Fresh Conference

I love the smell of a fresh conference in the morning! Despite having an awful night's sleep, I was awake at 6am California time ready to get the day started. The only thing that kept me quiet was my fear of wrathful Grumpy Morning Bears. A handsome but surly breed if awoken too early in the day.

I busied myself with my morning routine (I'm sure it's much the same as yours. Unless you wear makeup), went downstairs to renew our room key and got some burnt, overpriced coffee and then finished writing about yesterday's antics.

Karl got up not long after that and we went to Block Orange for breakfast at Jamba Juice. I chatted with a woman who was about my age, in yoga gear (on her way to work, not yoga), where she thought there was a healthy place to eat at. She suggested Subway. Ugh. I've come to California, and the healthiest food people can come up with is at Coco's, a tavern knock-off and Subway.

Our first stop for the day was my dress fitting with quite possibly the loveliest women in California, Rynna and Sherri. Every woman should have the experience of trying on clothes that have picked out with you in mind. I loved every dress, even the one that didn't fit. Hats, scarves and purses were layered on me. I felt fabulous.

One of my favorite things is to meet women that you could easily spend the rest of your life having lunch with. I've been here one day and I already have a reason to come back to California.

First session of the day was Travelling With PH. We actually got directed to Living With PH in an Upbeat Way. One of the speakers couldn't talk without crying. That's the thing about these conferences, you get so excited to be amongst your people that your emotions tend to live close to the surface. I might have cried, too.

As soon as it was appropriate we snuck out. I got some great tips on travelling with oxygen, although I am still not sure what I am going to do about the flight back home.

We had lunch at the hotel. I wish we had dinner at that restaurant. I was grateful for steamed vegetables that had not been overcooked.

Walking to the next session was when I noticed that all of the hotel employees were wearing the periwinkle ribbon pin. I really liked that. All of the staff there were so nice. Very smiley. I liked that, too.

Something else that I appreciated was seeing people at this conference that I had seen at the one in Houston two years ago. When we first researched PH, the reports on life expectancy were just awful. After getting more information and meeting other PHers, I got a new perspective. It really is still the same deal. No one knows when their last day on this earth will be. There are no guarantees. That's a very reassuring thought for me.

We also went to a Flolan/Remodulin support group. All of this medicine... different dosages, different ways of getting it into us, different peripheral drugs. No two people are on the exact same plan.

Dinner was in one of the "ballrooms". Large tables that sat 10, and at one end of the room we had various speakers. Dinner was not heart healthy or tasty. Our table was a mix of very active PHers and people for whom this was their first conference. They had decided it would also be their last. I can understand their frustration with the sessions. I think in the end we all want the session entitled "How to cure PH". At the very least "Fool-Proof Way to Make You Feel Like You Don't Have PH".

And that was our day. Maybe there was another session that I am forgetting about right now. I am very sleepy and my focus is on some white fluffy pillows. Tomorrow is going to be busy. Must hurry off to it.