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72 Hours Pre-Trip

“I feel like my cough is getting worse,” I tell the Primary Doctor.

I’ve been dealing with a chronic cough and lung inflammation since April. It’s fluctuated in degrees of severity, but on this September evening, it seems worse.

We’re leaving for the TBEX conference and our Western road trip in a few days. If I’m developing something serious, I want to get a jump on it before our trip.

The doctor conducts the usual exam. She states my lungs sound clear, and doesn’t think there is anything amiss.

Reassured, I finish packing.

TBEX Conference 

I arrive in Billings, Montana, in good spirits.

If you’re a travel blogger, vlogger, podcaster, writer, etc… I highly recommend attending the TBEX Conference.

You’ll hear from great speakers like Youtube Vlogger, Cup of TJ (who I totally fangirled over)

and the wonderful Rob Taylor from the 2TRAVELDADS website.

TBEX also throws great parties. You never know who you’re going to meet.

My favorite part of TBEX however, meeting face to face with friends I spend the rest of the year interacting with on-line.

Friends like

Park Ranger John- from Park Ranger John 

Drew-from the WhiskyLore podcasts

Lori – from Southern Says

Anna Marie- from Pull Over and Let Me Out

Adam-from The Sterling Traveler 

TBEX is fun, but the days are full and long. It’s tiring in the best of health.  I feel okay during the days, but decline quickly in the evenings. I hoped to be at my most charming and cutest, and ended up being a crazy, hacking, mucus filled, mess.

Road Trip-Day 1

The day after TBEX’s conclusion, I awake in bad shape. I toss and turn all night with a fever.

Fun fact: it’s possible to sweat all of the dye out of your hair. My pillowcases are awash with pink.

We’re supposed to begin our Blackhills road trip, complete with a few park stops, but I can barely get out of bed. I need medical attention. I Google Urgent Cares.

*Special Note: Even if you Google Urgent Care and a list pops up, double and triple check. Though there doesn’t seem to be much of a difference between an Urgent Care and Walk-in Clinic, United States HMO insurance companies feel differently. They have no issue paying for an Urgent Care, but may not pay for a Walk-in Clinic. Lesson learned.

At the Walk-in Clinic, they confirm I have a fever, and take a chest x-ray that shows in the doctor’s words,

“Something crazy is going on in the lower part of your lungs.”

I’m diagnosed with pneumonia, and given a prescription for antibiotics.

The clinic, and waiting at the pharmacy, eats up half a day. Since I’m feeling terrible, we abandon most of the day’s plans, and set out for our hotel in Gillette, Wyoming.

I sleep for most of the car ride, waking up occasionally to take in the scenery.

I’m never too sick for wildlife.

I drag myself out of the car when we arrive at Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area.

One of our goals for this trip, is to increase the stamps in our National Parks Passport.

The views of the canyon are stunning.

Every few steps I have to stop to rest against the railing.

What we won’t figure out until South Dakota, is that all of the areas we visit are above my pulmonary hypertension elevation restriction. The lung inflammation, pulmonary hypertension combo, makes breathing almost impossible.

I rejoice when we check into our Gillette hotel. There’s a bench in the shower. Letting the hot water run, I relish the steam for what feels like an eternity.

Road Trip-Day 2

Devils Tower National Monument was one of the places I was most excited to visit. I tried to figure out how I could bring a mashed potato tower sculpture with me for awesome pictures.

It turns out to be my worst day. It’s some of the sickest I’ve ever been.

The plan is to hike around the tower base, but there is no way I can do it. I rest on a bench near the visitors’ center, while Shannon hikes the base.

It’s not all bad. The monument is still cool to look at. There are a lot of climbers, and I enjoy watching them climb the tower. The people watching is good. Almost every group Googles, how many climbers have died on Devils Tower.

The Prairie Dog Town at Devils Tower, brightens my day (more pictures of prairie dogs in future posts).

I sleep the entire car ride to South Dakota.

Road Trip- Day 3

I’m still not feeling great, but am slightly improved, as we set out for cave day.

I am an adult, and have yet to explore a legitimate cave. Today the plan is to visit two.

Upon arrival to Jewel Cave National Monument, we learn that the elevator that takes guests down to the cave is broken.  Because double-caving must be a popular activity, we’re informed that the elevator at Wind Cave National Park is also broken. There will be no cave exploring today.

Not wanting to miss out on a stamp, we mark our passport,

and meander around the visitors’ center.

Heading outside, we decide to walk a trail. It’s closed.

Though we can’t go inside Wind Cave, we get a Park Ranger tour of the outside.

We learn about the cave’s discovery,

then everyone gets a chance to experience the wind coming out of the wind cave.

It’s like nature’s air conditioner.

Flexibility is Key

I’m able to soldier on for the rest of the trip, but I go downhill on the travel day home. Instead of going directly home post-trip, I go to the emergency room. At the emergency room I’m properly diagnosed with severe bronchitis. I’m given two breathing treatments, a high dose of steroids, and “the good,” cough syrup. I slowly recover.

It’s the first trip either of us has been sick, beyond a touch of the stomach wobbles.

We had to adjust our plans.

Our time out and about was shorter than usual.

I slept more and hiked less.

Several things were closed, but we experienced what we could, and we didn’t get mad.

Being able to go with the flow is key to being a good traveler. Trips aren’t always perfect, but you can’t let a few disappointments ruin everything. Though I don’t think our Western Adventure will be our favorite trip, it wasn’t a complete disaster.  We got to spend time with friends at TBEX. We saw some great scenery, and we got a lot of new stamps in our National Parks Passport.

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