Catching Up

I’m not sure why, but I’ve been having a heck of a time trying to update on what’s been happening since Drew had surgery.  Nothing spectacular, really, but still, it’s rude of me to keep you all waiting for an update, so this is probably my fourth try, now.  I’d ask you to wish me luck, but you won’t know to do that unless I actually finish this entry and publish it.

Where to begin?

Since my driving hiatus due to the seizures caused by the encephalitis, I have been reluctant to drive at night.  Because I didn’t want Drew to be alone all day, we thought it would be a good idea to bring his 22-year-old daughter out here to help me drive back and forth from the hospital.  It’s a good 30 minutes drive from the hospital to our house, and if you’re familiar with the Raleigh area, it’s a sprawling city surrounded by thick wooded country communities.

Kaia arrived on the night of the surgery.  By the time we got Lyft to pick her up and bring her here, it was nearly 2 AM.  I let her sleep until 10 or so, then knocked on her door.  She told me she wasn’t ready to go, so I went without her.  She called me a couple of hours later, and was ready to come to visit her Dad.  She spent a lot of time fighting via text with her girlfriend/fiance’.  But it was a good visit.

Then this happened (copied directly from Facebook):

Last night was quite the adventure!
When we were driving to the hospital, the engine light came on in my van. It wasn’t overheating. It’s only just now due for an oil change. The day before, the tire pressure sensor was alerting, off and on. I thought maybe I had some electrical thing, but I wasn’t terribly concerned. 
Since I’m uncomfortable driving after dark, now, Kaia was driving us home from the hospital. It was around 10 PM, and we were exiting the highway to get home. As we were coasting to a stop, my van died. It never does that. Kaia tried to start it again, and nothing happened. The A/C was still working. The flashers worked for a few moments. Then they stopped, too. We were stranded on the exit onto highway 42.
I called AAA for a tow. Then I sent a text to Keith, the owner of the auto repair shop that I worked for when I got sick. I also consider him a dear friend. He called me back right away, and told me to have the car towed straight to the shop.

Drew is home now.  I had to drive and that was not fun at all.  He’s a horrible passenger, even when he’s not in pain.  He’s definitely not his usual self, though he’s trying hard to be.  He got his staples out, today, and he’s slowly trying to return to work (which means sitting in front of his home computer).

In other news, my disability hearing is scheduled for late October.  I’m hopeful, but not optimistic.  Is that possible?