The 100 Years

 

I made it! Landed in Napoli on Sunday 12 maggio 2013. One Hundred Years to the day my grandfather Michele Sassone landed at the Port of Boston.

There is so very much to share with you and I’ve wanted to write a couple of times but wifi has been so sporatic and time has been so very short. I do try every day to jot notes in a journal so that I don’t forget a thing, and can expand in the future.

There has been quite the buzz here in Melfi about my 100 Years story and it’s made it to the Radio. They asked me to come in for an interview on Tuesday the 14th. They brought in an interpreter for me which was good because it would have been difficult without one.

Here are a couple of photos just to share a tiny snippet of my adventure so far.
The view from my front door in the morning
Found in Old Melfi; my grandmother’s Nephew and Niece; Michele and Maria Montanarella. Still living in the original home, on a stone paved strada that barely accommodates even a small car.

So much to tell! The days are packed with meeting family and eating! Start very early and end very late. It has been so much more than I had expected. The 100 Years which started as a salute to my grandfather has meant so much more to so many here.

The Dream comes true

Tomorrow I board one of three planes that gets me to Italy. Everything is right, most “to do” lists are checked off and thrown away. Today I pack and finish getting the house ready for my pet sitter. I still need to make a sign to have my picture taken with at Naples airport. Camera is ready, cell is ready, I am ready.  (man I hope I remembered everything)

This is it, I did it, I am going to Italy, I am landing on my planned day, 12 May 2013. One hundred years to the day that my grandfather’s ship, The Cretic, docked at the Port of Boston. It took his ship two weeks to cross the ocean, he was just 18 when he stepped on American soil.

Relatives there are waiting, writing, sending phone numbers. They have plans for me, one is a Historical Festival of some kind. My family and friends here have been so supportive – calling, wishing me a wonderful trip and overall very, very supportive and happy for me.

The past couple years were so up and down, filled with anxiety and hope and worry and accomplishments. Most people would be excited to travel to Italy but the reasons for going make this extra special for me. When I let myself take in the full accounting I get emotional, the butterflies jump like crazy in my stomach. Add to all of that; Springsteen on the 23rd. It’s difficult to grasp that it’s ME doing this, not someone else telling me the story of and epic adventure to Italy, it is my story, my accomplishment, my dream and then some.

 

A Whirlwind of Activity

The days are moving fast now – there’s only one week left! It’s hard to wrap my head around the fact that my trip is so damn close! Slowly but surely I’ve been checking off my lists of things to get done before I go. The thought of leaving my pets is starting to creep in, I love them so much and will miss them. Though, I know they are in good hands with my friend Melissa and they’ll probably enjoy a change of face!

All of my grooming clients are frantically calling for appointments and I’m adding them to my already packed schedule. Today I have two to do before I start one of my “other” jobs at the hospital. It’s good, I’ll take it, I need the money but I’m getting tired. That’s okay, I’ve got two weeks of an amazing experience coming to me very soon.

Everything is a rush now, must hurry to get things done, cover all the bases. And pack. What to take? I have little gathering spots filling up with items going with me and little clutter spots around the house that are getting smaller in preparation for Melissa’s stay. (lest she think I’m a messy housekeeper)

Then there is the twist to my plans with my cell phone. Turns out my two-year old cell phone will not accept Global. I had an upgrade due in March but wanted to wait until I got back to spend the money. Such a great idea…..until I realized that I won’t get ANY use from the old phone there, which means no Google Translate! That’s a problem. Enter my sister to save my butt; she loaned me the $$ to upgrade. Phew, bless her heart, I can get Global and Google Translate. And honestly, I love the new phone! Summer is coming and my grooming will pick up a lot so I’ll be able to pay her back quickly.

100 Years ago this week my grandfather was on the ship Cretic sailing to America.

That’s it for me now, off to work!

 

More good news & it’s all in the wrist

Great news on the hands/wrist front. Yup – more good news! 

After many attempts to get some type of Health Insurance and treatment for the Arthritis in my hands I kept hitting some type of block. Either the insurance didn’t cover “Specialists” or I made too much, or not enough, or the deductible was more than the Dr’s visits or, or, or…..

Enter my cousin the RN to save my ass. ( actually my hands ) She put me in touch with a woman at the Low Income Satellite Hospital division of her hospital. A few phone calls and a bunch of pay stubs sent in, questions answered over the phone and then a few days of waiting to hear back. The call came; You are qualified for not only One Grant but TWO! That’s right, I’m so poor I qualify for two grants. One will cover ( for 6 months ) Dr, Blood-work and Xrays. The other is sort of a “back up” that gives me limited discounts on meds and emergency type things. The main one has already taken effect and I’ve gotten the chance to see a Nurse Practioner, who spent almost 2 hours with me! She was wonderful, put my mind at ease, suggested a new Medication that will quite possibly put me into a remission state. She re ordered the Blood-work and Xrays for me, which I had done on Thursday. She will review the results this week and speak with the Dr that I won’t get to actually see until June. The new medication, as she explained to me, will help me get off of the Prednisone which has created a bigger, puffier me. It has way less side effects and though I prefer NO drugs this one will give me my life back. Or, I should say “should” give me my life back, nothing is 100% for sure. But I’ll take it because now I have Hope, I can look to regaining use of my hands with full function. 

