Chicago, revolving door phobias, and Albinism

I went to Downtown Chicago for a training seminar for work and it was VERY educational.

First, I flew out of IAH Monday on a flight that was scheduled to leave at 11:45 a.m. but due to rain in Chicago that morning, our flight didn't leave until right after 2 p.m. The ride was smooth and we landed without incident around 4:30 p.m. Once off the plane, we got into a shuttle that would take us to our hotel. The traffic getting to the hotel was unreal and I was very glad I did not choose to rent a car. Towards the end of the trip, the shuttle was turning and a taxi which was on our left honked and then turned around us almost knocking off the front of the shuttle. I was so glad to get out of the van when we finally go to the front door.

When I got my luggage, this is what greeted me:

A side note: I have a childhood phobia of revolving doors. I went with my dad to work one day when I was young and due to the fact that I was too short and too light it stopped and I was trapped. My dad heard me crying and had to come rescue me. Ever since this occured, I have avoided revolving doors at all costs.

Apparently, every store and hotel in downtown Chicago has a revolving door to enter and exit through. Due to this, I finally overcame my phobia.

I got my hotel key and then went to my room. It was gorgeous and just like the photos from the website:
http://www.embassysuiteschicago.com/accommodations/

That night my coworker and I walked across the street to eat at a very convenient Chili's. We were hungry and exhausted.

The next morning, we ate the delicious continental breakfast and then walked the 0.8 miles to the hotel that the conference as being held. The weather was beautiful and it was NOT hot. Using my iPhone, we walked a very scenic route and we were not alone. My first observation was that there was not a button for the crosswalks, instead they were just timed along with the traffic lights. There were more people walking on the sidewalk than there was driving in the street. The sure number of cabs verses cars was mind blowing. Also, I noticed that the use of the car horn is a requirement. If the first car wasn't rolling by the time the light finished turning green, at least two cars behind it was blaring its horn. Buses honk at each other like it is accepted, I was shocked.

After about 10 minutes of walking, my coworker and I came to our destination:
http://www.millenniumhotels.com/millenniumchicago/index.html

 The inside was breathtaking:

We then went into the conference room which had quite a bit of history:

After the conference let out, we did some sight seeing including dinner. We went inside a mall called Water Tower Place which had the American Girl doll store inside. We ate at a restaurant called Food life which had 14 different kitchens for everyone to choose from and then a desert kitchen to chose a dessert. The food was excellent and the cost was in our company's budget.

Afterwards, we went to the John Hancock Observatory and went up an elevator at 20 mph to the 94th floor. The view was amazing and unreal.

Exhausted from all the walking, we all went back to our respective hotels to start the day over again. On the way back to our hotel, I saw this sign and couldn't help myself:

Due to a Starbucks withdrawal, the next morning I walked next door to the Starbucks and got myself a Java Chip Frappichino, it was awesome. My coworker and I walked the same way back to the conference for our second day of training and then we went to lunch at a Cheesecake Factory nearby.

After the day was over we walked to a local pizza place for dinner. We all wanted to get a chicago deep dish pizza. The pizza was awesome and completely worth the wait.

One of my coworkers from Solon, Ohio had us meet her sister for dinner. When I first met her sister, the thought of her being different did not pass my mind. My coworker mentioned her being an Albino but I was taken back since I had no idea. Once her sister was with us while we were waiting to be seated, I had burning questions to ask and get answered. She was very gracious and appreciated me asking and not assuming. I had to admit that I couldn't tell and that she was the first one I had ever met.

We all walked our separate ways to our separate hotels to start our third day in the morning.

My coworker and I walked the last time to the other hotel and sleepily sat through the training. Due to some Houston issues, my coworker had to walk back to the hotel we were staying in to get on his work laptop and try to work on an urgent agent case that had just come up. After the conference was over with, I walked alone back to the hotel to eat my leftover pizza for dinner. On the way back, I was able to take in more sights and take more pictures of what I had seen.

This is what I saw on the sidewalk and thought it was amazing. This is a live person who is in costume and make-up:

I was able to upgrade my ticket to first class which was a completely new adventure for me since I had never sat in first class. Due to my first class boarding pass, I was able to go to a special line for security and essentially went through in half the time it would have taken for general boarding. First class was able to board first and so I took my seat next to an older gentleman who was very kind to help me with my luggage. The man next to me drank FOUR Vodka/Tonics from the time we boarded to the time we landed. I just drank Sprite and ate some peanuts due to my lack of hunger and nerves about the flight. The seats were leather and I was able to watch the Direct TV programming that was displayed on the seat back in front of me the whole flight as opposed to the going flight that cut off after only an hour or so of play. I was shocked just how much was free in first class and the fight attendant was surprised  I didn't want much. It was nice to have more leg room and to be with business people with no kids. Due to the weather, the flight was bumpier than usual resulting in the seat belt sign staying on. The pilot stated on the overhead that we had to go around Dallas to avoid some storms which tacked on about 30 minutes to our flight. The landing was very rough but I was prepared with my hands firmly on the seat in front of me.

