Leukemia Lady

Vanderbilt Hospital for an Appendectomy

2026-09-03T12:24:41.308-07:00

5 am is definitely an early start for a night owl like me, but surprisingly I managed to get some sleep before my 8 am surgery. I figured my two-hour surgery would give me time to catch up on missed sleep. I woke up slightly nauseous, likely due to nerves, and given my tendency to faint due to vagus nerve syndrome, I took 4 mg of Zofran to be on the safe side. I didn’t want passing out to delay this surgery!

My support team, consisting of Joe and LeeAnn, and I stumbled to the car with a small overnight bag, including my pillow and a soft blanket, and some snacks. I had to be at Vanderbilt at 6 am, to check in for my 8 am surgery.

We pulled right up to valet, and they directed us to the check-in desk. Checking in was a pleasant experience and a great way to start a stressful day. Sitting at the check-in desk were a man and woman, who I think may have been married; they were so bright and cheery at 6 am, I could hardly believe it! We joked, laughed, and told stories before being directed to the waiting area.

We hadn't been there five minutes when Kevin came out from behind closed doors and started calling names. There were about ten of us, and we were allowed one guest to accompany us to pre-op. Needless to say, my daughter was the chosen one, as she would lose her mind worrying if she was not right by my side.

Kevin, the leader of the group, explained the protocol and told everyone where the cafeteria and Pannera were located, so the guests could get food, coffee, etc. after the lucky chosen ones were taken back for surgery.

He was also cheerful, and I felt as though I had been dropped in OZ vs an actual hospital. It is amazing how a little bit of humor and kindness can make a stressful and scary situation so much more “enjoyable”.

As we walked through the closed doors, he started dropping people off at their assigned cubicles. Mine was somewhere in the middle, right next to the bathroom, which was a total score!

A nurse immediately greeted us and handed me the infamous hospital gown. Since the bathroom was right there, I quickly changed and hopped into bed.

While in pre-op, I had a revolving door of visitors. The first one arrived to put a soft, cushy football-looking thing on my lower back and tailbone. Of course, I said, “What is that?” She explained that the operating table was really hard, and they didn’t want me to bruise or be uncomfortable, and this would help prevent that from happening.

Needless to say, I was impressed! I have never seen or heard of anything like that before, but I could immediately tell it would be appreciated.

I was also quite impressed at how comfortable the bed was, and when I started feeling chilled, instead of a warm blanket, which always cooled down too quickly for my taste, they turned on a hose that blew continuous warm air between me and the covers. It was heaven!

Next came the IV nurse. As we were chatting, it turned out that she also has chronic myelogenous leukemia! What a surprise, as I have never met anyone in the general public with the same type of rare leukemia that I have. She was recently diagnosed and doing well on Sprycel, which was my first line of treatment, too. What a coincidence.

Once the IV was placed, I thought that we would have some quiet time while we waited, but boy was I wrong. They came in to draw blood to check clotting factors, among other routine blood work; another nurse confirmed all medical allergies, including adhesives.

Several residents came in to ask if it would be alright to observe my surgery, including one who explained he would be “the cameraman”. We then visited with an anesthesiologist, and then the head of that department, who explained he would be floating between two operating rooms, but Nick, the main dude, would stay with me 100% of the time.

I explained my Vegus nerve syndrome and told them I had taken Zofran at 6 am. I also said that I am often nauseous after anesthesia, and did not want to throw up and pass out after surgery, but if I did, that it was normal for me. “Don’t Panic”!

As a precaution, they gave me another dose of Zofran, and a patch behind my ear to combat any nausea I may experience; they also said they would be closely monitoring me after surgery. I absolutely love how everyone at Vanderbilt actually listens to you and addresses your concerns.

Being proactive in this scenario gave me a lot of peace.

I made them reassure me that I would indeed wake up, and I felt extremely comfortable with the in-depth questions they asked and their earnest explanation of how they would be caring for me while I was knocked out.

Finally, the star of the show entered my cubicle: the oncology surgeon. She reassured me that she would do her very best to remove my appendix laparoscopically and take the greatest care in performing the surgery.

She recapped the surgery, and we discussed all possible complications and outcomes. She then gave me a big hug and her personal cell phone number in case we had questions after the surgery. She also said that she would see me when I woke up.

Next thing I knew, 7:55 am rolled around and I was headed to the operating room right on time. Shocking, right?

I said my good-byes to LeeAnn, and told her I would see her in a few hours.

In the operating room, I saw all of the familiar faces from pre-op. I reminded them all that the most important thing was that I woke up. Once I saw the surgeon with my own eyes, I gave the go-ahead to knock me out.

As they started the sleepy medication, I felt someone reach under the blanket and squeeze my hand. It was such a simple gesture, but it sent me into a peaceful sleep that I remembered upon waking up.

It didn’t take long for me to say, “And this is just about lights out…..”!

Waking up from surgery is always weird. You hear your name being called from somewhere, far, far away, and then your eyes pop open. I immediately remembered my hand being held, and how much comfort that gave me.

Next, I looked at the clock. I noticed it was nearly 11:00 am. A two-hour surgery was anticipated, so I asked why it took longer.

He told me they were able to remove the appendix laparoscopically, and that it took longer because they were waiting for pathology. He couldn’t speak for the surgeon, but thought it went well.

My surgeon showed up shortly afterwards, and said she was pleasantly surprised at how little scarring I had in my abdomen, and that everything went well. The biopsy was negative, and there were no other signs of my ovarian tumors reappearing. It truly was the best-case scenario. I was so grateful and relieved.

It didn’t take long before I started to experience a searing pain at the extraction site of the appendix. It was BAD! I was shocked at how quickly a nurse arrived with pain meds that settled the pain down to a manageable state. They also helped me put on an abdominal compression belt that helped tremendously.

Everything from here on out was a bit of a blur until I was settled in my room. I remember seeing Joe and giving him the go-ahead to head home. I know Michael and Megan had been there during surgery, too. They were also released from duty.

My daughter, however, stayed for the long haul. She was by my side every step of the way, and she continued to help me up and down to the bathroom and made sure I was comfortable all night long. Kevin also showed up to visit several times. It is nice to feel so loved.

I was curious how the care would be once I was in my room, and I am here to tell you that I received the best care I have ever had in a hospital. Attentive, prompt, kind, and thorough.

They kept my pain under control, checked back regularly, and even had a “TV nurse” pop in once a day to check on me! That was so crazy!

The staff also brought in an egg-crate for Lee Ann’s chair along with pillows, blankets, and sheets. I didn’t need an egg-crate, as the bed was actually comfortable.

Our night consisted of searing pain every time I had to get up to go to the bathroom, which was often, due to the IV; pain meds, blood draws, and BP checks.

As expected, no rest for the wicked! On the upside, they always closed the door so the room was dark and quiet, and never turned on blaring lights.

I found it interesting that there was no pain where the appendix was, only pain from where it was removed. Apparently it was quite large and had to be manipulated through muscle.

Sometime during the afternoon, after many checks from the surgeon’s office, nurses, bloodwork, etc. I was able to go home.

Discharge showed up with medications, and they called for a wheelchair. This was the only time we had to wait for anything. After about 30 minutes, I asked Lee Ann to see if a wheelchair was available so she could push me out to the car.

What happened next surprised us both! The nurse on duty came in with the wheelchair and wheeled me to the car.

I cannot speak more highly of my experience at Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville. It was exceptional, and the aftercare and check-ins that continued for a month were pretty impressive, too.

Bravo, Vanderbilt, and goodbye appendix!

Life is good; I am blessed and grateful.

FaceBook: CML: A Place for Hope and Humor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leukemialady/

Email: Meeeesh51@gmail.com

Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia and a Wonky Appendix!

2026-09-01T15:10:44.255-07:00

As many of you already know, in addition to living with chronic myelogenous leukemia since 2011, I also had borderline tumors of the ovaries in 2016.

I had major abdominal surgery to remove all of my female parts, along with my omentum, twenty-five years ago. It took me a year to recover from that surgery, and I have been closely monitored ever since. Apparently, these types of tumors, even though they are slow-growing, can recur. Funny tidbit: I always thought that the longer you lived after a cancer diagnosis, the better your odds were at remaining cancer-free. Unfortunately, the opposite is true of these types of tumors.

I see my original surgeon in Palm Springs, California, at the beginning of every New Year. This year (2026), just to be “on the safe side,” we did a CT scan, as I have had a nagging, on-again, off-again, dull ache in my lower right quadrant.

Typically, a Tylenol takes care of the pain, but in my hypochondriac mind, I have been convinced for years that it was my appendix. Every single time I left the country, I prayed it did not rupture!

Having had tumors and living with cancer for the past 15 years will give you an overactive, medical-doom mind!

Anyway, the CT scan came back showing that the appendix was elongated and irregular, and should be monitored; of course. And of course, this put me into a tailspin.

This was not appendicitis, but what was it? There is always the possibility that cells from my borderline tumors attached to the appendix or surrounding areas, causing the appendix to be elongated.

This would require surgery to remove the appendix, and “looking around” to see what may, or may not be brewing. It could be a quick surgery, or it could be extensive. It's one of those "we won't know until we get in there" kind of things. Something I abhor!

So, now what? What do I do? In addition to the wonky appendix, my CA 125, which is a blood test that can indicate tumors, was also elevated. This did not overly concern me, as it is often elevated due to my chronic pleural effusion.

BUT: it is another piece to the puzzle.

After hemming and hawing for a week, and being away from home for the past three months, I decided to fly home and repeat the scan there. The appendix did not appear to be in danger of rupturing, making that a safe option, so that is what I did.

I needed to be home, and I needed to see my kids, grandkids, and of course Teddy (the dog), too!

Once home, I had less time to sit and think about whether or not the pain was there, more or less painful, and more or less frequent. The pain was mostly like a dull ache. Nothing sharp, nothing stabbing. Just annoying and concerning.

My doctor suggested repeating the CT scan after three months, so I decided it would be wise to consult a gynecologic oncologist near home, which led me to Vanderbilt.

I was able to secure an appointment quickly, upload my previous scans and records, and see a doctor. We discussed my history in depth, along with my current scans and predicament.

Since I have had numerous experiences with doctors over decades, I am super picky and rarely impressed. I went into my appointment hopeful yet guarded, and I was pleasantly surprised by the level of care and compassion she displayed. She had reviewed my medical history and completely agreed with my original doctor's plan of attack.

I had the CT scan, and much to my surprise, the radiologist who read the scan did not mention my appendix, one way or another.

The doctor at Vanderbilt felt this was a good sign and did not see any evidence of any other concerning abnormalities. I felt relieved, yet apprehensive.

When I reviewed the scan with my long-time oncologist in Palm Springs, he was not comfortable with the assessment, so he requested a closer look at the CT scan by the radiologist, with special attention to the appendix.

Lo and behold, the abnormality was still there, slightly larger than before. My repeat CA 125 came back lower than before, which I considered a good thing.

This level of concern is why it is so important to build a long-term relationship with a doctor that you trust. I believe when you establish a long-term connection with a health care provider, they take a personal interest in your well-being. They get to "know " you, understand you, and are in your corner.

Had I just taken the information that there was no mention of my appendix, I would most likely have ended up in trouble.

I have a trip planned out of the country for five weeks, right around the corner, and with this ongoing saga, I was a little uncomfortable being so far from home with this issue unresolved.

Two more months down the road, another CT scan. This one was the clincher! Abnormal appendix with possible appendiceal mucinous neoplasm; aka appendix cancer.

I will admit that appendix cancer had crossed my mind, but I kept kicking that can down the road, chalking it up to my hypochondria!

Who the hell gets appendix cancer, anyway? Oh, wait! Something rare? That would be me! Ugh.

This news definitely took the “what ifs” out of the equation, and the appendix had to come out.

While I was a little freaked out, I felt relatively calm, which is unusual for me. I felt like they would take the appendix out and find it was cancer-free. And I could go to Europe without worrying about it rupturing while I was there.

So needless to say, time is of the essence! Anyone who knows me knows that I am not a very patient patient, and when something needs to be done, I want it done ASAP!

I received the CT results on Wednesday. On Friday, they told me that I had an appointment with a surgical oncologist the following Friday. She was the director of surgery at Vanderbilt, but there was no way I could wait that long!

I was on the phone in record time. “I am REALLY hoping that you can find something sooner!” I have found that being a squeaky wheel and really kind has afforded me favorable results.

“How about Monday?”

“Perfect! I’ll be there.”

This appointment was not with the original surgeon, so I checked with the referring physician and asked her to weigh in on this change. She was on board, which gave me confidence in my decision to get the soonest possible appointment.

Having had a lot of medical issues throughout the years, I am well-versed in self-advocacy and have a pretty good gut feeling of who I will, or will not, trust with my medical care. Knowing that I had a "backup" surgeon made me feel secure in this choice.

I met with the surgeon on Monday morning. Another woman! What are the odds?

I immediately fell in LOVE with her! And I rarely say that right out of the gate.

She was kind, patient, compassionate, and answered all of my questions. She understood my past medical history and considered previous surgeries. We discussed all of the possible scenarios, including the complications that may arise due to my previous borderline serous ovarian tumors. I felt comfortable with her knowledge and explanations, and I was ready to remove that wonky appendix: once and for all!

Best news: she could perform the surgery on Friday; the scheduled day of my original appointment. This put me a week ahead, leaving me plenty of time to recover before our European trip in September. Score!

I couldn’t have been more grateful for how quickly things came together, leaving me less time to worry, less time to fret, and quicker to put this all behind me.

This also left enough time for my daughter to fly in from California, at her insistence. I told her not to worry, that I would be fine, but she wasn’t having any of that. She arrived late Thursday night, and we left for the hospital at 5 am.

To be continued.....

Life is good; I am blessed and grateful.

FaceBook: CML: A Place for Hope and Humor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leukemialady/

Email: Meeeesh51@gmail.com

Quick Life and Leukemia Update!

2025-04-01T15:27:00.000-07:00

Since returning home from Europe in October, life has been a whirlwind. I was ok’d to drop my dose of Bosulif from 300 mg per day to 200 mg per day to make my European trip more manageable and enjoyable.

This meant 100 mg with my first and last meal. The difference has been remarkable. I have had less fatigue and intestinal issues and feel much more like myself. I have not felt this good since being diagnosed with CML in February of 2011, so if you are newly diagnosed, hang in there!

I must admit that I also missed a few doses of medication while we were in Europe due to travel, so coming home and having my blood drawn for my first PCR on this dose was a little nerve-wracking. I was praying that I would hold on to my previous “double zero” numbers so I could continue to stay on this 200 mg per day regimen.

Much to my delight, my test result came back as .0079%. Music to my ears, I was so happy and relieved that I danced around the house for an entire day, and I do not think I stopped smiling for a week. For those of you who have CML or other medical conditions that require testing, you know what waiting for test results feels like, and you also understand the disappointment when they come back differently than you had hoped.

This apprehension gets easier with time but never goes away.

I wasn’t home long before I jumped back into “life”. We had a dance class to teach (totally jet-lagged) and a four-day adventure to Pigeon Forge with friends.

Right after returning home from seven weeks in Europe, I wasn't sure about a four-day trip, but I hate missing out on opportunities when they arise. This happened more often than not during the beginning of my CML journey.

So, throwing caution to the wind, we went to Pigeon Forge. It doesn’t happen often, but I was the first one to bed every night, a small price to pay for being able to make the trip. We had a lovely time in the mountains and I am grateful I still felt well enough to join in on the fun.

Upon returning home, I re-adjusted to our time zone and resumed my “normal” life.

As fall was quickly approaching, I knew I had to squeeze in as much time as I could with the grands before heading to California for the winter. Nashville Zoo claims to have “the world’s largest Chinese Lantern” display called Zoolumination, so we thought we should check it out.

For once, I do not think the advertisement was exaggerated! It was amazing and we thoroughly enjoyed spending the evening perusing the lanterns with the grands. I highly recommend going if you are ever in the Nashville area during Zoolumination.

A quick Thanksgiving dinner and an early Christmas with our Tennessee family, and we were off again. This time to California to visit with my daughter and her family for Christmas, and then on to Palm Springs for more friends and family visiting, as well as warm weather, swimming, and dancing.

The weather was perfect this year, and everyone remained healthy. I didn’t suffer from the previous year’s cough due to allergens in the air, and I am grateful. That gave me hope for my oncologist appointment in March.

While in Palm Springs, I had my yearly mammogram and visit with my gynecological oncologist. The good news; no abnormal findings. This is always a relief.

In 2005, I had borderline serous tumors of both ovaries removed. I have been closely monitored for the past twenty years and often wonder if my CT scans attributed to my CML.

The bad news; these are extremely slow-growing tumors.

One might ask, “What does that mean?”

Well, it means that the common thinking is that the further you are out from cancer, the less likely it is to return. With borderline serous tumors, the opposite is true. Because they are so slow-growing, the further out you are from surgery the more likely they could begin to raise their ugly little heads again.

I have been reassured by my oncologist that he will continue to keep a close eye on me, and if need be, they will be dealt with if they re-appear. Comforting from the stance that my oncologist and I have a twenty-year history, but not so comforting that we will have to continue monitoring my abdomen! The thought of the return of these buggers is unnerving because I remember what that surgery entailed!

So, for now, I will keep on keeping on, and deal with the tumors if the need arises.

One last oncologist appointment before heading home. It has been three months since my last blood draw. I have not been sick or bothered by allergies, so I was more hopeful going into this appointment than I was last year.

Blood pressure 114/68!! Normal! Great news since last year, at this time, it was through the roof.

I believe the high blood pressure last year was due to the increased pleural effusion and low potassium, but I am not a doctor. All of my whacky labs returned to normal after my pleural effusion decreased.

The rest of the exam was “normal,” and my PCR results were .006%, meaning I will remain on 200 mg of Bosulif daily. I am relieved that this is the case because not only do I have to ingest less medication, hopefully doing less long-term damage to my body, but I also feel so much better. Having less fatigue, bone and body pain, and intestinal issues allows me to have a better quality of life.

And that is a quick recap for those who have been asking!

Life is good; I am blessed and grateful.

FaceBook: CML: A Place for Hope and Humor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leukemialady/

Email: Meeeesh51@gmail.com

Prague: It May Be My Favorite City!

2024-10-11T09:59:00.000-07:00

People always ask me what my favorite place is in Europe. I have never been able to answer that question because I have so many favorites! I always say that I can list my least favorites, but I can never pin down my most favorite.