I’d like to add one more thing here; when I knew I was going to a “Low Income” medical facility, I expected there to be lots of attitude, unfriendly faces and battered facilities. I was so very wrong! Yes, the Hospital had closed, it is a bit run down but the other Hospital purchased it and is using it as a satellite hospital. So low income people like me can get medical help. Every office I stepped in to was clean, the staff was friendly, accommodating, and never once looked down at me when I told them I was under the Grant program. I was treated just as compassionately and kindly as when I had really good Health Insurance years ago. They were respectful, courteous and friendly. For someone like me who has never asked for a handout, always worked hard and is humiliated to be in this position, it was the best experience I could have possibly had. 

My new Dr only works at this office 2 days a week and is booked up until June. So, when I get to see him, he will prescribe the new medication and within 3-6 weeks I should be back to normal if not really close to normal. I will need follow up blood draws so that they can monitor my levels, but between the 2 grants I should be okay. 

I hope that some day, some how, I will be in a position to donate to this program.

Three Weeks Today

Just three more weeks….weeks – not months….weeks.

I’ve started my lists. Been working on my budget, balancing what bills need to be taken care of before I leave and what I will have left to take with me. The list of those I will bring something home for is quite short; nieces 16, 14 & 4, one dear friend.

My change jar is getting full. I’ve been tossing in coins each day and will cash it in just before I leave. I have a lot of Vacation hours coming to me, I will save some and cash in some.

This weekend I plan to do some shopping for clothes. Just a few things to fill in what I already plan to take. I’d also like to work on my little paper bracelets to take as gifts. That depends on what my hands will allow as they are pretty swollen and painful this morning.   ( a second post on that later today. )  

It’s been hard to focus at work and I find myself thinking of my trip in those slow spaces of time, seeing the schedules for May with my hours being filled in with someone else’s name. Usually it’s the other way around, I’m filling in and pulling extra hours to cover for someone who is away. Now it’s my turn. It feels strange and thrilling at the same time.

Getting the house together for my friend Melissa, who is staying here with my pets Honey and Cricket. Making sure she has everything she needs to be comfortable, the animals have plenty of food etc. There sure is a lot of cleaning that needs to be done. I had a key to the house made for her with M n M’s printed on it – don’t think she’ll forget which house that key is for!

All of the planning is coming together…three weeks from today I will be boarding my plane….and three weeks tomorrow I will meet my family and arrive 100 years to the day! 

April is Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month

Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

 

It is a Global issue. It happens daily, everywhere. Animal cruelty is not just dogs, cats and horses. It includes ANY animal that humans can contact with; Elephants, Donkeys, Birds, Wolves, Tigers, Rhinos, Monkey’s etc, etc, etc. ONLY HUMANS are capable of this.

Do what you can, even if it’s just to say a personal prayer or donate a dollar or two to a rescue organization near you.

Buona Pasqua

Here in Western NY State the ground is starting to thaw, the gloom of winter skies is being replaced with more sunshine and the bitter air is being pushed aside by a slightly warmer breeze. If you look closely you can see the buds on the trees starting to show. Birds are announcing the arrival of morning just as the darkness turns to dawn. I wear my lighter coat and look forward to not having to wear a coat at all in the weeks to come. My snow shovel sits idly in the back porch, just in case, as it is not unusual to get a freak snow storm this time of year. 

With only a few weeks left to go for my visit to Italy I have marveled at how much my life has changed recently. Really, I sat down yesterday and thought back to this time last year. My whole life was up in the air and I doubted my dreams. I doubted my ability to push forward and through a very long and dark phase. Now just one year later here I am, trip planned, airline tickets bought, Passport in hand and the surprise chance of fate to see Springsteen while I’m there! It seems surreal yet so immensely gratifying. The sense of accomplishment has given me amazing confidence in myself. A confidence I’ve not felt in years. 

Throw in the mix my health issues that surfaced in Sept last year. Now that was a heavy blow, to lose the use of my hands! Somehow I’ve managed to ride that wave up and down, some days more painful than others. No health insurance to cover the medical bills and unable to find an affordable policy. I’ve stuck with and learned to work around my new “condition”. Continuing to search out some type of assistance and (pain relief) for months now, I finally got it. With the help of my cousin who is an RN, and her boss at the Hospital, I was directed to a Clinic for low-income area residents. One phone conversation and proof of income sent in, I qualify for treatment at their clinic. Through a grant program I will be able to receive care and treatment for this painful and debilitating disease. The good just keeps coming my way! My hope is that before I leave for my trip, I can get on better/stronger meds and drop the extra weight that my current meds have put on me. I’d like to look at myself and see my face instead of the chubby cheeked woman I see today. My ankles are swollen to the point that I can’t see my ankle bones any longer, those aren’t MY ankles! I’m about to embark on an amazing journey that I worked long and hard for, meeting family for the first time and I’d really like them to “see” the real ME not the puffy medicated me. But, it is what it is, I can’t do any more than what I’m doing already and help is on the way.

And things are good, slowly, with each step, each effort, each accomplishment, I feel wonderful about the turn my life is taking. Each person in this world deals with darkness at some points in life, mine happened to last longer than some, (and thankfully, not as long as others) but I honestly feel the worst is behind me and that it’s all good from here.

Easter; a time of resurrection, birth and life anew.  May you enjoy all of the goodness this day and season have to offer.