Not Dead, Yet
March 3, 2025Posted by Kanga, please do not reblog.
It has been a long long time since my last post. I have not disappeared off the face of the planet, but we are no longer “living the travel channel,” so to speak. We have returned to America and are very unlikely to leave it again. The thought of getting on an airplane is anathema to me. It’s the last thing I want to do.
Moving was ridiculously stressful and complicated (due to COVID restrictions). We had to pack and ship belongings, dispose of the rest of our belongings, try to find a home for our cats (did not work out), get copies of all my medical records (in Chinese), arrange to travel by land from Xi’an to Shanghai, get the cats vaccinated and their travel papers, get a flight that included our cats, get permission to leave our apartment complex because of a COVID lock down that occurred the night before we were to leave, find a hotel that allowed pets near the Shanghai airport, accomplish final errands in Shanghai, and meet with friends to say goodbye. There are so many details I am leaving out, but I don’t really want to relive them by describing them.
On August 22nd, we finally got on a plane with our cats in the cabin with us (not as cargo thankfully). It was a long flight. The plane was packed. The cats were stressed. But, we finally made it.
Over the last few years, we have settled in with family. Daddybird went from just taking care of me to taking care of his parents, as well. Huge transition.
Thankfully, we were able to get health insurance coverage through the Affordable Care Act. My USA medical experience was the complete opposite of my China experience. By December I was done with chemotherapy and clear of any signs of disease. The treatment I received in China was effective, but the stress of the chaos was huge. I really appreciated the quiet of the US waiting rooms. I appreciated clear communications with doctors. I was able to face surgery trusting the doctor and staff and knowing exactly what would happen.
Compare the waiting “rooms.” Worlds apart.
We won’t be traveling much, if at all, but I will continue this blog. I have been doing a lot of genealogical research, so I will switch to time travel, instead of world travel. I’ve uncovered some interesting stories and will share them here.
Living the Travel Channel 
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