Favorite places: 2022.09 FORT BRAGG California

It was only 8 miles out of our way to go to the Sizzler in Yuba City.


We arrived the next day at the ocean, at Fort Bragg.


We are all happy to be here, including Callie. You are looking up from underneath. I had to cut her collar, as small breeds are subject to a crushed trachea.



I parked Linda and Callie in an RV, a 23 ft travel trailer, across from the Emergency Entrance at the hospital. I was admitted for days. Linda and Callie were on their own.

Her is the important part: It was the Fort Bragg Adventist Hospital. It turns out, that it made a difference... The guard and others kept coming across the street to check on Linda and Callie. They gave her wonderful free dinners.




It was Wednesday morning, and began wonderfully like all the rest. Nice cool, pleasant ocean breeze, with warm bright sunshine.

The little woofer was thinking about two pieces of bacon. Linda was thinking of an omelette with olives, and I was thinking about sharing what ever Linda had. The sharing thing goes back to when we first met, and would make any tightwad feel victorious. All three of us had a wonderful breakfast at David's.

I basked in the sun with the seat laid back. But soon I felt a little nauseous. Linda came out of the 99 cent store waving some orange flowers. I said that I did not feel right, and she said that she, also, did not feel right. She had an upset stomach too. For both of us to feel nauseous ment there was nothing to worry about. Something simple, just a little bad food. Little did we know...

Back at the RV, I soon had an uncontrollable urge to throw up. Which I did. And to my further dismay, I could not leave the commode. And that was only the beginning. The uncontrolled vomiting was nothing compared to the strange pain just below my belly button. In fact, the pain itself was causing me to throw up. Very strong and persistent pain, never letting up. For two hours I suffered waiting and hoping for this strange pain to become less. Soon, every thirty seconds, I have dry heaves. My body is shaking all over and I can not function. I can not even call 911; I can not concentrate long enough at the simple task.

I told Linda "No, on the ambulance". And I began to drive.The thought of waiting for an ambulance was not an option. As I drove, I could throw up looking over the steering wheel. Fortunately nothing was coming out of my mouth as I had dry heaves, and nothing was in my lap either. With an abandoned truck in a parking area, I stumbled into the Emergincy Entrance. I went past the guard, and strained over a waste basket, producing a foamy vomit. I stood up, more or less, before presenting my self to the check-in desk. The girl announced that she had a man in distress at the front. Immediatly, several people arrived, and they all rushed around me. One had a gurney, in which I was soon lying down in. Soon both arms had needles. Someone hung an IV bottle over my head, and others were taking my blood, filling several vials. I was naked except for my underwear, and I could see my body was wet from sweating. Someone else piled several warm blankets on top which, no matter how many, could not hide the shaking. One girl asked if the floor was shaking, or was that "him". One of the nurses soon had my focus and attention. She asked how high is your pain? I said it is an "eight". But I could not talk, and had no way to tell her that my pain tolerance is extremely high. She said I am giving you morphine. How is that? I said the pain is worse! Much worse! The pain is a "10" now and I can not stand it. You have to do something! She said she would talk to the doctor. She returned and gave me more. And the pain stayed a "10". No effect! I told her that it was not working! She said that they were going to give me another type. And that one made me very sleepy and drowsy, but the pain was still too strong. She said the name of a third, and that one finally had a direct effect on the pain. God, that felt good. I never knew that drugs could be a wonderful thing. Thank God for drugs.

In about an hour my blood results were back, and things began to happen with a purpose. I was being wheeled into the CT scanner. I did not ask any questions, I was just grateful to be out of the pain. I had some nausea, but otherwise I loved my new dream land. I signed some papers. Who knows, selling my soul perhaps, and then I was transfered to a tray. The tray, with me in it, went into a tunnel. The movement was so precise that I could not feel I was moving, unless I opened my eyes.

They wheeled me back to my room, to await the results. The results quickly came back. And the verdict: I had a 4mm kidney stone that had just left the right kidney.

Later Wednesday night, actually Thursday morning at 02:00, the pain was more or less gone. Doctor said he expected the stone to pass on its own in a day or two. He wanted us to stay in the area untill it did. This worked out well with our plans. Although, we had to be out of our Harbor RV spot, we actually wanted to stay anyway. I would go home and move the RV, but not without a bottle of Ondansetron and Hydrocodone. Linda met a nice man that owned a store and parking lot, and he said we could stay there. Linda also met a lady that wanted out of her paid spot at another campground to go to Sacramento for a weeks repair on their motorhome. She was giving us her spot. Or, we could always Boondock; This RV is selve suffecient and lacks for nothing.

I was suppost to rest, but I had to hitch up the RV. I took more pills and managed, very slowly, to hitch up the RV. But withen a couple of hours the pain grew out of the confines of the pills. We were headed back to the hospital, but this time Linda would be near me outsid in the RV. This time when they admitted me, it was for keeps. I signed the papers, and they said that I was not going anywhere. Not that I felt like it; I could not even stand or walk.


My room was private. And I did not have to share. And this room was huge. Including my own bathroom. They offered to bring in Linda, but we have our little dog Callie. The RV was fine; she had comfort, heat and cooling. She had a hot shower and bathroom. She had electricity. She had a refrigerator.

In the picture you can see my food menu. It is restricted to "Clear Diet" only. They have three Broths: Beef, Chicken, and Vegetables. I could not eat solid food, I would immediatly throw it up. It was Wednesday morning sense I ate solid food. And Saturday for my first Broth. And Monday for a first bowal movement. That is six days. The IVs were suppling all my hydration. That first broth was real good. Mostly hot water. Tasted delicious, sipped with a spoon, slow and easy.


My room is the closest to the Hospital Heliport. The Pad was only 100 feet away, right outside my window. I was afraid a blade could come off and go through my window or wall.


They fly patients to bigger Facilities, like Roseville and Ukia.


Don't get old because the retirement is not all that it is cracked up to be.





I was released from the Hospital with a white beard. I got a shower at the hospital, but at no time could I shave, not that I felt like it.











Love this picture at David's.


In my spare time, I can open a laptop and see how any of my Control Modules is doing. This is one of my three Solar Charge Controllers. I can see the highest Solar Flux for any day of the week, and when the event occurred. I can see the lowest voltages and when they occurred. I can see if there have been any Invalid Readings. I can see battery temperatures. All these things are vocalized also. I am the only RVer in the world that has a talking RV.


Here is a Controller for the Solar Hot Water Generator.


When I finally was released, I told the staff that my wife and I would head over to Davids for a glass of buttermilk. When we arrived there were three of these Adventists Ambulances. ...Just a coincidence. That is our truck on the other side. And we bought a big carton of buttermilk at Safeway. I drank half in one-sitting. Buttermilk is the best invention ever! I loved Safeway so much for their buttermilk, that we came back and stayed the night there. Safeway not only has good buttermilk, but they also have nice ocean air, for great sleeping. Slept so good. I was on the mend.