Returning to Prague for the second time, I can confidently say that it has become my favorite city. Its charm is simply incredible.

Walking through Prague is like strolling through a fairytale land. The Prague Castle, Charles Bridge, the Old Town Square, the churches, and the Astronomical Clock seem like they have been plopped down in a Disney Movie. There are beautiful old buildings, cobbled streets, spires, and towers everywhere you look. It is hard to imagine how they have survived, and how quickly one can be transported, back in time.

A bonus on this trip was spending a few days with Joannie Clements, a fellow CML thriver, and her husband, Jerry. They were “in town” for a CML conference and secured an Airbnb right around the corner from us.

Our first full day in Prague was a little cloudy and threatened rain, so we decided to go to the chocolate museum and make chocolate bars! The museum depicted the history of chocolate using wax mannequins that are Madame Trousade-worthy. We learned about the ancient customs of the Aztecs and the Mayas and how chocolate influenced the world. Afterward, we sampled a LOT of chocolate. It was a fun way to spend the afternoon.

Feeling a bit worn out from our previous travel day, we decided to take a break for a few hours and meet up again for dinner.

Jerry found this lovely restaurant around the corner with a charming dining room that reminded me of a garden. I still wasn’t feeling great, so I only had a bowl of pea soup, which was amazing, but the dinners that everyone else ordered looked and smelled fantastic! Joannie had a bowl of lamb stew, and the boys had chicken paprikash. I was disappointed that I was not up to eating more, but super glad everyone else enjoyed their meals!

After dinner, we all walked over to the Charles Bridge, which never gets old to me. The Charles Bridge is a medieval stone arch bridge that crosses the Vltava River. Its construction started in 1357.

I enjoyed seeing the statues that have been restored and cleaned, as well as the ones that were in progress. Something I did not know was that beginning in 1965, all of the statues were systematically replaced by replicas, and the originals are currently exhibited in the Lapidarium of the National Museum.

The bridge made me think of the bridge in Oslo and the vast difference between the two of them. In Oslo, the bronzes were all naked, and modern, here in Prague they are Baroque statues of saints and patron saints.

Walking the cobbled streets of Prague never gets old, but this old lady gets tired! We had all reached our limits and eventually made our way home. Tomorrow is another day, I can hardly wait to see what adventures it will bring.

Night y’all!

FaceBook: CML: A Place for Hope and Humor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leukemialady/
Email: Meeeesh51@gmail.com

The Train That Turned Into a Plane!

2024-10-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

I prefer to travel by train, in Europe, whenever possible. It is so easy to get to a train station since they are typically in the city, as opposed to an airport that is typically a train or taxi ride away.

You simply go to the station, find your platform, and get on the train; easy peasy. There is no security check, and you do not need to arrive two to three hours before departure. The train route is indicated on your ticket, and I always verify it against the display board to ensure I'm on the right platform. However, today, our route was not listed as going to Prague.

I asked several people if we were on the correct platform, and everyone assured me we were. The scheduled train pulled into the station on time, and as we were headed for our assigned car, I overheard two girls speaking to a railway employee.

The universe told me to stop immediately and to listen.

Just as Joe was about to board the train, I heard the employee say, “No Prague!” My ears immediately perked up, and I looked at the girl's phone; it showed the same ticket, time, and platform as ours.

I stopped in my tracks to listen to what was being said, and since they were all speaking Polish, I asked the employee, in English, why the train wasn’t going to Prague.

He must have understood what I said, as he replied that the tracks were flooded between Krakow and Prague. I asked if we should take the train as far as it would go and then take a bus, and he vehemently said, “NO! It is a very, very small village; you are better here.”

It was clear that we were not supposed to get on that train. I thank God for saving us from a HUGE adventure, to who knows where!

I stopped Joe and explained the situation. The young girls were in tears, and I felt bad for them, but we knew we had to decide quickly how to rectify this situation because everyone heading to Prague would be looking for an alternative route.

We hurried to McDonald’s to access their Wi-Fi, quickly opened Google Flights, and discovered the last two tickets available on LOT Airlines for 500 Euros each. Yikes! I swiftly booked the tickets, aware that others would be looking for the same opportunity.

We were already at the train station, so we just had to buy a ticket to the airport. Since our flight to Prague was the last flight of the day, we did not have to rush. We just prayed that it would take off.

Our luck with Lot Airlines has not been stellar, nor has our travel in Poland; every time we travel to Poland, there is a transportation issue; a taxi strike got us last time, and we are hoping that the flood will be the only issue this time.

We have an amazing Airbnb in Prague, and the last thing I wanted to do was not get there to enjoy it!

It appears that the compensation LOT Airlines provided for our significantly delayed arrival in Krakow has been reclaimed by the airline. Such unexpected financial gains can be fleeting, as the saying goes.

In addition to our amazing Airbnb, we had friends from California waiting for us to arrive. My CML sister, Joannie Clements, and her husband, Jerry, were meeting us in Prague and had already arrived. We only had a few days together before they were headed to a CML conference, ESH, and we didn’t want to miss out on spending time with them.

Fast Forward:

I am relieved to report that our flight left on time and made it to Prague without further complications; we arrived safely and so did our luggage.

We took a taxi into Old Town, settled into our Airbnb, and immediately went looking for pickled cheese for dinner. Pickled cheese sounds disgusting, but the last time we were in Prague, the locals all recommended it, and we fell in love.

Oddly enough we could not find it on any of the menus in Old Town, and eventually, we asked a waiter standing out in front of a restaurant. He did a Google search and sent us on our way. We found the restaurant and ordered.

The pickled cheese, chicken on pumpkin risotto for me, and beef goulash for Joe. The pickled cheese was not as good as we remembered, but the CHICKEN! And the Risotto! OMG! Best chicken I have ever tasted. So flavorful, and juicy; why don’t we have chicken like this at home?

Joe’s dinner was very good as well, but I definitely won the order prize tonight!

After dinner, we walked through Old Town and arrived at the Astronomical Clock just in time to see the show. Because it was late, there was no crowd, which made for a very enjoyable experience.

The last time we were here, the clock was covered in netting; this time it was not. It also looked like it had had a princess day.

The Prague Astronomical Clock was first installed in 1410, making it the third-oldest astronomical clock in the world and the oldest clock still in operation. It is magical.

One of the best things about our Airbnb is that it is right around the corner from the clock tower. Being able to walk in and out of Old Town on a whim is a total bonus to this Airbnb. The hammock in the living room, with a view of church spires and the back of the clock tower, makes it the perfect place to stay while visiting Prague.

It has been a long day. I am so grateful we made it to the beautiful city.

Night y’all!

FaceBook: CML: A Place for Hope and Humor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leukemialady/
Email: Meeeesh51@gmail.com

Last Day in Krakow

2024-09-30T07:25:00.000-07:00

Today is our last day in Krakow, and we are taking it easy. I could not resist going back to that little cafe for another bowl of that amazing oatmeal. It was just a little different, but just as good!

After breakfast, we wandered over to the outdoor market, where people were peddling their wares and entertaining the masses. The food being cooked in the outdoor stalls looked beautiful, and I was very sorry I didn’t have a second stomach!

We took a few last laps through the Old Town Square, poked our head into a church, and couldn’t resist eating more grilled Camembert cheese and perogies before indulging in two more.

I am excited to be traveling to Prague tomorrow by train and also excited to call it a night earlier than usual. I am winding down and ready for some easier days. We have been to Prague before, so I am looking forward to enjoying the city without having to see all of the main attractions.

Hope you enjoyed Krakow as much as I did.

Night y’all!

FaceBook: CML: A Place for Hope and Humor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leukemialady/
Email: Meeeesh51@gmail.com

Krakow is Enchanting

2024-09-29T13:14:00.000-07:00

We found a lovely little cafe off the beaten path for breakfast. I ordered “oatmeal” and received the most amazing bowl of seeds, steel-cut oats, fruit, and nuts. It was the most delicious bowl of oatmeal that I have ever had. We also shared kielbasa, toast, and salad. The kielbasa, horseradish, and mustard were the Bomb!

Sometimes, no, often, my favorite part of being in a new city is the food!

Today we went to St. Mary’s Basilica, built in the 14th century, with its foundations dating back to the 13th century. It is one of the best examples of Polish Gothic architecture and is particularly famous for its wooden altarpiece.

Interesting tidbit from Wikipedia:

On every hour, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, a trumpet signal—called the Hejnał mariacki—is played from the top of the taller of Saint Mary's two towers. The plaintive tune breaks off in mid-stream, to commemorate a famous 13th-century trumpeter who was shot in the throat while sounding the alarm before a Mongol attack on the city. The noon-time hejnał is heard across Poland and abroad broadcast live by Polish Radio Jedynka.

After the church, we wandered over to the Wawel Castle. It is HUGE and has enlarged over centuries into many structures around an Italian-styled courtyard. It represents nearly all European architectural styles of the medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque periods.

The Wawel Royal Castle and the Wawel Hill constitute the most historically and culturally important sites in Poland; The Castle is now one of the country’s premier art museums. We chose to tour Castle I, which housed a large collection of Oriental art.

After wandering through the castle and streets of Krakow, we realized how hungry and tired we were, so we found a lovely outdoor cafe with live music and had dinner. I chose a salmon dish that was out of this world, and Joe had a breaded pork chop that he found delicious, too. Other than the rib dinner, the food in Krakow has been outstanding.

