March 20, 2023
Happy Spring.
Okay so lets finish this up. Aly was okay. Thank you all who have reached out with concern and suggestions…its our nature to do that isn’t it? Aly has been looked at by more than once doctor. They say she is “fine”. This is why we must be our own advocates and we must push past that and we must do our own research or we all settle for feeling horrible much longer than we need to or should because someone (who is not invested in you) told us we are fine. Lots of school and some letters behind your name doesn’t automatically make you the answer to everything. I mean look at Fauci…we all know he didn’t have our best interest in mind.
So we did go snorkeling at Steps beach and saw some incredible fan coral (I didn’t know what fan coral was before this) and I guess its pretty one of a kind. It was rocky to get in (like the waves made it hard) but once we were all swimming around it was fine. We got out and Hatcher got some incredible photos on his Go Pro as the sun was starting to set. We had been carried by the current so we had to walk back and Aly went back in with Jono so she could bring her camera and so she has some nice footage as well. I, have nothing. Aly loves water events and thinks she is a mermaid, or that she should be a mermaid. 🙂

Our last full day we went scuba diving. A huge dream of Aly’s but I was a bit fearful but I tried not to lead on as I tell my kids to try things…I figured I was going to have to do this scared. Cora can get a bit anxious and so I was worried she wouldn’t want the mouthpiece on her because she did not wear a snorkel snorkeling! Jono’s wife, Lori had a headcold and so she could not equalize and opted out. I want to tell you all the details but its gets long. We swam out to the reef area and stopped short at about 10′ of water to go down and do our “test”. You have to take the mouthpiece out, breathe bubbles out (you are not suppose to hold your breath) and then put it back in, purge and keep breathing. Then you have to drop it and find it (put back in, purge and breathe) and then you have to fill your mask with water and empty it. I had a hard time getting down to do the test but I did. I passed and Cora was last. I could tell she was anxious and I told her she didn’t have to go. But she did the test and passed it and we headed out to about 25′ and slowly we all went down. Is the weirdest experience ever! Breathing under water! Its a whole new world and it is freaky! You sound like an astronaut. We saw some cool stuff and held a basket starfish but I was more into staying alive and counting my chicks and making sure everyone was okay. We got toward the end and I was falling behind but also I was floating up and then I couldn’t see anyone. I was like “crap”…but then knew all I had to do is go up and follow the flag but I was just afraid they would wonder where I went. I was only up for about 2 minutes before they came to the top because not only was I missing but the air was getting low and that is why I couldn’t stay down. ( I needed more weights) Aly did worry about me but all was well. I was like “sorry guys!” I did end up getting cold and on the kick back in I was cold too, but we all chatting as we headed in and Aly for sure wants to get certified! Cora and I got blisters on the tops of our toes from kicking. We all went to dinner in town while they were having an Art Walk (like a market of goods) in the town square. We had a really good dinner with great conversation again and we learned more about the Ottos as we grilled them with more questions. One of the funniest things that night was having Jono imitate Hatcher in an American accent. So funny. We drank out of coconuts and bought some gifts and then headed home. Well we stopped at their house for some digestive enzymes and that’s when I learned he owns a supplement company called Well of Life.



I never told you about Gozalandia Falls! It was an hour to drive to and a very steep small road to drive on but we found it and its a short hike to a waterfall with deep pools to jump into. It was cold! These things are fun but I’m always turned off my tourists. Loads of them. But one guy came in (like a show off) and he must be a local. He jumped from the staircase railing after howling like tarzan in his own puerto rican tune and then climbed up like a monkey to the top rock to jump again and then for the next 30 minutes he was calling out cute college girls to come up and jump. And they did. Cora got to chat with an older Puerto Rican who may have looked liked and jumped like the Tarzan one 40 years ago…and she enjoyed her Spanish conversation.



