All That Way for This?!

Well, this morning we had an appointment for Michael with a sleep specialist in Charlottesville. I've been looking forward to this appointment because I think so many of Michael's current challenges could be made much easier if he could simply get a solid nights sleep on a regular basis. Kicking, head banging, constant limb twitching and crying out in his sleep has to make it hard to get any real rest and I think it would be hard on his brain. So the plan is to talk to the sleep specialist and set up a sleep study to get a better idea of what exactly is going on. Doug took the day off to stay with the kids here. The appointment was at 8:30. We left at 7:30 which I thought should give us plenty of time. I've never been to that particular office before but the directions looked simple enough and the majority of it was interstate. It was raining but there wasn't as much fog on the mountain as I had expected, so we were making good time. Then, about five miles before our exit traffic slowed way down. Getting off the exit there was so much rain and traffic, including big trucks, I couldn't see far ahead enough to see which lane I needed to be in. So I made a guess and it was wrong. I found a place to turn around and headed back. I soon found what I thought was the right road. We were running close on time but I thought it should still be ok. Then just as I thought we should be close traffic stopped. It looked like there was an accident up ahead, lots of lights and rescue vehicles. Interestingly, the police vehicle next to me was the forensic unit truck. Anyway, I called the office to tell them I thought I was almost there but was stuck in traffic. After a few minutes of trying to decide what to do I saw a road sign and told the nurse where I was. As it turned out, I was still lost, about 15 minutes late already and still about 20 minutes from the Doctor's office. So, we went ahead and made a new appointment. The earliest I could get was October 9. Having decided that I tried to find my way back to an area I knew, while taking a detour around the accident. Somehow I got into a huge residential area, full of streets that seemed to lead in circles, with a few dead ends. The houses were nice and I would have loved to spend a little time looking at them but was too busy trying to find my way out. I finally found my way out of the residential maze. By this time Michael was getting restless, I needed coffee and we both needed a bathroom break. So we stopped at Hardees and bought biscuits and hash browns and drinks. After we ate and I was caffeinated we stopped again for gas and soon after finally found an interstate sign and soon were headed back home. 

I had to laugh at the this picture I took of Michael. He looks like he's thinking "You brought me all this way for this!?!?!"

So, I guess we'll try again in a month. Next time, I think I'll call ahead and verify the directions. I'm thinking I probably should have taken 29 Business North, although the directions simply said 29 North. And if that's the case then I was on the right road in the first place!

I have to say, though, that Michael and I did manage to have a good time. We talked, laughed, sang, and got the giggles when we bumped over an area where there was road work. And, after seeing a total of three accidents while we were out, I came home grateful that I wasn't in any of them. So, I guess there was a silver lining to our cloudy morning after all.