Night y’all!

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Krakow, Poland Makes Me Happy!

2024-09-26T02:10:00.000-07:00

When I was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia in 2011, 23 and Me contacted me asking if I would be willing to “donate” my DNA, as they were studying something to do with CML. My membership, with additional reports, etc. would be no charge to me.

Of course, I agreed. For the sake of science and curiosity. My biggest surprise was that my ancestry is 98.4% Polish, and I am in the top 1% of the Neanderthal population tested. Maybe that explains why I love Poland and Polish food?

We slept until 10 am, and after a few hours of lounging around, we were finally ready for lunch. After a short stroll through the park, we found ourselves in the Old Town Square. I was in awe of the buildings, the cobbled streets, and the atmosphere. With so many amazing cafes and restaurants, it was difficult to choose a place to eat. Eventually, we settled on “Sioux”, an adorable restaurant with outdoor seating.

I ordered the fried Camembert cheese with a grilled pear and cranberry sauce; it was divine. We also shared a chicken with pesto dish, on a fancy salad that was also amazing.Joe also tried the chicken soup.

After lunch, we walked over the Father Bernatek Footbridge. This bridge links the districts of Kazimierz and Podgórze. Andrzej Getter designed this bridge to accommodate both pedestrians and cyclists.

Since 2016, the bridge has been the home to ten acrobatic, gravity-defying sculptures by contemporary Polish sculptor Jerzy Kedziora. It was the perfect way to walk through the Jewish Quarter, on our way to the Schindlers Museum.

Oskar Schindler’s Factory of Enameled Vessels played an important role in Krakow’s history during the Nazi occupation. Schindler saved over 1,200 Jews by hiring them to work in his plant.

He transformed his enamelware plant to make shells for the Nazi, some of which he ordered to be faulty.

The factory now houses a permanent exhibition, “Krakow under Nazi Occupation 1939-1945”. The Factory’s exhibits, reconstruction of events images, and recordings from the time will transport you to one of Poland’s hardest years, where Jews suffered enormously.

I still find this time in our history so difficult to comprehend.

After visiting the museum, we stumbled upon The Church of Joseph. Of course, we went inside. Churches in Europe are like museums, housing various sculptures, paintings, mosaics, and stained glass. The buildings themselves are a work of art.

The church was built between 1905-1909; Jan Sas Zubryzcki designed it in the Gothic Revival style.

As usual, this church did not disappoint.

Walking back to the “Old Town Square,” we ran across another church, this one more ornate than the previous one. The Basilica of the Holy Trinity is a Catholic basilica built in a Gothic style and dates from 1223. It also houses a monastery of the Order of Preachers.

At this point, we were hungry and tired so we took the easy way out and decided to have ribs at Ribs on Fire, which was close to our home. They looked good when we walked by earlier, and we were just too tired to search for other options. The fig croissant saved the day!

It turned out that it was the worst meal of our trip. N0t horrible, just not amazing. The service was extremely slow, and the food was mediocre. The fascinating aspect of the experience was that while Joe was in the bathroom, he ran into American servicemen who were stationed at the same base as his son, Josh. It is a small world!

After dinner and 18,194 steps, we went home and collapsed! It was a great day in Krakow.

Night, Y’all!

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Mr. Toad's Wild Cab Ride!

2024-09-25T02:21:00.000-07:00

I avoided the cable car lines yesterday, but not the taxi lines today! We waited about an hour for a taxi to the airport; note to self; pre-book a taxi when departing a cruise ship.

Once again our cabbie was crabby because we did not have cash. He offered to stop twice at an ATM. The second time Joe said NO, adamantly, and that was that.

I am not sure whether it was our karma, or his, but about ten miles from the airport we heard a thunk and a lot of rattling and knew we had a flat tire. Our cab driver did an amazing job pulling the car off to the side of the road considering he was driving 70 MPH.

Our flight was at 2pm so we were not stressed about the time. He managed to put on the spare tire and we were on our way.

Once we arrived at the Athens airport we were met with a barrage of people. It was the most chaotic airport I have ever been in and opted for the wheelchair option. I can walk and keep up with most, but standing still in long lines, with people smashed up against me can make me woosie, and nauseous, and considering my lovely vagal nerve trick of passing out, and having a small seizure, I try not to put myself in those situations.

Today it was a blessing that the handicapped area was right when you walked into the airport, where we waited until it was time to check our bags. We were whisked through baggage check-in, and security and to our gate.

Our plane left late, which put us into Warsaw too late to catch our connecting flight to Krakow. No surprise there; it seems every time we are in Poland we have travel issues. Today was no different.

Luckily, we were met with a wheelchair that took us immediately to the information booth where we could rebook our flight; we got the last two seats, on the last flight of the day, to Krakow; six hours later.

They gave us two snack packs, two bottles of water, and two vouchers for dinner. We went to a Polish restaurant, ate some pierogies, and waited for our flight. Fortunately, our flight left only a little late, and we finally made it to Krakow; better late than never.

In Europe, when your flight delays the arrival to your destination by more than three hours, you are compensated, so that helps to lessen the disappointment and inconvenience. Ironically, the last time we were in Poland, we had similar travel complications, too. I am just grateful that we made it to Krakow. With our luggage, in one piece.

Our Airbnb was easy to find and in a perfect location. I can hardly wait to start exploring the city in the morning.

Night y’all!

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Nope! We Didn't Visit Santorini

2024-09-25T02:10:00.000-07:00

this is the closest I got to Santorini

This morning we woke up in Santorini. While it seems to be everyone’s favorite vacation destination in Greece, we took one look at the cable line (two hours plus), and the stairs, and we were nearly convinced that we should just skip it, and when it started raining, we took that as a sign and stayed on the ship.

After all of this “touristing” I am super tired anyway, so I figured it was probably “wise” to see Santorini from afar. It is not often that I listen to my logical side, but after hearing the horror stories of people waiting in the long cable lines, and slipping and breaking bones on the stairs, I had no regrets.

Our day was spent relaxing, packing, and preparing for dinner and the last show in Sid Norman’s Pour house.

Tomorrow we disembark and head to the airport for our flight to Krakow, Poland.

Night y’all!

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Heraklion, Crete: Greece

2024-09-22T06:02:00.000-07:00

Today, we are in Heraklion, the capital city of Crete. This island has been inhabited since at least 7000 BC and is a major center of Minoan civilization dating back to approximately 2000-1350 BC. It is often considered Europe’s oldest city.

The city was quite a distance from the cruise port, and since it was extra hot, we grabbed a taxi to show us around. For sixty euros we drove around the island, to the highest point, and to the center of Old Town.

We walked up to the Cathedral of St. Minas. This church was built from 1862-1869. It has a cruciform architecture with a central dome, and is stunning! The painted walls and ceilings were vibrant in color, and the chandeliers were massive in size. Interestingly enough, there was no pipe organ.

There was a side chapel with the “Holy Skull of Saint Titus”. St. Titus is revered as the first bishop of Crete. At the fall of Heraklion to the Turks, all relics were removed to Venice, where they remain today. The single exception is the skull of St. Tuts, which was returned to Heraklion in 1966 and is now kept in a silver reliquary in the church.

It is all kind of weird to me; why do all the other relics remain in Venice? I suppose I might be able to find out more about this with some research. (side note, Venice owned Crete)

After visiting the cathedral, we went to the Morosini Fountain, a fountain with four lions, for the obligatory photo, grabbed a Cappucino Freddo, my favorite coffee thus far in Europe, and hopped back in the taxi for a drive over to Firkas Fort.

The inner walls of the fort were built by the Byzantine Empire, with the outer walls built in the 16th century by the Republic of Venice; parts of both walls remain intact.

It is hard to believe that little bit of touristing took three hours, although I felt as though it took six. I think all of my adventuring is starting to catch up to me. I was happy to head back to the ship and have our last “fancy dinner” on the ship.

Cagney’s Steakhouse has been hit or miss on the Norwegian Cruise Line, so I was extremely happy that tonight was a hit. The crab cake was amazing, and I would have been happy with just that for dinner. But no, I also ordered a filet, which was cooked to perfection, medium-rare. I managed to eat half of it, leaving just enough room for a few bites of cheesecake.

It was the perfect ending to the day, and I was happy to climb into bed.

Night, y’all!

Rhodes Greece; An Amazing Day

2024-09-21T13:59:00.000-07:00

Historically, Rhodes was famous for the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The Medieval Old Town has been declared a World Heritage Site. Apparently, it is one of the most popular destinations in Europe. Who knew?

The island of Rhodes is a crossroads between Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. The island has been inhabited since about 4000 BC.

The greatest thing about arriving in this city, besides the amazing view from our balcony, is the fact that you can simply walk into the old town. I have never seen a city with such an enormous wall around it. It is HUGE and LONG! It looks as though it goes around the entire city.

We went into the first opening and came across ruins with three arches. The square where the arches are looks like it is straight out of a movie set. Continuing onward through the cobbled streets we came across so many amazing, well-preserved ruins.

Eventually, we found the Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes. The entrance fee for the Palace and Rhodes Castle, plus two additional museums, was only 10 euros per person. A bargain!

The palace was originally built in the late 7th century as a Byzantine citadel. After Knights Hospitaller occupied Rhodes in 1309, they converted the fortress into their administrative center and palace of their Grand Master. The palace was damaged in the earthquake of 1481 and was repaired soon afterward. It is remarkably preserved, and situated on a hilltop with amazing views of the sea and a cooling breeze flowing through the open “windows”.

