MoHo Shed and a Scopolamine Withdrawal Warning!

We knew when we returned from our cruise that life would be incredibly busy for a few days.  What we didn’t know was that the universe had a few surprises for us just to make things a bit more interesting.  Our plan was to get off the ship in time to pick up the car and get to Klamath Falls before the vet closed so we could pick up Jeremy.  Check.  The disembarkation process on Princess this time was probably the slickest I have ever experienced.  We signed up to handle our own luggage, and were off the ship by 8:15, through a non existent customs check (even though we had theoretically been to Mexico), and in our car on the Embarcadero by 8:35.  Incredible.  In spite of the rainy morning, traffic was manageable and there wasn’t a speck of snow on the pass over Mt Shasta, in fact the mountain was incredibly beautiful with a snow capped peak sparkling in the sun contrasting with the dark green forests on her lower flanks. Nope, no photo.  I was pictured out from the cruise and decided to just enjoy the view.
We picked up Jeremy, who after two weeks boarded at the vet was a bit traumatized but in no time he settled into Mo’s lap and snuggled up for the drive home.  What I haven’t talked about is Mo’s bout with a cranky cold, sore throat, cough, and eventually bronchitis that she picked up on the ship.  It made our last few days a lot less than pleasant for her, but she was a trooper and hanging in there.  Mo slept a lot those last few days, slept most of the way home to Klamath, and still isn’t quite up to par.  It isn’t a flu, she had no fever, but it was definitely a nasty thing picked up on that ship somewhere. Not good.
The next part of the plan required a fast trip the next morning to Grants Pass to meet and pay the builder who had completed the MoHo shed.  We were excited to see how it looked on the property and to get the MoHo safely tucked away from winter snows.  The lucky part for us is that there isn’t yet a sign of our usual winter snows, and with just a slight flurry over the 140 pass, we made the trip to Grants Pass easily. 
We were tickled to see the building all bright and shiny, solid and ready for the MoHo.  There was plenty of room to drive directly into the driveway, then reverse and back into the building with room to spare.  Mo had it built bigger than we needed for the Dynamax in case we ever get something bigger, or if someday the property is sold, someone could fit a 40 footer in there.  The building is 21 x 40 with 16 foot ceilings and a 14 foot roll up door.  Plenty of room!  Also plenty of light with the translucent panels at the top, made from some new tech material that won’t discolor.  Once we got the MoHo settled in, we knew it was time to check out the cottage.
We were a bit concerned about the roof of the cottage, which we knew had some problems.  Mo worked on it last month but it is really hard to tell exactly where the leaks might be, and she wondered how things had fared during the recent downpours.  Check.  Well, we knew that eventually we would have to remove this ceiling and find the problem areas, and the rains just helped it along a bit.  We turned on the old fashioned gas heater which works great and settled in to wait for the builder. I called my friend Bel, and was incredibly happy to learn that her sister had never left after coming to help out while Bel was hospitalized.  My visit could be postponed, much to my relief.  I was really having a hard time trying to figure out how I was going to get back on an airplane in two days and go to Florida for a week!  It was all just too much.  If Bel had been alone, I would have done it, but I decided any amount of extra charge for cancelling my ticket was worth it.  Whew!  and Check.
Next on the list, we had to drive to Lapine where Mo’s brother lives to get Abby.  It is about 115 miles each way, and I knew I would be driving that one as well, since Mo was still pretty sick.  We called and talked to Roger and Nancy, and explained that  I had the Christmas table for the Ladies Luncheon to do and we couldn’t leave until Friday afternoon, and they insisted that instead of us driving up there, they would bring Abby home to us.  Check and Yippee!! So far so good.
I managed to find the glue gun, get the napkin rings made, polish the silver, pack the stemware, and put on a pot of soup for lunch for Roger and Nancy before heading over to the social club to set up the table.  Our annual Ladies Luncheon at Rocky Point is one of the special delights of living in a small community.  Ladies volunteer to do the tables, and some of the men volunteer to cook and serve, and we have a wonderful time.  I was excited to do my first table this year and really looking forward to the day. Check
Saturday morning dawns, and Mo and I are congratulating ourselves on managing to get all the little details handled so well with such a tight schedule and thinking pleasantly about the few days ahead with plenty of time to settle in and actually relax.  That is when the universe threw in a little surprise. 
At 10:00 am I was happy and fine, getting dressed for the luncheon, and by 10:15 am I was completely and totally incapacitated by vertigo and severe nausea.  Crazy.  I lost my breakfast, and couldn’t raise my head without being sick.  Now what?  Geez.  My sister and niece arrived, and I kept thinking I could maybe get over it and manage to go but I lasted about five minutes before Mo had to bring me back home.  I spent the rest of the day and night in bed with what I discovered to be withdrawal symptoms from the Scopolamine patch! 
I have used the patch before, and had a few bits of dizziness afterward, but attributed it to just getting used to being off the ship, and didn’t realize it was related to the patch.  When I was finally able to raise my head yesterday, I started reading more about it and learned that this can be a huge problem for people using the scop patch, and that there can be symptoms of withdrawal that can last for weeks.  There are all sorts of recommendations  for coming off slowly, using drugs to deal with the nausea that will happen when you come off the scop, and ways to avoid using it altogether.  I used the patch on this cruise as it was prescribed, and had it on for the entire trip after being so sick the first day.  I guess I won’t do that again! Or at least if I do, I’ll try to manage the withdrawal better.  Discussions on the internet talk about people waiting to stop the patch until they have time to handle the vomiting for a few days.  Sheesh!
I have no idea when we will cruise again but you can bet I will be looking for alternatives to the scopolamine patch. Mo and I were quite a pair today.  We spent all of Sunday on the sofa and in the recliner, doing absolutely nothing.  It is weird being ill, though, and especially weird having Mo be ill since she is so rarely sick.  Makes my world feel all discombobulated and loose. I fell asleep last night at 9, only to wake again at 11 and have been awake ever since.  Decided at 2:30 that I might as well get up and try to remember what I am supposed to be doing! 
Everyone enjoyed the luncheon, Mo said my table was a hit, and everyone pitched in to help collect my dishes, crystal, and silver after it was over.  Some volunteer I am!  Sheesh. 
Mo seems to be coughing less, and I seem to be a bit less disoriented, so maybe life will return to something looking like normal this morning.  I am ready. Christmas is coming and I am pretty sure I am supposed to be doing something important!  Check.