President Obama just declared an H1N1 Emergency.   I had predicted weeks ago that was coming!

And I am starting my 8th week fighting whatever-it-is. Last week I spent 3 days in the hospital with lots of testing that eliminated a lot of maybe-this-is-the-problem issues. And I have more tests tomorrow (Monday) but that will be as an outpatient. Thank goodness. It’s hard running our “life command center” from a hospital bed – although I kept my calendar and cell phone by my side. 

I was in Spring Valley Hospital – same hospital where Brad has been in the past - and just a few minutes from our condo so it is very handy. Nice facility - all rooms there are private ones and at night you have a beautiful view of the Strip lights. I had to laugh during an only-in-Vegas moment when I was being admitted. They gave me a list to check off all my belongings and under the Money Column one of the items was “Casino Chips.” 

I just have not been able to answer all your nice e-mails, but I do really appreciate all the kind words.

In the meantime, here are a few tidbits about driving around Vegas that might be helpful to some of you:

 •Dean Martin Drive (formerly known as Industrial Road) is a very handy way to avoid I-15. You can pick it up near Downtown, at Wyoming (between Charleston and Sahara) and go south on it almost all the way to the M Casino (turning left onto Southern Highland at the south end to actually get to M). Along the way you can turn onto Rio Drive to get to the Rio/Palms/Gold Coast; turn onto Trop to get to NYNY/Excal; turn into a little connector (forget the name) to get up onto Hacienda and get to the back garages of Excal, Luxor, and Mandalay Bay; stop at Silverton; get off on Silverado to go to South Point: and then continue south to M. This street is almost never crowded, even when I-15 has become a parking lot.

 •Koval is a construction nightmare from Trop to Flamingo. Avoid at all costs. It might be longer to use Paradise/Swenson but it is quicker.

 •The Airport Connector, our favorite shortcut from the west side of town to the east, is  in construction mode and will stay there for about a YEAR!

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