We also went to the Archaeological Museum of Rhodes. The museum is housed in the monumental edifice that was the hospital of the Knights of Saint John. Construction began in 1440. There are a vast amount of archaeological artifacts from various parts of Rhodes and neighboring islands. It would be easy to spend the day within those walls.

After touring both of those sights, we decided that we had seen enough ruins, pots, spears, sculptures, heads, and headless statues for one day, so we gave our remaining two museum tickets to a young couple from Australia.

Walking back to the ship my dream finally came true! I was able to swim in the Aegean Sea! The water was a little cool, but felt wonderful on this hot day. The water is super salty and buoyant. It was the best part of the day for me!

After getting back on the ship we had an early dinner and enjoyed another entertaining evening at Sid Norman’s.

By the time we finished our 16,392 step day, it was nearly midnight! Time to relax before hopefully falling asleep.

Night y’all!

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Mykonos, Greece Made Me Smile!

2024-09-21T10:04:00.000-07:00

Waking up in Mykonos made me smile! The blue water and the white buildings were so inviting that I could hardly wait to get off the ship. Another great thing about this port is that it is walkable. No need for a taxi, and small enough to enjoy the old town, touristy area without much effort.

The weather was a bit cooler, and there was a lovely ocean breeze making our day out pleasant. Walking through the cobbled streets and cafes we saw many small churches, shops, and friendly kitties.

The Windmills of Chora and Ano Mera were a great boon to the people of those locations and were primarily used for grinding the agricultural products meant to be transported outside Mykonos. Most of them were built by the Venetians in the 16th century.

We enjoyed them from a distance, as there were so many people milling about on the hill, and at the base of them.

From the windmills, we meandered through the cobbled streets, visited a few small churches, shops, and kitties, and stopped at a local restaurant right on the water.

We ordered fried calamari, honey-drizzled feta cheese, Greek yogurt with honey, and of course, a beer. Sitting there enjoying our food, and looking at the blue water, was so relaxing, despite the tour groups walking by in droves, to see the windmills.

Walking back to the ship there was a small beach. I did not have my suit on, as we were told there was not a beach within walking distance, so I had to settle for a knee-deep wade. The water was FABULOUS and all I wanted to do was swim in it!

Once back on board, we relaxed until the early Sid Norman’s Pour house show.

While waiting for the 8 o’clock show, we saw an amazing sunset off of our balcony, perfectly ending our stay in Mykonos. The performers were doing two shows tonight; the entire Rumors album, plus a song that did not make the cut. In my opinion, they are the best talent on the ship!

We had a late dinner, and hit the hay!

Night y’all!

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Kusadasi, Turkey; An amazing Day!

2024-09-17T14:32:00.000-07:00

Today we woke up in Kusadasi, Turkey, which means that I will put my feet on the continent of Asia; this is a first for me. Our plan was to have lunch and hit the road; hopefully, in a taxi.

As luck would have it, as soon as we walked out of the port, a man approached us as we were headed to a taxi stand. He asked if we were looking for a taxi, and when we said yes, he said come with me; my brother loves Americans!

We asked how much and he said $100. We asked for how long and he told us however long it takes to see Ephesus, Mary’s House, and the Temple of Artemis; plus Turkish “culture”. I asked if he spoke English and had air-conditioning and he emphatically said YES! So we hopped on in.

Our cab driver’s name was Selcuk and he was a kick. He told us that he had nine brothers and sisters, but from two moms; both of whom are married to his father and live in the same house. I asked him how many wives he had and he said ONE! One is enough, plus, “new culture” is only allowed one wife.

He told us that he would take us first to Mary’s House; The Virgin Mary’s House. The house was discovered in the 19th century by following descriptions in the reported visions of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich, a Roman Catholic nun and visionary. It is believed that Mary, mother of Jesus, was brought to Ephesus, by the Apostle John, for her safety and that she lived her final years here, in Turkey.

It is rather hard to wrap my head around the possibility that I actually stood in a room where the Mother of Jesus spent her last years.

On our way up the mountain, we came to a complete stop due to the traffic; cars, busses, and taxis all taking people to see Mary’s House. He suggested that we turn around, go see the ruins, learn some Turkish culture, and come back. We agreed that we would rather do that than wait in that line for several hours.

So back down the mountain, we went. Our first stop of “culture” was a jewelry store! Lol The culture part was learning about Zultanite; a stone that is only found in the Ibir Mountains, in Turkey. This stone is very beautiful, and rare. What makes it unique is that it changes color depending on the light.

Very cool, but not something I need. The salesman was becoming quite pushy, which pisses me off, so I played my cancer card! I told him, “Look, I am going to be honest with you. I have cancer and I am in the process of getting rid of things, not acquiring them. And I choose to spend my money on travel, and not things.” Well, that shut him up really fast! He told me he would pray for me and walked me out to the taxi!

Our taxi driver told us that for every stop, he brought us to he would receive one point, and if he got 95 points by a certain date, he save 30% of something; either taxes to the government, or to the cab company I am not sure. He had gotten two in the morning, and the most he could get was five per ride. We told him we would help him get five points as long as we didn’t have to buy! Lol

He told us we did not, so off we went to the pottery store. There we watched a master potter throw an absolutely perfect pot with a lid. The lid fit perfectly which was quite impressive! Women were decorating various pieces of pottery and a shop full of completed pieces.

In one of the rooms he closed the curtains and turned off the lights and everything glowed. They were stunning in the dark. We did end up purchasing a spoon rest, as I broke ours right before we left on the trip so that earned point DID end in a sale for the proprietor.

After the pottery factory, we went to the leather factory. There I was required to try something on for him to earn his point. Ugh, more pushy salespeople. Yes, the clothing was STUNNING and I loved the coats and jackets, but I did not need, nor would I wear any of them.

Too fancy for me! Many were made from lamb and goat and were soft and luxurious, but once again; not something I would wear often, and not something I needed. I tried on three jackets and managed to say no and leave without buying one, but I will admit, I was tempted! Lol

Since we had spent so much time in the three “Turkish cultures” it was time to head back to Mary’s House, as in THE Virgin Mary’s house. There was still a bit of a wait, but nothing like before, our cab driver scooted around another long line of cars and went straight to the ticket booth, and bought our tickets.

Seven euros each to walk through Mary’s. It was a small stone house, with a statue of Mary inside; we were ushered through quickly, and no photos were allowed. I did pause for a moment to soak up the possibility that I was standing right where the Mother of Jesus stood so very long ago.

After we left the house, we walked past the prayer wall where people tied prayers, written on cloth and ribbon, and a water fountain that has been said to answer prayers. I am holding out that maybe my CML will be cured; you never know.

After leaving Mary’s House we drove down the mountain and stopped to take photos of Ephesus. The entrance fee to walk around the ruins was ridiculous, more than twenty-five euros a piece, so we were content with standing on the side of the road, looking through the chain link fence, and taking our photos from there. Thank you, Selcuk for the tip!

Next, he drove us to another site with ruins, The Temple of Artemis. We found that more interesting than Ephesus and there was no entrance fee; go figure! After a few moments of tromping around the ruins, we were ready to go.

We told Selcuk that we were still up for getting two more points for him, and he smiled so big! Our next point stop was a Turkish rug factory. Now let me tell you, I truly enjoyed this stop! Being a crafty person myself, I loved sitting and watching the women making rugs.

We learned so much about the materials used and even were shown how they spun silk from cocoons. The more intricate the rug, or wall hanging, the more knots per sq centimeter. Also, the more knots, the thinner the fiber.

One of the most fascinating things that I learned about the rugs was that when you looked at a rug from one direction it looked light, and when you looked at it from the other side, it was dark. There were many, many, many gorgeous rugs, but since I tend to buy my rugs at Costco, they were a bit out of my price range!

Next and final stop, Turkish Delights, candies, and Olive oils. We tried so many yummy things and did purchase some olive oil for your face (liquid botox) so look out, I WILL be looking like a teenager very soon, and two of their other treats. One, a chocolate cover chestnut roll, and the other some sort of walnut thing.

At this point we had learned much about the Turkish culture, met many brothers and cousins, and earned our cabbie his five points, so it was “Home, James!”

All in all, we paid $120, including the tip for 6.5 hours of a personal tour. It was a wonderful day and one we will not forget.

We arrived back on the ship HUNGRY! We went straight to dinner and enjoyed a cajun shrimp dish, walleye, and the most delicious gnocchi in pesto EVER!

Dinner did us in, we went straight back to our room and collapsed!

Another great day, I am so grateful and feel so blessed.

Good Night, y’all!

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Behind the Scenes Tour and Istanbul!

2024-09-16T10:12:00.000-07:00

I have been on many cruises over the years and always wanted to attend the “Behind the Scenes” tour, but it has either filled up before I remembered to sign up, or it was too damn early. Oddly enough on this trip, I have been getting up pretty darn early, and the tour was unusually poorly attended, so we were able to grab a spot.

The tour began at 8:30 am, and I was there with bells on my toes; just kidding, but I was there. We were able to view the largest kitchen on the ship, the one that prepared food for the three main dining rooms, the main thoroughfare for the employees, the laundry, and the theater.

