Work travel

There is an old Irish saying- “Anything that can go wrong will, at the worst possible time.” It is Murphy’s Law, and they say Murphy was an optimist.


So what could go wrong with a quick work trip to Connecticut, you ask…

Let me count the ways…

Tuesday morning as I drove to the airport with plenty of time to spare, I popped a tire. No worries, There was no damage, and a nice fellow stopped and my tire was changed and I was on my way, but I had less time… So I had to park in short term parking with its daily $15 charge…

But I had to make the plane…

I had a bag to check and by the time I got to the head of the line, it was 5:50am and I was inside the 45 minute window for my 6:30am flight- I could not board.

I was put on the next available flight, leaving at 11am, and got in line for security. What I should have done was move my car, but 20/20 hindsight…

I get to the ID check and the guy is giving my license a really hard look.

“You are really close there”

??? I give him my raised eyebrows “What are you talking about” look.

“Your license is about to expire.”

Crap- they expire on your birthday and my birthday was Thursday- and I was going home Sunday. No rental car for me…

The new flight will put me into Hartford at 4:30pm… My first lecture was scheduled for 2pm. I call and push the meeting to 5:30pm, and call the driver to let him know my pick-up time has been changed…

I hang at the airport, run into the doctor I work with, listen to IPod after buying a headset because I forgot to bring my headset ($19) drink coffee ($3) more coffee ($3) and finally board my plane. We get to Chicago, I change planes, and arrive in Hartford on a warm sunny afternoon.

We arrive at my hotel and they announce A) I did not prepay my room and B) they have no rooms available. (There is a medical conference in town and the next 3 hotels we call are also booked solid)

So I will be giving my 5:30 talk as is and will figure out the room later.

I arrive- towing my luggage, meet with the nurses, review the information and answer their questions. During this, the doctor who invited me to come arranges a room- it is about 30 minutes away, but I cannot RAVE enough about how great the Homewood Suites in Farmington treated me during my stay.

I arrived too late for the complimentary dinner, but they made me a plate from the leftovers. They gave me toothpaste (TSA has something about toothpaste in carry-ons, who knew) and my room was wonderful! I highly recommend.

So what happens when you don’t pack a coat when you travel?

Freezing rain… temps in the teens… Even with pants and stockings I am cold. Thank God for the car service. My Wednesday is a blur of meetings and talks with staff, and a quick visit with my EB baby and mom- this is such a hard road.

I am exhausted when I get back to the hotel and sleep has to wait till I pack. But the big problem is my phone refuses to charge. Okay it is a flip phone circa 2009 but I love it and till now it has been indestructible… I am so sad!

Finally I get it charging- but not as fast as usual. Nothing to do about it till I get home. Like my expired license…

Watch the news- there was a big gas explosion in NYC- many are injured, some are dead and some are missing in the rubble of the two demolished 5 story buildings in Spanish Harlem. Sad.

So I wake up early on the day of Grand Rounds- shower-dress-eat- check out- and the car is there early as we are meant to be having awful weather and a slow commute. Did I mention it was freezing?

I am ready for my talk, the room starts to fill. UCONN is getting the video feed and they are filming the session. Just before we start, I get the call. One of my patients is in Harlem Hospital- injured in the blast yesterday that demolished the family home. OMG! My heart is sick.

Then my brother calls to wish me “Happy Birthday”, but I need to rush him off the phone. The fact that John Slattery was standing next to him and was going to wish me “Happy Birthday” and I missed it- par for the course, as far as this week is going.

My presentation goes well until the Q&A- I feel warm- a bit strange. I ask for a drink, and then I put my head on the podium as I feel faint. I feel people with me, I feel myself being seated, and my legs being raised. I sip juice.

It is only moments but it seems longer. This is a first.

After a couple of minutes, I finish the Q&A, but I stay seated. When we finish up I am feeling fine.

The one call I don’t get is one from home- The carpet guys were supposed to give me a call with a window of when they were coming and no call came. Bah Humbug! I call my aunt and daughter and get them on it.

I head upstairs to observe a dressing change and am again amazed by this remarkable set of nurses caring for this child. They are doing a great job.

I next speak with the Residents- and get through without another fainting incident. My driver is given the okay to take me to Danbury, where I will meet my sister for a couple of days with friends and family. Laughter and joy in huge heaping doses.

The whirl of the next two day is wonderful, and Saturday night I stay with my childhood friend- she and her husband take me out to dinner and she drives me to the airport early- I am determined not to miss my flight.

I should have slept in.

My flight was delayed… and delayed… and delayed…

So I asked about my Chicago connection- I had to work the next day. The plane we were to travel on was still on the ground in Chicago with maintenance issues. The man at the counter next to me was trying to get to Indianapolis… The woman helping me was trying to move me to a later connecting flight when her counterpart mentioned a direct flight on another carrier. I had a sneaking suspicion this flight was not going to happen so I requested booking on the other flight. It did not leave till 5pm but it was a direct flight.

I got the last seat and headed for the gate for my LONG wait- it was 11:30am.

I had lunch and check for my gate assignment and found my new flight was delayed at least 45 minutes… For a moment I wondered if I made a mistake. Too late now…

I was missing my Bristol race… I was going to be home much later than expected… My phone was dead…

Then Mr. Indianapolis arrived.

“I should have listened to you and gotten on the other 2:10pm flight”, he stated when he recognized me. “You made the right decision.”

My original flight was loaded at 3pm and pulled back from the gate, only to have the same mechanical problem that delayed it in the first place. By the time it was cancelled I would have been stuck in Hartford for the night.

The flight was uneventful, my bag arrived and I headed for my car and my ticket for the garage was nowhere to be found. I paid a small fortune for parking, drove home with an expired license, found out Carl Edwards won at Bristol and went to bed.

Work travel is over-rated but people are really amazing!