And we're Back

That's it - no more flying with "the leg" (as I affectionally call it). That was my last flying trip of the Fall and, I believe, the last flights I have to take for 2008 as I'm driving home for the holidays this year. Flying with a broken leg has got to be one of levels of hell in Dante's Inferno. Everyone is in "airport" mode which means they have no awareness of their surroundings outside of themselves and their luggage. If their luggage happens to careen widely into you - well - that just sucks now doesn't it. Being in O'Hare especially had me on high alert as it's a bunch of business travelers with roller bags full of business papers and business things on their mind. They are obviously far superior to those of us not dressed in business suits and as such they rule O'Hare. (said with the utmost affection to my husband and other business travelers out there) On the plus side though, apparently I looked sufficiently pathetic after United moved my gate from one side of the terminal to the other and I had to crutch my way down there dragging my bag behind me like some half-crazed bag lady that they bumped me up to first class. Did you know they serve warm cookies and milk on United First Class? Almost makes it worth the cost of the ticket!

The tradeshow was good and I'm putting together a list in my head of the highlights and lowlights which I'll get up here in the next day as I'm sure you're sitting there going nuts with anticipation. Sadly however I've decided that Chicago just doesn't agree with me. I spent two years there in grad school and the entire time my skin was a disaster. I'm sure it had nothing to do with the poor grad school diet or grad school hours - nope, it was Chicago. This was confirmed this weekend when after only a day in Chicago my entire body broke out in hives. Yes, too much information I know. But let me tell you that nothing is as much fun as being stuck out at the airport for a tradeshow and having no access to a pharmacy. The thought crossed my mind to find an emergency room but at this point I think my health insurance is going to cut me off for being too expensive and I didn't want to add fuel to the fire. You think I'm kidding? Last week the insurance company sent me a note basically asking who they can sue to make back the money their spending on fixing my broken leg. I told them that I was sure the US Forest Service would anti up that money without a problem. They don't currently find me too amusing.

So anyway, according to the doctor I saw today, I am suffering from a massive allergy attack. Either an allergy to some normal Fall allergin - and it's just made worse by the fact that my immune system is already overtaxed with trying to heal the leg. Or, and this is the fun one, it's a metal allergy to all the new hardware in my leg. When the doctor mentioned that possibility I must have looked like i was about to break into tears because he quickly followed it up by saying it wasn't likely...but was still a possibility. In the meantime, I'm choosing to believe it's an allergy to Chicago. Or, more correctly, the Rosemont Convention Center - which - if you've spent any time in there, you would probably agree with me.