The kitchen was immaculately clean and very busy! We were told about the mounds of bacon consumed every day, and the amount of eggs that were used; it was staggering. I learned that they have a butcher shop where they cut all of their meat. There are separate coolers for every type of meat; no cross-contamination there. Their bakery bakes all of the desserts and breads for the entire ship, too. I can scarcely comprehend what a feat feeding 5000 people, a minimum of three meals a day, is.

The next area that we visited was the crew area, it was bustling with crew members in and out of uniform. I believe the only mandatory requirement of the staff, is that they wear their name badge at all times. People were coming and going from all directions and every single one of them said “good morning”!

The next stop was the laundry, and that was my favorite stop on the tour! Seeing how the laundry is done in mass quantities is fascinating. The machines were HUGE, and watching the sheets, comforters, and duvets being sucked into a presser, and then automatically folded was so satisfying. I always wondered how everything was always so crisp and without wrinkles, and now I know.

The theater wasn’t much to talk about, they have replaced all of my favorite Broadway shows with what I would consider cruise acts, which is disappointing, but I will hold out full judgment until I see the “new” show on board in a few days.

The standing act at Sid Norman's Pour house is outstanding! The band is so talented, and they put on an amazing show.

After the tour, we had breakfast and went back to our room. It was going to be a few hours before we pulled into Istanbul, so we thought relaxing in our room, away from the crowds would be best.

Pulling into Istanbul was amazing! I had no idea what to expect, but the skyline was gorgeous! There were so many mosques, domes, and minarets dotting the city that it hardly looked real. I have never seen anything quite like it, and to say I was surprised is an understatement.

We did not sign up for any of the ship’s tours and opted instead to hire a cab to take us to Sultanahmed Square where we could see the Blue Mosque, St. Sophia’s Cathedral and Museum, and a large shopping area. They offered three hours for $100, and we bartered for four. Of course, he did not drive us for four hours but spent several hours waiting for us. Something is reassuring about knowing you have guaranteed transportation back to the ship. Money well spent.

It took an hour to arrive in the square because of the traffic. Bumper to bumper to bumper. The good news was that our cab driver had a translation app on his phone and encouraged us to ask questions. He was extremely informative and personable and we enjoyed him immensely.

When we crossed the bridge, he pulled over and said, “One Minute!”. What he meant was that we had one minute to jump out of the car to take a photo; he jumped out behind us, and took a great photo of us!

Eventually, we arrived at the square and headed straight to the Blue Mosque. The Blue Mosque's official name is the Sultan Ahmen Mosque and was constructed between 1609 and 1617. It has a classical Ottoman layout with a central dome and four semi-domes over the prayer hall.

It is decorated with thousands of Iznik tiles and painted floral motifs which are predominately blue. There was no entry fee, just a long line. We went to the exit and asked if we could enter through the "out" door as I had a difficult time standing out in the sun due to my leukemia. The gentleman agreed to allow us to enter through the exit; such a blessing.

Of course, we had to take our shoes off before entering and I had to cover my head. I brought a dinner napkin from the ship, just for this purpose. The first thing we noticed was the smell of stinky feet! The second thing was the beautiful interior of the mosque, it was indeed blue.

Once we left the mosque, we headed to the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque. This is the third church built on this location. It was built between 532 and 537 as the cathedral of Constantinople. In 1453, after the Fall of Constatine, Ottoman Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror turned Hagia Sophia into a mosque.

The Mosque was beautiful, and expensive to enter, in my opinion, but we figured we would likely never be in Istanbul again, so we bought the ticket. We also purchased the Sophia Museum portion, which we assumed was in the same location; it is not. And unless you are really, really into relics, I would skip it.

After the museum, we went in search of our cab driver; he was also looking for us, so we reconnected quickly. We had previously told him that I wanted to try the Turkish coffee, so he led us to his “cousin’s” shop. I believe that every single cab driver has a cousin, or brother with a shop!

The shop was lovely, and we tried numerous Turkish Delights made from honey, and they were all “delightful”! So, of course, we bought four “logs” of delight! Not cheap, but delicious; they will be a real treat when we are back home in the States. I also tried the coffee; it is very, very strong and had small coffee grounds floating in the teeny, tiny cup. I am not sure if all Turkish coffee is the same or not, but I am not 100% certain that I liked it.

The proprietor then dropped a crystal into a hot cup of water and said. "Smell!" Holy Moly! We experienced the potent menthol crystal, that comes “from the mountain”, and is guaranteed to knock your socks off! It smells like Vick’s Vapo-Rub times a thousand.

Once our “host” realized we were not purchasing anything else, we were ushered to his cousin’s carpet shop. I quickly informed the salesman that I had no intention of purchasing a rug, and when he realized I meant it, we were ushered outside.

Our cab driver was waiting for us with the car, and he brought us right back to the ship. He was amazing, and we enjoyed our day immensely, despite the crowds and the heat. I felt pretty good about the four-hour excursion for $120. (We gave our driver $20 cash)

Once we were back on the ship we went to Wasabi, the sushi bar onboard. It was quite good and more than I could eat, so we strolled around the ship for a while, before heading to bed.

Night, y’all!

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Email: Meeeesh51@gmail.com

Thessaloniki Greece: Not My Fave!

2024-09-15T08:24:00.000-07:00

Thessaloniki was our first stop; it is the second-largest city in Greece and was founded in 315 BC by Cassander of Macedon, who named it after his wife.

The best thing, for me, in Thessaloniki was the cats!!! Greece has kitties slumbering everywhere; they are clean, well-fed, and sooo friendly. I love that they let you love them!

We walked around for a bit and found several buildings, and churches under restoration, but we did not feel that the hike, uphill, to the open church was worth the effort, in the heat.

We saw the White Tower of Thessaloniki from a distance, as I have no desire to climb any more towers, on this trip!

The highlights of the day were buying three decks of cards, and getting slammed in Hand and Foot by Joe. (Two more rounds to go) and dinner at the French restaurant, Le Bistro.

I had the amazing lamb dish, and Joe had the filet, also amazing. I finished my entire meal (minus one chop), and my dessert.

I chose a poached pear, with ice cream and a ring of chocolate, with a hot chocolate sauce poured over the top; Devine!

Joe had some sort of shiny chocolate hot dog! He said it was delicious, too.

I was grateful for an easy day.

Night y’all!

Crabby Cabby and First Day on the Ship

2024-09-14T02:10:00.000-07:00

Lord, this hair!

A down day was just what I needed and thankfully I am feeling much better. We packed up and headed out. Since a hotel was right around the corner from our apartment, we figured we would catch a cab there.

Upon turning the corner, there was a cab, with a woman driver, which is a little unusual in Europe. We told her we were going to the port, and asked if she took credit cards. She said she did, so we got in.

As soon as she pulled away from the curb, she told us she would prefer cash. We told her the only cash we had was American dollars. She scoffed and said, “What will I do with those!?”

We told her that was the only cash we had, so she said she would take us to a bank so that we could get cash. We told her, “No!” We are not doing that, the exchange fees are too much.

We rarely, if ever exchange money when in a foreign country. The exchange fees are high, the rates unpredictable, and I hate when I get stuck with money I have not spent, and have to bring it home. We use a credit card, with no foreign transaction fees, and have all purchases charged in the current country’s currency.

She continued to rant and yell at us, telling us that she would have to wait two weeks for her money to be released, and she wanted cash now. We told her said she accepted credit cards, and we were absolutely NOT going to the bank, so stop asking.

She was beyond cranky and when we told her we didn’t know which terminal our ship was at I thought she might just pull over and dump us in the street! Oddly enough Norwegian did not tell us which terminal, only which port.

We did tell her we would recognize the ship when we got to the terminal, as it was very large, so she grumbled and continued to drive towards the port.

Once we were in the port, we passed two other cruise ships that were not ours, and I was beginning to worry, but once we turned the corner, we saw our ship; Thank God!

She pulled in and we offered to add a tip to her fare which was eighteen Euros, and she said, “NO!” rang up the charge for eighteen Euros and drove away. I was so glad to get out of that cab, and reminded myself that if the cabby is crabby before we get in the car, then I need to just refuse to get in, and find another taxi with a more pleasant driver. Lesson learned: SELF-ADVOCATE! Duh!

It began to rain as we crossed the parking lot to the cruise ship, but it didn’t last long. The boarding process at the port was so well-organized and fast. We were on the ship less than an hour from when we left the apartment.

We had lunch at O’Sheehan’s, and all is well with me. I am so happy to be in one place for nine days. This is the first time I have fully unpacked my suitcase since I left home on August 14th! This cruise is a busy one, with ports every day.

Today is an easy day; dinner and a show at Sid Norman’s Pur house. The bands playing there are always great, so talented and entertaining.

Night y’all!

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Email: Meeeesh51@gmail.com

Last Day in Athens is a Bust!

2024-09-13T05:18:00.000-07:00

I have been amazed at how well I have felt throughout my travels thus far. I have been quietly thanking the health Gods, all along the way. I think they must be blessing someone else today, as I woke up in the middle of the night with good old diarrhea!

If I wasn’t the “leukemia lady” and traveling through Europe with CML, I probably wouldn’t even share this lovely tidbit, but because so many people living with cancer live an unpredictable lifestyle, based on side effects and treatments, I felt it best to share the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Our “plan” for the day was nothing extravagant, we were just going to have lunch and dinner and maybe do a little shopping. After spending most of the morning in and out of the bathroom, and taking Immodium and Zofran, I finally gathered the courage to walk down to the bakery around the corner to see if anything looked appetizing.

