Trip to Houston Part 1

House of Pies and Downtown Houston

I took three weeks Annual Leave and was undecided what to do or where to go. I was going to go to Las Vegas. I'm not a gamber, but I wanted to see the lights and try to get tickets to see Terry Fator, the ventriloquist who won America's Got Talent. This wasn't to be. Las Vegas charges a single supplement for those staying alone in a hotel. Not just a token supplement but several hundred dollars more for a week's stay.

So then I tried to get air/hotel/car rental on Travelocity, Priceline, etc and none of them had rental cars available. In hindsight, I could have made the hotel and air reservations and then booked my car rental separately direct with the car rental. But I didn't think of it at the time and made the decision to drive.

Bad choice.

You see, for several years now, I've developed a fear of heights. I was first aware of it when my dad was still alive and we were going to St. Pete from Punta Gorda. I was driving and got halfway up the Skyway Bridge when I broke out in a cold sweat and became dizzy, disoriented and in a state of total panic. I pulled over immediately, right there on the bridge which of couse has signs everywhere that say, "No Stopping." My dad drove us the rest of the way over the bridge.

Cousin Kev came down to Florida a year or so later and we took him to see Jupiter Lighthouse.

We walked up to the top of it and the same thing happened as on the bridge.

Now I've gone over the Skyway bridge and been to the top of the Jupiter lighthouse countless times prior to these panic attacts.

I don't know if this is related to Alzheimer's or not.

So day number two of my drive to Houston, I go over the Mississippi River bridge in Baton Rouge without incident. But then, it's a short bridge and not that high.

And then it happened. I continued on my journey on I-10 and there straight in front of me is the Lake Charles, LA bridge. It's huge, it's very high and the climb is steep. Steeper even than Skyway Bridge. There was not an exit before the bridge. So I made one! I was in a total panic, my blood pressure was high, I stated shaking and no amount of slow, deep breathing was helping. I jerked the steering wheel to the right, when up and over the grass alongside the freeway and bounced down onto the perimeter road. Three times I made the attempt and each time I would pull into the park underneath the bridge and beside Lake Charles. I would do my deep breathing, say a prayer and be determined to make it across the bridge on the next attempt.

After attempt number three failed, I drove around and found the Lake Charles Convention and Visitors Bureau open and was provided a map of the 210 Loop around the lake and proceeded on my way without incident.

Going into Houston it was raining very hard. And the traffic was heavy. Our snow bird traffic in south Florida can't compare to Houston traffic.

The cloverleaf freeways, some rather high, looked foreboding and I hoped I wouldn't have to drive on one to get to I-59 to get to my motel at Greenway Plaza. I was very tense and getting more anxious as I drove. My hands were shaking while I'm trying to steer the car and praying that I won't have a wreck.

I got to La Quinta without incident, but was shaking. I was upset that I didn't remember my way as well as I should have having lived in Houston for 17 years.

After doing some deep breathing and calming down, I took a shower and ventured out to go to the House of Pies for dinner. I was a regular at the place when I lived there. I got lost, had trouble reading the map. I stopped at CVS and bought a magnifying glass but the map still didn't make any sense. Making many turns I finally found the place.

I realized that I had made a mistake by attempting to drive to Houston by myself.

The remainder of my stay I drove only on Westheimer, Alabama,Kirby and Richmond.

The next day was Sunday. I was feeling good and knew how to get to St. Stephen's Episcopal Church as I found it the night before.

What a wonderful church! The people were warm and friendly. The pastor, The Reverend Lisa Hunt is really a wonderful person. I went to the adult forum afterward which was great. The discussion was a panel dealing with an accountability meeting Houston area religious leaders were having with the mayor, city council and other leaders. I learned a lot and will share with Father Cook at St. Mark's when I have an opportunity.