I just had a fabulous week of working the big conference I mentioned in my last entry; the Great Plains Theatre Conference (GPTC). What a WONDERFUL experience! I want to say to all reading this and who were there, thank you for all your help, support friendship, smiles, hugs, play readings, performances, words of wisdom; everything! Such a joyous time!

So now, I am in the hospital, receiving one of my treatments. For those of you unfamiliar, this entails IV antibiotics and intensive respiratory therapy. These treatments last for two weeks, so I pack a a big suitcase like I am going on the road. The good part is I don’t have to pack the medical equipment and medications! We’ll be working on getting rid of infection, see if my numbers will go up. My breathing tests the other day read 35%. There is some hope of O2 levels improving with some improved lung function; however, I am keeping in reality as I can feel on a day to day basis how much I still need the oxygen when I walk around. We are going to do another sleep test and walking test before I leave here, towards the end of the treatment to get updated readings on that.

I got to thinking about a trip I took to Chicago a few years ago. I’d say it was around 1990 or 1991. I was visiting my dad. At the time, I worked for a graphic arts company, on the graveyard shift. I remember hanging out with my dad on the beach of Lake Michigan; it was about 2pm. Such a beautiful, beautiful day. I have become a huge fan of the beach too, so this is a slice of heaven; sitting there, in the sand, sun beating down on my legs, listening to the waves of the lake. But alas, it was time to go; time to catch my Southwest flight back to Omaha. And then the clock hits 11pm. I am sitting at work, in my blue cubicle, staring at the computer screen. And it hits me; just a few hours earlier, I was blissful on the beach; and now, I am in a cold, air conditioned, corporate cubicle.

That’s about how I feel right now. I was just working the show 12 Angry Men, and working this wonderful GPTC; now I am in the “suites” of UNMC.

I’ve gone from Beach to Cubicle.

I will sit here and dream about the Beach. 🙂