Date: 2008-11-17
From: Gettysburg Hospital

To: Troy, New York
Miles today: 0.0

I apologize for not writing this sooner and leaving people wondering if I was still in the hospital. I am now in Troy, New York visiting my daughter and family as planned but just a few days early.I did not get all the way to Duncannon due to my trip to the hospital. It seemed wisest to stop for the year and start the visit with my daughter a few days sooner than planned. I did get about 483 miles done this year and get to Pennsylvania and I am quite content with that. As I saw the rain outside and the forecast for severe cold I am just as glad to be off the trail for now. I know I could have easily survived the cold into the 20s but lower than that would be rather uncomfortable. And I am a section hiker with no urgent need to complete the trail right now. It would have been nice to have met my goal of 550 miles but in the larger scheme of things, missing 65-70 miles this year is no biggie.My last day in the hospital I was visited by 3 more clergy, one who grew up in Washington and wanted to visit another Washingtonian. We had a great time visiting and I am very sorry I did not write his name down as my poor memory did not hold the name. Thanks for visiting! The other 2 were sent by a pastor in Tacoma when my name went out on the prayer chain in the Synod. Steve Herr and Rick Adams. (I remembered their names because I wrote them down.) Again I had a great time talking to these two caring souls and telling them about the trail. So I had 6 pastors visit in 2 days. I don't think I could have had any better pastoral care. Thank you to each and every one.To top off the many wonderful ways I have been helped in this circumstance, Pastor John Spangler and his wife just happened to be going on a quick trip to New Hampshire so they drove me right to Troy to see my daughter. Thank you so much for you wonderful help for the wandering sojourner/hiker/pastor/ and grandma!Thank you also to everyone who has signed my trail journal. Not all of you have left email addresses for me to respond although I would like to send you each personal thanks for signing the journal. And Swamp Fox and Blue Sky, I cannot respond to you until I get home to my own computer after December 10 but it was GREAT to hear from you. And yes, I had my blackberry jam with me. And what exciting adventure did you two go on this year?To sum up. No one knows why I had the intestinal blockage, just that the CT scan showed inflammation in a particular area. I responded extremely fast to treatment, for which I am gratefull. And I do not seem to have any lingering problems. I am on a low residue diet for two weeks and that is that. It really was not related to the trail in any way anyone can discern except I just happened to be on the trail when it happened. Fortunately I did not have far to go to get help and I responded so quickly.Now I am busy playing with two of my darling grandchildren and helping my daughter a bit as she waits for the imminent arrival of the next one. I will post his picture when he arrives and I will try to get my pictures downloaded into the journal over the next week or two.May all hikers still on the trail make good descisions and have a safe hike.