HOME IS WHERE THE TRUCK IS: I get around...in the truck of course..

Hey! Hope you have been well! We are at the mid point of our second week back out here on the road. Currently sitting in sunny and hot Florida (I love it!) We pick up here in Jacksonville in the morning and then head to SC.

Things have been going pretty well and Mark is feeling great. His toe hole is 98% filled in and he barely even has to take Tylenol anymore. He gets twinges of pain, nerve regeneration, but that is a good thing so he doesn't complain about it too much. The biggest issue left is this ugly offloading walking shoe he has to wear. It is about 2.5 inches higher than his other foot and that is causing some discomfort in his hip and back but nothing he cannot handle. We will both be glad once he can wear normal shoes on both feet. He was originally scheduled to have an angioplasty on his right leg this coming Monday, but it was rescheduled for May 6. That should be an easy procedure which will have us back to work the next day.

Getting back into this truck was a nightmare. He was released to go back to work on Friday 3/15. We started the process that afternoon that would get us moving again. We were told that by Tuesday at the latest it would all be processed and ready to go. We went and spent a few days with Adam and Bekah and then headed to Greer, SC to get back to the truck,and got to spend a few days with Andrew as well while he was waiting to find out who his mentor would be and get on the road as well. Little did we know that it would take us until Friday the 23rd for Mark's company to get their act together and get us back into the truck. It was absolutely excruciating waiting for them to figure the process out. Everyday it was some new hoop we had to jump through or some other person that we had to talk to. The ONLY good thing about it was getting to spend three days with Andrew. That made it bearable. Finally on Friday the 22nd at around 430 we got the news that everything was processed. I literally stood in the middle of the terminal and bawled. I was so happy that it was finally done. Thankfully Andrew was still in town (he would be leaving Saturday morning) to help us get the truck loaded up. I said my tearful goodbye to him and then Mark took him back to the hotel. I went to Wal Mart to get some much needed groceries and then we got some sleep. I NEVER thought I would be so happy to sleep in this truck as I was that night!

Saturday morning we were up and moving early. We could not wait to get out on the road. We stopped at the Pilot for some fuel and ................screeching halt. Mark's fuel card would not work. So, we went back to the terminal (we were just three miles away) to talk to dispatch and find out what was wrong. FOUR HOURS LATER...we got in touch with the right guy who just had to "click a button" to turn the card back on. SMH. This company, which is the 2nd largest trucking company only behind Fedex, has clearly no standard operating procedure on how to get a guy back on the road! I am still working on my sternly worded letter to the powers that be.

Sunday, everything went along smoothly until we hit the Maryland Turnpike. That was when we realized that the Elitepass in his truck was not working. This is the little device that allows us to go through the EZ Pass lanes on all the turnpikes in the country, without having to pay out of pocket. This could be problematic since at this time, we had less than $150 cash to get us through to Monday the 1st when we would hopefully have some sort of check. GULP. Mark called the company, and needed to talk to someone in the permits department. But of course, no one was in on weekends so we would have to wait until Monday. Maryland, NJ, and PA were not an issue we found because they do not have gates at their booths. We simply went through the EZ Pass lanes and they would take pics of the license and then bill the company. Ohio and Indiana however, not the case. We had no choice but to stop at an ATM and pull out the cash we would need. Ohio was $52.70 and Indiana was $57.80. I tried not to freak out about it but I am not sure I did very well.

Monday morning Mark talked to his driver leader who was able to get him a small advance so at least we had a little cash for important things like ice and coffee. ;)

Anyway...AFTER THAT..its pretty been smooth sailing. We have been to SC, NC, VA, MD, DE, NJ, PA, OH, IN, IL, WI, KY, TN, GA, MS, TX, LA, AL and FL since we left SC on the 23rd. I am itching to get back to the West side of the country. It's just so beautiful there!

Speaking of the West, Andrew is currently making his way to Arizona with his mentor. He is really enjoying his new career thus far. He seems to be very comfortable with his mentor and is learning A LOT he says. I am starting to be slightly less nervous about him driving but I am sure once he finishes his 200 hours/40 backings with his mentor and gets his own truck my nerves will ramp right back up. I don't think twice (most days) about Mark and I being out here but all I can think about when it comes to my son, is how this is the 7th most dangerous job in the country. UGH!

Adam started a new job at Highlands Country Club yesterday working on the grounds crew. So far he loves it and he will be able to keep the job when he goes back to school in the fall for his HVAC education.

Anyway, tomorrow is Mark's birthday and so I have to go get my crayons out and make him a card because I totally forgot to buy him one. Not that he will care one way or the other. He just wants some none low sodium, low carb or low fat food for his birthday. I guess Ill buy him a Cinnabon for his birthday breakfast. lol. He is really doing great and only complains a little (read: all the time) about his dietary restrictions. He has lost over 15lbs so far. I have lost about 5. Life is so unfair! I eat less than he does but insulin...cursed insulin.

Also, no super awesome pics because I do not have a camera right now. I sold mine and it will be a little while before we are in a financial place where I can get a new one. I try to take some on my phone, but its just not the same. :( We saw a bear crossing sign the other day and I was super excited to see a bear, but then I said to Mark "if i see a bear and I don't have a camera I am going to be soooo annoyed". So, luckily no bears. Anyway, most of my phone pics are of Mark's toe hole progress but I'll see what I can find other than that!

Thanks for reading and for all the support!

Love to all!