Apparently, you’re not supposed to try to book your own airfare unless you’re a trained flight agent. The reason I missed both of my connecting flights today? Not because of TSA, ATC or United Airlines. It was because I flew through San Francisco without allowing a “minimum of three hours overlay.” The intelligent being behind the ticket counter kept saying, “you’re the one who booked the flight.” I guess they ought to shut down united.com, so us nonsensical mortals won’t make the mistake of buying flights there.Apparently, you’re not supposed to try to book your own airfare unless you’re a trained flight agent. The reason I missed both of my connecting flights today? Not because of TSA, ATC or United Airlines. It was because I flew through San Francisco without allowing a “minimum of three hours overlay.” The intelligent being behind the ticket counter kept saying, “you’re the one who booked the flight.” I guess they ought to shut down united.com, so us nonsensical mortals won’t make the mistake of buying flights there.

All this is despite the fact that not only was the trip I chose the first listed for my departure and destination, but there were no warnings telling me that I had a dangerously close connection.” Shame on me.

So, instead of arriving right in Puebla airport the night before treatment begins, I now arrive at Mexico City at 5:45 am (3:45 am Pacific Time), only to be rushed off in a three hour car ride to make it in time for my 9 am day of tests and consultations.

While that might be only just inconvenient for the average Joe, I’m on lots of pain medications which make it easy to fall asleep and difficult to awaken without at least 8 hours of sleep. Well, at least the trip hasn’t been postponed until tomorrow as was suggested by Superagent.

Oh, and take that stupid face mask off while you’re talking to Superagent; she comes first! Who cares if the guy ten feet away is hacking up a lung and coughing into his hands.

Thank god after arrival at SFO, it only took another 2.5 hours to get things straightened out. (Thanks, Mom, from rescuing me as I almost completely lost my sh@&.)

UPDATE: We're here in Puebla. 21 hours of traveling and a single hour of sleep, and the perseverance paid off. Doing blood tests, X-rays, consultations with neurologists, cardiologists, etc. let the treatment begin!

The way Clínica Ruiz does this procedure is by dividing the 12 of us here into three groups. It’s a little like camp. Each group does each procedure together.

Here I am in Santa Barbara Airport.

Seemed like this day would never arrive, although my risk of stopping Tysabri without a confirmed treatment date paid off. I read online that some people are just now getting 2017 confirmation dates. My required, three-month washout ended just a week ago, so it doesn’t get much tighter than that! I only applied in February.

While I’m so excited, I can hardly think straight, I’m trying really hard to attenuate my expectations. This treatment doesn’t work wonders for everyone; although, the vast majority seem to do quite well with it.

All preparations have been made. All tests have been done. In two days, I’ll be in Puebla, Mexico, checking into my temporary apartment there. I’m not so nervous about starting the treatment as I am about leaving town for four weeks. Over the last three years, I’ve been mostly too sick to travel and did almost none before my trip down to Puebla in February to check-out the clinic.

House sitters know how to feed the fish, so everything should be okay ????

I’ve got my plane tickets, caregivers and confirmation from Clínica Ruiz in Puebla, Mexico. We’re all set. I have just two more MRIs to do next Wednesday, and I am ready to go on May 22nd. The first day of treatment is the 23rd. Each of my family members will be there at some point to assist me, splitting up the four-week treatment among them.

I’m not nervous at all, rather just a little anxious to get this thing started. Check out the background pages if you want to know more about what’s going on with me and/or this treatment.