I have a sneaky suspicion that this bout of diarrhea may have been from the food, not my Bosulif, although Joe and I both ate the same things and he is fine.

We brought our breakfast “snacks” back to the apartment, just in case, because if you have ever been to Europe, you know that toilets are at a premium!

Turns out that it was agood thing that we ate at home because shortly afterward I was in and out of the bathroom and down for the count. That day was a real “Down Day”.

I spent my last day in Athens in bed. While I was a little disappointed, I reminded myself how fortunate I have already been, and that these days are to be expected. I have such a hard time giving in to these down days, as my heart and soul always says “Go”; so when my body says “No”, it makes me a little sad.

Joe did wander out for dinner, and also went to Victory for one last Baklava. He had a great time visiting with other Americans and the staff, and I was sorry to have missed it, but such is life.

No doubt the universe is telling me to slow down, at least for a few days. I am grateful that I can do so, and I am looking forward to getting on the ship tomorrow.

Night y’all!

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Email: Meeeesh51@gmail.com

More New Friends: Another Day in Athens

2024-09-11T08:15:00.000-07:00

The hot days have lent themselves to a slower pace and have given me some much-needed rest. I think I am beginning to feel human again. This morning, after having Greek yogurt in our room for breakfast, we eventually found our way to Victory Cafe. It is said to be a favorite of locals and tourists alike.

We ordered a Greek salad and a Gyro plate. After being here in Athens I do not know if I will ever be able to eat Feta cheese, at home, again. The Feta here is to die for, and the cucumbers and tomatoes rival homegrown. Once again, another great, inexpensive meal, oh, and don’t forget the Cappucino Freddo.

This meal had a bonus factor; we met a lovely couple from Ormond Beach, Florida. They were a football rival when I lived in Deland, Fla. during high school, so needless to say, he had to throw in a “Go, Bulldogs!” We had a great time sharing travel stories as well as stories from “home”.

After they left, another couple sat down and I immediately recognized her southern accent and knew they were from “home”, too. We also started chatting and found out they were supposed to be in Switzerland, but changed plans and came to Athens because of the rain in Switzerland.

They are planning to go to Switzerland next week, so of course, we shared our travel tips with them, along with our Airbnbs. We also shared a few of our favorite restaurants here, too. They were the cutest young couple, and we so enjoyed visiting with them.

After lunch, we decided to stroll over to the central market square, despite the vendors being closed on Sunday, just for something to do. Along the way, we ran across the Holy Metropolitan Church of the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary. It is exactly what I expected for a Greek church. Full of rich-colored paintings, arches, and much gold and silver.

The construction of the cathedral began on Christmas Day, 1842, and continued for twenty years. Workers used marble from 72 demolished churches to build the immense walls.

As we continued our walk, we ran across another church, the Holy University Church of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary: Panagia Kapnikarea. It is another Greek Orthodox Church built sometime in the 11th century and is one of the oldest churches in Athens.

It too is full of rich paintings, mosaics, and silver and gold. It is quite remarkable, and you can see where they are continuing to restore the paintings.

After a very short walk through the stinky market, we headed home for the obligatory afternoon reset. I just can’t quite garner enough energy to last a whole day, in this heat.

After a few hours, we began to get hungry, and instead of wandering the streets, dodging tourists, and looking at menus, we decided to go back to Athena’s Cook, because it was so good.

As soon as we sat down I felt a hand on my shoulder, and who do you think was standing there? It was Andrew, from Victory, who said that Kaitlyn was inside. They decided to take our recommendation and have dinner at Athena’s Cook.

They had not ordered yet, so we asked if they wanted to join us, and they said yes! It was a delightful dinner, and we enjoyed these kids immensely. They live in Sedona, and we hope to see them again in the States.

I love how the universe brings people into my life.

Tomorrow is another day.

Night y’all!

FaceBook: CML: A Place for Hope and Humor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leukemialady/
Email: Meeeesh51@gmail.com

The Acropolis and Parthenon Museum

2024-09-09T03:23:00.000-07:00

It is another hot day, here in Athens. Perfect for an indoor activity. The Acropolis and Parthenon Museum seemed the obvious choice as it was just around the corner from our apartment, and hey, we are in Athens, right?

The museum was built to house every artifact found on the rock and the surrounding slopes, from the Greek Bronze Age to Roman and Byzantine Greece. It also lies over the ruins of a part of Roman and early Byzantine Athens. There are more than 4,250 objects exhibited here and the views are astounding.

I learned much by watching the short film that was played continually, and I was amazed at the sheer age of what was housed there.

It was a perfect way to experience the history of Athens as I am certain that walking up to the ruins, spending a few hours while up there, and then walking down in the heat is not a good idea for me. I can scarcely believe that I am actually saying no to an activity based on what is “best” for me!

We shall see if my good sense holds out during our entire stay.

Of course, after tromping around the museum we were hungry, and the most difficult thing about that is that there were so many amazing options that we were having a hard time choosing where to eat.

We ended back at Ami Cafe and ordered a pizza, it had some sort of meat, like salami, pine nuts, and mascarpone cheese; it did not disappoint! The food in Athens is inexpensive and delicious; I might need to be wheeled to our cruise in a few days.

After lunch it was time to give these tired old legs a rest, so we headed home and took a short break before our next adventure.

The adventure consisted of walking around the Acropolis at night, looking up at the lit ruins that are thousands of years old. They truly do not even seem real; they look like a postcard. There was a concert being played that night in the theater so there were throngs of people, everywhere.

After walking through the shopping streets, we decided to call it a night; 13k steps were enough for me!

Oh, and dinner! lol The Greek salads and feta cheese here are to die for!

Night y’all!

FaceBook: CML: A Place for Hope and Humor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leukemialady/
Email: Meeeesh51@gmail.com

6 am Flight “Manny, Say WHAT”??

2024-09-08T03:10:00.000-07:00

Those of you who know me know that I am NOT a morning person. I have never been a morning person (thanks, Mom), but since being diagnosed with CML mornings are even more of an enemy now. Since my journey with CML, my mornings have become increasingly difficult; nausea, sometimes diarrhea (med side effects), brain fog, difficulty sleeping, and the old age issues of “getting the body moving” all make my mornings SLOW!

To make our 6 am flight, we had to leave our apartment at 4 am. Being up till 3 am is not a problem, but getting up at 3 am is not so much fun! Fortunately, I was able to take a Xanax (something I reserve for just this occasion) and fall asleep by 10 pm. I set my alarm for 3:30, but as luck would have it, my stomach woke me up at 3.

I knew we were getting on a plane, and then a bus so I did not hesitate to pop a Zofran and an Immodium. Thank goodness they kicked in quickly. We made it to the airport with time to spare, and I was lucky enough to bump into Gabe and LeeAnn on my way out of the bathroom. Their flight was at 7 am and they dropped off the rental car; perfect timing for one last hug and goodbye!

Our flight was on time and I was so grateful to have this leg of our journey behind us; I had been dreading this leg of our journey since the moment I booked it. There are not a lot of options flying out of Geneva!

We landed early, found the X95 bus to Syntagma Square, and began that leg of our journey. Getting off at the bus stop we were not certain which way we should go to our apartment, and with Gabe and the GPS gone, we were left to our own devices.

I quickly spotted a hotel and a bellman. He was so very kind and gave us quick directions which led us a few blocks, right to our apartment. The apartment is small, clean, and has AIR-CONDITIONING and FANS!!! Score!

It is centrally located and will be a perfect place to regain our strength before getting on a cruise in four days. I am exhausted, with a full heart, so some rest will be good.

After settling into our Airbnb, we headed out to find some food. Neither of us had eaten and were quite hungry. We quickly found Cafe Ami and sat down. They were still serving breakfast but did have a Monte Cristo sandwich on the menu, so that is what I ordered, and it hit the spot. I also had the most amazing iced cappuccino; the best coffee I have had since arriving in Europe. I will be back for that!

Afterward, we went and took a nap. Joe is a napper, I am not, but to my delight, I fell asleep and took a short nap. You know I was tired when that happened. When we woke up and got moving we went in search of dinner.

I keep thinking I am going to gain 50 lbs on this trip, as I feel like all I do is eat, but I suppose the 13k-22k steps a day will balance out the extra food intake. We found a lovely restaurant, Athena’s Cook, with seating inside, and air-conditioning. Did I mention that it is nearly 100 degrees? The Heat and I are not friends!

Anyway, I ordered the Sea Bass; seems to be my new go-to thanks to my son’s friend, Susie! It was AMAZING!!! Even better than the Sea Bass at the rose garden in Bern. It was perfectly cooked with fresh vegetables and a mayo-avacado garnish. The flavors were Devine! Perfect on a hot night.

Afterward, we took a stroll through the streets and found the Plaka area full of shops, restaurants, and tourists! Walking along, we could see glimpses of the Parthenon and the Acropolis, so we kept heading that way. High up on the hill, looking like a postcard, the ruins were right in front of us.

In hopes of a better view, we headed uphill on cobbled streets. We did not find a better view, but we did find many friendly kitties, and an adorable, old neighborhood.

With our early morning catching up to us, we decided to save our exploration for another day and headed back through the streets of Plaka. Things are significantly less expensive here than in Switzerland, so this is going to be fun!

Night y’all!

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Off We Go to Annecy, France!

2024-09-07T01:44:00.000-07:00

One of the perks of staying in France vs Switzerland is it is far less expensive! Same meal, half the price! Other perks are our Airbnb; they have a sauna, and fans, and are super close to the airport!

When we woke up it was raining, the first real rainy day of our trip. We have been so fortunate with the weather that none of us minded a bit. It was enjoyable and a really good excuse to simply laze around before hitting the cobbled streets.

Instead of going back to Geneva, we decided to go to Annecy, France, and I am so glad we did! It was charming, quaint, delightful, refreshing, and beautiful. I LOVE France!

This historical alpine town is known for its great food, historical sights, winding canals, cobbled streets, and pastel-colored houses. Lake Annect feeds into the Thiou River and is so clear you can see straight to the bottom. I would love to spend an afternoon sailing on the lake.

While strolling through the streets, we came upon Eglise Saint Morice D’Annecy, a Catholic church, so, of course, we had to go in. It is a Gothic church that was built as the chapel of a Dominican convent in 1422. Churches are great free museums, full of artwork and stained glass. My favorite things to discover are the pipe organs and gargoyles. This particular church did not have any gargoyles, but they had a beautiful pipe organ and to our delight, a young man was playing it. The sound of the organ filling the church was regal.

There were so many amazing-looking restaurants we had a hard time choosing one, but once we finally made a choice, we were happy. Restaurant Chez Monique had so many good things on the menu that it was hard to make a choice, so I asked our waitress to choose for me; her choice was the salmon spaghetti, I am certain they had a fancier name, but I do not remember what it was! It was delicious!

LeAnn had a salmon pizza, Joe a Lamb shank, and Gabriel had another pasta dish. The beers were in HUGE skull mugs and were icy cold. It was a lovely dinner for our last meal together in Europe.

Annecy was the perfect ending to our travels together with LeeAnn and Gabriel. It is going to seem very strange continuing on our journey without them, but “real” life is calling them home. I know Jack and Flynn will be very happy to have them back, but they will be missed here!

Our flight leaves at 6 am, for those of you who know me, I am likely to be UP at 3 am, but not likely to WAKE UP at 3 am! This is the flight I have been dreading, so I will be glad to put it behind me!

We made amazing memories that will last a lifetime and I am so, so, so grateful.

Night y’all.

FaceBook: CML: A Place for Hope and Humor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leukemialady/
Email: Meeeesh51@gmail.com

Chillon Castle and Geneva, Switzerland

2024-09-05T04:40:00.000-07:00

Leaving our Airbnb in Fribourg is bittersweet. It was a delightful place to spend our time in this area, but we must move on toward Geneva. On our way, we stopped at Chillon Castle, and I am so glad we did.

We had a delicious snack before going into the castle; three different quiches, a pasta dish, and overnight oats. All of the food we have eaten here in Europe is amazing, I will likely miss that and the fountains with clear water, more than anything else.

Château de Chillon is located on Lake Geneva in the canton of Vaud. It was first occupied by the House of Savoy, followed by the Bernese and now belongs to the canton de Vaud.

It was built on the island of Chillon, an oval limestone rock and I was amazed at how they incorporated the actual landscape, (rocks) into the castle.

The counts and dukes of Savoy used the castle as a residence but also to house prisoners. Its most famous prisoner was probably François de Bonivard, a Genevois monk, prior of St. Victor in Geneva and historian, who was imprisoned there for six years in 1530.

We spent several hours going through the castle and marveled at all of the different rooms including the “out-houses” which were toilet holes, in alcoves, that opened to the lake below. The best part about these toilet holes was the breeze coming up through them! Maybe it was designed that way so you could air dry!

After tromping through the castle we decided to drive to the old town of Geneva on the way to our Airbnb. That was a bit of a poor choice because of the traffic; it was bumper to bumper with traffic lights only allowing one, maybe two cars through each rotation. Kind of felt like I was in LA!

We forged onward and finally arrived at our destination. After a short walk uphill, we found Saint Pierre Cathedral, and luckily, it was open. It is the principal church of the Reformed Protestant Church of Geneva. It was a Roman Catholic Church until 1535.

At the time of the Reformation, the interior of the large, cruciform, late-gothic church was stripped of its rood screen, side chapels, and all decorative works of art, except the stained glass. This left the interior of the medieval church plain, and stark, unlike most churches that survived,

In the 1890s, Genevans redecorated a large, side chapel in a polychrome, gothic revival style. It is stunning.

After leaving the church, it started to rain. It is the first time that it has rained on us while tourist-ing. The Weather Gods have been “Forever in our favor!”

Leaving Geneva we drove to France to our Airbnb in Ferney-Voltaire. It is really close to the airport as we all have butt-crack of the morning flights on Sept. 6th. The apartment is adorable, with a small balcony and the most important feature: FANS!!!

As Americans, we are spoiled with air-conditioning in our homes and there have been a few nights where it was difficult to sleep because it was hot, and there were no fans.

Luckily, we are right by a market, and an amazing Indian restaurant. Dinner was amazing, as usual, although the Indian food in Oslo was better.

Time to get some sleep so we will be rested for our last day of tromping around with LeeAnn and Gabe.

They are headed to the States in two days and we are headed to Athens. It is going to be very strange without them!

Night y’all!

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Email: Meeeesh51@gmail.com

It’s a Down Day, HAHAHA!

2024-09-04T12:39:00.000-07:00

Slow and steady wins the race.

For whatever reason, last night, LeeAnn, Gabriel, and I could not fall asleep. The last time we giggled was 3 AM. We are staying in an amazing artist’s loft with three open-ish sleeping areas, and we were trying to be quiet because Joe was sound asleep! Why is it that when you are trying to be quiet, it is so difficult??

While open sleeping areas are not perfect, this one was worth any inconvenience. The owners are fabulous, and so friendly and thoughtful: one son is a playwright, the father is an artist, there is a daughter who is an architect and the other brother is a doctor. We thoroughly enjoyed spending time with them and loved the fresh eggs that they shared with us.

So, back to our “down day”. We woke up after very little sleep and decided that we should just hang out and take it easy. Have a down day, if you will.

It wasn’t long before Gabe brought up the idea of walking to a “nearby” Monastery and river.

He said it was about 40 minutes there and back, and since it was cooler today, I decided it would be a great idea to join them! 13,234 steps later and an uphill trek home in the sun, and the rest of my day became a down day! Kicked my ass! Hahaha

The walk to the river was quite enjoyable, it was overcast, downhill, and not too hot. The river was ice cold, the monastery was cool, and I am grateful I remembered to bring my sunbrella!

Gabriel was the only one brave enough to actually get in the ice-cold water, but I did roll up my pants and wade in it; my feet were numb when I got out, but it was super refreshing.

The monastery is actually a working monastery with monks and a gift shop! lol They are restoring the church on the property so we were not able to go in.

After dousing myself in the fountain, we headed back home.

Tomorrow morning we head towards Geneva to our last Airbnb, in France with Gabe and LeeAnn. It is going to seem very strange to continue on our trip without them.

Here’s to sleeping tonight.

Night y’all!

FaceBook: CML: A Place for Hope and Humor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leukemialady/
Email: Meeeesh51@gmail.com

Gruyere Castle and Thermal Baths in Charmey, Switzerland

2024-09-03T08:37:00.000-07:00

A hop, skip, and a jump and we were in the adorable village of Charmey. We met a darling Bernese Mountain dog named Luna, and her owners, and enjoyed the many different signs, flowers, and shops on our way to the castle.

Strolling through the charming town on the way to Château Gruyères offers a delightful experience, as the castle is set amidst a breathtaking landscape that has captivated visitors for centuries. The Château de Gruyères, a medieval fortress dating back to the 13th century, not only showcases impressive architecture but also houses collections that reflect its rich history, art, and legends spanning eight centuries.

Built-in the 13th century, Gruyères Castle was the principal home of one of the leading noble families in Switzerland during the Middle Ages. Initially constructed as a fortified castle, extensive work was carried out in the 15th and 16th centuries to turn it into a stately residence. Eventually becoming an artists colony.

In 1938, the Canto of Fribourg bought back the property and opened it to the public.

After walking around the castle and its garden, we strolled back through the village and had a Swiss delight: Meringue with La Gruyère double cream and raspberries. I have never been a fan of meringue, as it is typically too sweet, but this was delicious!!! The meringue was not too sweet, and the whipped cream was not sweet at all, so the combination, along with the flavorful raspberries was delightful.

While walking to our car we were met by a small herd of cows. They were super friendly and started Moo-ing as we walked past. The cowbells that they wear are huge and can be heard for miles.

The next stop was Les Bains de la Gruyère; thermal baths filled with mineral water. The baths are surrounded by “pre-alps” (whatever that means) and were breathtaking. There are three large swimming pools, two outdoor and one indoor with an array of waterfalls, jets, and mini whirlpools. There are also Nordic, Turkish, and Oriental steam baths. Soaking this sore body was a lovely way to end the day before driving through the lush mountains back “home”.

We cooked an amazing dinner of small filets from Aldi’s, with spaetzle and the largest green, “Romano” beans I have ever seen. Everything was delicious!!!

Tomorrow is another day; bedtime!

Night y’all!

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Email: Meeeesh51@gmail.com