fully or atleast completely correctly and is interesting to read her thoughts in print.
I often think it would be helpful to record appts with some Specialists but I don't want to put them on edge and would never do it without disclosing I was recording!
I'll update if I hear any news from either Dr.Bragg or anything going on in general. My Pain Mngmt dr was texting w me a little yesterday and mentioned she would probably try calling Dr.Bragg to get more info on what her thoughts are regarding the low back issues.
In any case that is about all,
Thanks for stopping by,
Erica

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