The last day was spent packing up and cleaning up and getting out of the rental. While we were on the beach relaxing…before leaving permanently…a huge wave came in and poured on poor sleeping Cora on her towel and got all of our stuff wet. There was no warning…Shortly after that, Jonathon came down with his boys to check on us and to make sure we knew we were welcomed at his house. It was that…or a long hike I had planned. The kids chose to stay. We packed the car and drove .125 miles to his house and parked. We hung out by the pool and read books and he even invited me to listen in on his interview with Dr. Ardis (I know who that is now but didn’t then and wished I taken it up). He gave me the link to listen live but I couldn’t connect to his wifi. We went into Rincon for a late lunch and then returned to the pool. We took a long walk on the beach as the sun started to set….and the kids started to be really kid- like. I sat on a a large dead tree and watched them be silly. They drew in the sand and goofed around like when they were 5, 8, and 9 yrs old again. It made me happy. Lori, Jono and the boys came out as the sun set and we watched it literally fall from the sky. I’ve watched many sunsets but I feel like it got to the end and then quickly disappeared. The light following was incredible. We made a beach fire and Jono brought out his guitar which, or course, he could play very well and we introduced him to some worship music he had not heard. It was fun. I learned from Lori that they have not been able to find a church family. The churches there are catholic or 7th day and hasn’t jived with them at all. I encourged her to start a home church! She said they had thought about that and maybe that was the solution. A neighbor came by and complained of the smoke and Jono is so social that he got him playing the guitar before going back home. We did have to put the fire out. We headed in and everyone took turns showering and cleaning up for the trip home. They fed us. We got to hang out a bit more with the boys and learn that Asher (almost 4 yrs old) really likes dinasours. Cora ended up reading to him and seeing him to bed. It was sweet. We hashed out more biblical “stuff” while some of us fell asleep and some of us worked really hard to keep our peepers open. I was nervous to get to our flight early even though the airport was small. It makes me feel better to have the rental returned and to be sitting at the airport with plenty of time. As we were leaving, we learned our flight was delayed (which made up miss our next one and so we were getting into Chicago 3 hours later than planned). I chose to go anyways and rest at the airport rather than impose on our hosts longer.



On our last flight home, one hour into a 2 hour flight from Newark to Chicago, Aly had another “episode” and a doctor on the flight suggested oxygen and she thought it helped but the whole bad feeling went on much longer than normal…just as she was seeming to feel better and relax, it started back up again and she got scared. The flight attendents were awesome, the guy next to Aly was super sweet (on his way home to Iowa from India. A christian man who held her other hand for me) and about 15 minutes before we landed she seemed ok. (I had to give up my extra leg room chair to swap with the one next to Aly. Arg!!) Bonus: we got off first. Everyone had to sit down while we got off. We were met by a medical team and declined the ambulance and then exited the airport as fast as we could (giving Aly time) and caught a shuttle to the hotel to grab our car. We returned Cora to Moody and scooted back home. No snow storms, just clear roads! We got home in time for Hatcher to get his duds on and make it to Swirl at school. Aly stayed home with me and we discussed how we should move ahead. And we slept.
3/26/23
Aly is on week 3 of a alternative protocol….4-6 weeks is needed as your cell turnover is about 5 weeks so anything you do needs at least that time to know if it is doing anything ( including some pharmacueticals). We also have an appointment with a cardiologist and she is seeing someone for neurofeedback (that was scheduled last month) so before you decide we aren’t doing enough…we are. She has seen 3 doctors..and been told she is fine. She is not fine. We will do our own thing as we also seek some medical advice but I will not put all my eggs in the big pharma basket…I believe they are part of the problem. Cancer is up 6000%. What!! Hospitals are overloaded (and they weren’t during Covid like we were told) and people are getting more sick more often. I never get sick and I’ve been sick 3x as of today in the last year and 3 months. That’s all I’m going to say about that.
I’m just now seeing previews for His Only Son. I can’t wait to see it!
Actually, I feel like alot has happened in the last couple weeks since we have been back but I’ll save it for the next blog.
I’m excited for nicer weather, a huge yard cleanup, a garage cleanout and some spring cleaning!
Oh! Cora was freaking out about fundraising for Kosovo this summer and she started just over a week ago and completed her funding in 4 days! She has enough for the summer and her ticket! This is amazing! This can aleviate that space in her mind and heart now to concentrate on finishing her FASFA and her semester. (I loathe fasfa and anything that has to do with taxes etc)
Okay. Till next time.
Thanks for listening.


Comments 1
Sounds like a great trip!!
Praying right now for wisdom and knowledge to see what is causing the issues for Aly. God created us He will show us.