Memorial Day Weekend

Well the flight down to Los Angeles was fun. It was bumpy, just the way I like it. Once I got to LA, my friend Lel picked me up and we went to go get my rental car. I ended up getting a Saturn ION and all I can say is that it doesn't compare to my old Saturn SL. This car was junk. After that Lel and I went to my hotel at the Radisson at LAX.

Flying past Mt Rainier after leaving SEA

I was so excited when I ended up on the 11th floor and had a view of Runways 25L and 25R. Well I thought I did. Upon running to my window to look outside Lel and I came upon windows where the tinted window film was peeling and bubbling and it warp the view outside.

My hotel was the one next to the old control tower

Lel and I chatted and then Lel left for home. I tried to get some sleep but all I managed was 3.5 hours of sleep since all I could think of was the EMG. I checked out around 7 am and went to my doctor who took X-rays of my back and told me they did a great job at Overlake Hospital with the surgery on my back. Then came the bad news. That I had Cubital Tunnel Syndrome. He wanted to do surgery within two weeks but I told him no and to please wait till mid summer. I would have to go to LA for surgery and take care of the physical therapy in Seattle.

After that I made a quick stop at Van Nuys Airport to visit my former boss a the Noise Management Office, but he wasn't there, just my supervisor. It was great talking to him and I have to say I sure miss that job.

Then came the EMG. My goodness did I forget how painful that thing is. I'll spare you all the details, but I can tell you all I didn't expect the "taser" part of the test. Because of it I finally know what is causing my fingers to go numb and why I get that irritating and sometimes painful (when it gets really bad) funny bone sensation in my left arm. It is Cubital Tunnel Syndrome and the only way to get rid of it is another freaking surgery. So later this summer I will be back in Los Angeles for about a week for surgery and won't be able to go to work for a month, followed by 3-4 months of physical therapy. Hopefully everything will be fine by winter because I want to give snowboarding a chance, just want to see how easy it is, just want to give it a try. Hopefully this is the year that snowboarding curse goes away and I can finally give try it this winter.

When it was all over I met my close friend Nick and went straight to Starbucks with him to get a Latte. Then Lel showed up along with Mathew a few minutes later. We sat under the final approach for runway 24R and just chatted away. Mathew and Nick had to go and Lel and I hanged out till it was time for me to go. I have to say that the flight back was just one of the most boring flights I ever had. There was no turbulence whatsoever. Watching the sunset was nice and it help me get my mind of my sore arm, but that was it.

Flying past the Channel Islands after leaving LAX

I felt sore and I guess a bit down that night home. I figured going to work would get my mind of things but it never happened. Instead the pain got worse and I ended up getting a nasty cramp and there went work.

Saturday was fun, Leah and I went to the Boulder River to go hiking, and to find some waterfalls of course. Well I found Feature Show Falls easily just like last time I went there a year ago and another waterfall that was further down the hike. What I didn't find was Boulder Falls. I was going crazy that I couldn't find it. Then on the way back I heard the pitch and sound of the river change and I knew I had found it so I bushwhacked my way down to the river bank and I "found it". It turned out when I got back home that I didn't find it, I found a new waterfall that I have no idea how it is not on any topo map, or guide considering that the whole Boulder River gets squeezed by the canyon and drops 15 to 20 feet. Well I named it and I posted a picture on Flickr and on a waterfall group. Now I hope the name sticks. As I have learned, as long as you are the first to document a waterfall and post a picture, the name sticks. I aptly named it Boulder Squeeze Falls.

Boulder Squeeze Falls

Sunday we went looking at open houses then went to see a German film at the Seattle Film Festival called Summer '04. It was pretty good and I recommend it. Monday we went to Folklife. Great music and it's a good place to people watch. My goodness what people will wear or do!