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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No, I didn’t die – but for the last few weeks I thought that this bug-that-is-going-around (whatever name they give it) was trying to kill me! When I was talking about the swine flu in my September 11 entry, I didn’t realize that I would still be talking about it on October 16. Wow – this bug can be one nasty enemy. I tried to fight it by using my usual technique of iron mental determination – ignore it and it will go away. It didn’t. 

Fortunately, however, when I finally used some good sense and went back to the doctor, she figured that I probably have a shot immune system and developed a secondary bacterial infection. Hurrah – not much you can do about viruses but now I can take a pill! So I am on a strong antibiotic and hopefully will soon be good as new – or as “new” as a 70-year-old lady can be!!!! 

So, within a few days, I plan to be back blogging more regularly and giving more gambling hints that will help you keep and/or put more money in your pocket! 

Thanx to all of you who wrote, concerned about my absence. I feel very loved and that is very healing!

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Back in my September 11 entry I wrote about my battle – and then Brad’s - with flu-like symptoms since early in that month. I never got tested to see if I had the swine flu since my symptoms weren’t severe and I figured I’d feel better in a week or so.  Brad did have more severe symptoms in the beginning and, since he has heart problems, his doctor did test him. We were a little surprised at the results. The nasal swabs came back negative for swine flu, but the throat culture they took came back positive for a staph infection. He was put on antibiotics and in another week or so, he had seemed to regain his strength and was able to go about his normal routine. 

On the other hand, although I mostly got over some of the initial symptoms quickly – sore throat, achy body – some of the other symptoms have remained, now 5 weeks later, including eye problems, chest discomfort, cough. The most debilitating problem, however, has been constant severe fatigue that doesn’t respond to rest. 

You might ask what all this has to do with gambling and/or Las Vegas?  

Perhaps not as much as the subjects I usually cover here. Or -  perhaps more so. I’m not an extremist about anything or a perpetual worrywart, but I do think casinos can be a definite threat this winter in the war against the swine flu. For one thing, a place where groups of people congregate is always a hotbed for viruses.   Another problem is that the recession has caused casinos to cut their workforce numbers, including those that clean. I have noticed a definite decline in the general cleanliness in many casinos - dirty bathrooms, grubby machines. 

There is another issue if the swine flu becomes extremely widespread. Casinos are not “necessary” businesses. Would health departments ever shut them down during an epidemic? Or, might some casinos have to shut down if there are not enough healthy employees to run them? 

I guess this whole subject has captured my attention more because I have been dealing with it personally for over a month. Actually I didn’t connect some of my long-lasting symptoms with the swine flu. I have struggled off and on with fibromyalgia for over 30 years and it can have some of the same symptoms, especially extreme fatigue. However, results of all my Googling point to the opinion that I am probably still fighting the swine flu. 

Some people I talk to say they are afraid to get the swine flu vaccine. I think I am in the camp that says you should be afraid not to get it!

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Brad and I have been fighting flu symptoms for a week. First time I noticed anything wrong, I was sitting at a video poker machine with a game that required the JoB strategy, one I have played for almost twenty years and I can practically play in my sleep. Suddenly, I am seeing five cards and I have no idea what I am supposed to do with them. I concentrate really hard and it comes to me – I should hold the pair. I play for about 10 minutes, concentrating hard on each hand, hoping I won't make a silly mistake.   Finally I tell Brad, who is sitting beside me, “I know I am getting Alzheimer’s – I just can’t think. And besides I am getting a terrible sore throat. I want to go home.” 

When I got home, I was feeling really lousy – but I figured I was just having one of my sinus infection episodes. I get these every once in awhile so I took some sinus medicine and went to bed. The next day I was achy and feeling exhausted so continued to rest.  

My doctor sister happened to call and I told her my symptoms and she said it sounded like I had “what was going around – the swine flu.” My daughter called within the hour and was telling me about my granddaughter, Kaitlynn, being down with the swine flu – that it was going around her high school and many students were out. 

Hummmmm……what had I been doing on the previous few days. Back to begin another year as a volunteer in a kindergarten in the school down the street. Twenty-three little ones with the usual number of coughs, grubby hands, and runny noses. I guess it was inevitable. 

I Googled “swine flu” and found there were 38 million references, but I picked a few and found these possible symptoms:  high-grade fever, chills, muscle aches, headaches, sore throat, dry cough, vomiting, diarrhea, and confusion. No one has all of the symptoms, usually just two or three and they last on average 3 or 4 days and most swine flu cases are mild.   You can’t positively diagnose swine flu without a lab test but they are assuming that if you have some of these symptoms you probably have it since it is “going around” and it is too early for the regular flu season. I just heard on the local news that there was a sudden jump in the number of swine flu cases here in Vegas – 300 reported in the last few days. 

On the 3rd day I was feeling much better and we were happy that I must have had a mild case and I hadn’t given whatever I had to Brad. I worried about his getting the swine flu because most of the deaths reported from it were because of “underlying medical problems.” 

Well, our happiness about the situation didn’t last very long. A couple of days later Brad got very sick very suddenly in the middle of the night, spiking a high temperature. Unfortunately we happened to be in a hotel in Laughlin at the time so decided to wait it out. And the next morning he said he felt fine – had sweated out whatever bug or virus had attacked him. However, by the next evening he was running a fever again and feeling achy and exhausted so we drove back to Vegas the next day and saw the doctor today. 

At the doctor’s office they took a throat culture for strep and nasal swabs for the swine flu, but by the time the results are back, hopefully he will be well. But if he would have any further complications, they would know better how to treat him. 

They say, like for the regular flu, that the tiredness and cough may linger for a couple of weeks after the other symptoms are gone. Seems like the wisest plan of action for us now is to continue with lots of liquids, Tylenol, and a sensible rest schedule.

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Just spent 3 nights at Harrah’s in the Big Easy. Some people we talked to on our trip thought it was pretty funny that people who lived in Vegas would make a trip to New Orleans to gamble. One joked about carrying coals to New Castle and a busman’s holiday. Although we do just like the atmosphere in New Orleans, to tell you the truth, we went this time because Harrah’s made us an offer that we just couldn’t refuse, one to the tune of $2100. 

Brad is regaining his strength, albeit slowly, but took the travel very well, his first trip since he “died.”   It was his first time to cope with security measures since he got his pacemaker. Although he can go through the security arches (just no security wands), on his way home they insisted on a hand pat down instead – but they didn’t find any weapons except a big fat bankroll with which to fight casinos. This was thanks to his 20k dealt royal on a $1 Five Play machine plus two more singles. 7 royals in two days – I guess he has his game back on! 

However, I am sad that I must bring some bad news from Harrah’s New Orleans. On April 1 they changed the Reward Credit redemption schedule for their partner restaurants. Although you can redeem your RCs on a one-to-one basis for all the restaurants in the casino and in the hotel (Gordon Biersch, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, and Grand Isle), the redemption for other partner restaurants is now on a two-to-one basis. That means it takes $2 in Reward Credits to pay for every $1 you spend at “outside” restaurants.

Reducing benefits is a sign of the tough times casinos are facing. And don’t be surprised if there is going to be a lot more of this. On the other hand, some casinos are ramping up the promotions to get more customers into their properties. So, cherry-picking is the name of the game, as it always is whether good times or bad!

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Brad is gaining back his strength, albeit slowly. This is probably due as much from the “bug” as the pacemaker since I also am having trouble regaining my normal energy.  

But we are trying to be a little more active each day. In fact, today we got our exercise by walking into the Palms to collect free play, use a food coupon, and do our two free pulls on Megabucks. We got lucky and each of us won $15 on one of our pulls.  

And then we went to Wynn to collect some free play -  and decided to sit down and “rest” and play for a little while.   Brad evidently didn’t forget the point of video poker during his cardiac arrest. Within five minutes he had hit two W2-G jackpots – and yes, one was a royal flush. 

You can’t keep a good man down!

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I wrote on the 12th that Brad’s angioplasty, with stent #7, had gone well and he would be discharged from the hospital on the 13th and would probably soon be back to his regular “job” of having fun in a casino. 

Well, he was discharged from the hospital on the 13th and was resting on the 14th when he was suddenly hit by violent vomiting and unrelenting diarrhea. Since this was the same scenario as just before his first heart attack years ago, I immediately called an ambulance to take him to the hospital. In the emergency room he was going in and out of A-fib and then suddenly went into cardiac arrest. After 5 minutes of CPR his heart started up again. (I didn’t learn of this until after the crisis was over. Probably a good thing I wasn’t there at the time or I might have gone into cardiac arrest myself!)  

After being stabilized, he was admitted and went through extensive testing. It was determined that he had problems with a slow heart rhythm (in addition to A-fib) so a dual-chamber pacemaker system was implanted. 

The day after Brad was hit with the vomiting/diarrhea situation, I came down with the same thing so we must have been attacked by the same “bug.” This was inconvenient to say the least since I couldn’t be at the hospital overseeing - bossing? - