11-16-12

Days since my thruhike began: 212

We took a zero day and I went to the clinic at Walmart to finally talk to a doctor about whether I might have Lyme disease. They couldn't do blood tests there, but due to my symptoms (and I showed pictures of the rashes I got previously), plus my contact with ticks and my risk of exposure in areas of known Lyme disease carrying ticks, he prescribed 21 days of Doxycycline. I also got meds to stop cold sores, because this cold and wind is chapping my lips and that can often bring on a cold sore. While at Walmart I walked by a hiker and stopped. He looked familiar. It was Snowman, the SOBO hiker I had exchanged ropes with in Maine! He said Bebop and Rock Steady were at Walmart, too, and had just finished their hike here in Waynesboro. I first met them at the Dojo in Bastian,VA, then saw them again in Maine after they did their flip flop and were heading south. Yay for them!

While we were at Walmart I suggested that Eagle Eye get her eye checked, but she didn't want to spend the money for an appointment. I understand, but sometimes you need to just pay and get it taken care of. Just before bed she said her eye really hurt and asked me to look at it again. I was horrified to see the rippled/scratched area had filled with cloudy pus! Oh no! Do we wake Don and Jeanmarie and go to the ER? She was in a panic, but not able to afford that either, so she used my eye drops and decided to wait until morning. This is not good.