We landed and I hightailed it to the pick up for Park N Fly to get to my car so I could drive home. I drove home and relaxed with some wine. I had fun but I was exhausted.

Starting a new chapter 15 years later

I recently had to start a new chapter with a lifelong best friend due to a medical issue that occurred similar to a stroke.

I met Kristin when we were both in high school when we went to try out for color guard the summer before our sophomore year with the marching band in 1996. We became instant friends and were inseparable. Kristin taught me how to look at the world different. Our families became very close and still to this day I consider her parents and sisters as my family. Kristin had her own way of doing things but was always done with a huge contagious smile. We spent hours on the phone with each other and numerous weekends at each other's houses.

Kristin went away to college at MSU in Wichita Falls and I went to Blinn Jr. College in Brenham but we stayed in touch on the phone or online when instant messaging was in it's infancy. After college, we both came back to Houston and we both pursued different jobs in different industries.

We celebrated birthdays and holidays together living like sisters. I joked one day that I was going to start a list of similarities between us, she laughed and almost dared me. I started that list and got to about 10 and shared it with her. She was shocked and then thought the list was funny. As our lives went on, I added more and more to the list. It was like we were the same person, almost.

Several years later Kristin met her future husband and got married. Her husband is the best man in the world and I couldn't have picked a better person for her to marry. Although it was hard, I let her go into that phase of life alone and stayed in constant contact by "kidnapping" her and going to Chili's for our favorite- Bottomless Skillet Queso and tons of girl only conversation.

Fast forward to early April 2011:
I spoke to Kristin several times on a Monday just like we always did- talking about life and her frustrations that I could solve by just talking to her. I will never forget the feeling I had when I got the news a few days later. I got a text (from her husband) stating that she had been admitted to the hospital for tests and she was having trouble speaking and breathing. My heart dropped like a rock. I wanted to be there but I was already planning to go out of town to see my parents for my dad's birthday. I stayed in constant contact with her husband via text and phone calls.

As soon as I could, that Sunday I drove to the hospital to see my friend. I walked into the hospital room to see my friend standing there. She looked at me expressionless with a blank stare, she didn't know who I was. I tried to shrug it off but it still bothered me. I went up to her and asked her if she know who I was. She said she did and she said my name but her expression said otherwise. My friend was gone and all that was there was a shell. I spent some more time with her and quickly could see just how bad it was. She spoke very little and acted more like a 8-year-old than a 31-year-old. I was crushed. She had no memories of the last 15 years and had no idea who I was or why I was there.

I went home that night and had a very angry conversation with God and cried myself to sleep. How could God let this happen? How did this happen to Kristin, of all people? Could this happen to me?

I talked to her husband a few days later and he confirmed for me what I feared. She did not know who I was. 15 years of friendship was now down the proverbial drain. How do I get her to remember? What do I do?

A few weeks later, I went to help her and her husband move from one apartment to another. I used it as an opportunity to get her to remember. I wore a shirt from our marching season of senior year and asked her if she remembered where it was from. No was her answer. I showed her a gift she made for me last year when I turned 30 and she did not remember making it. I helped her hang clothes up in the closet in a grueling hour of silence. How could a person that I could talk to for hours in the past be silent?

Kristin has gotten a little bit better. She will text me and have short conversations with me but it just isn't the same. I miss her voice and I miss being able to talk to her about daily trials and feeling better by just getting her advice.

I see life so much different now. Small things such as inconveniences and arguments don't upset me because I know that my best friend is locked up in her mind and has bigger problems on her hands compared to whatever I might be going through for a moment.

This year when I turned 31 I prayed that she would remember that it was my birthday and by some miracle call me and wish me a happy birthday. The whole day went by and I didn't get my wish. I guess this is something that I am going to have to get used to in the future. I texted her the next day saying that I was thinking about her and that now we were the same age: 31. She texted that she wasn't feeling well and I tried to console her the best way I knew through a text message. Getting a text from her is what I had to settle for instead of what I wanted.

What is the hardest right now is that due to her propensity to panic attacks, she wishes to only see family. I am unable to see my best friend and I have to settle for text messages.

I miss her so much but I know that God has blessed me beyond my imagination with the job I started in November. I am able to travel to cities I have never been to and I am getting training in areas of healthcare that I had no idea existed. I have to be her friend by going on with my life just like I know she would want. All I can do is pray that one day she will remember me and the last 15 years that in a matter of moments was erased from her memory.

I still have my moments of just tears and anguish when I hear a song that reminds me of her, I see a gift she has given me over the years, or I go to Chili's our favorite restaurant to eat. The moments come at the least opportune moments and make it hard to explain to others who don't know.

Kristin, if you read this: I love you and I miss your advice.

New to Blogging

I decided to try this blogging thing again..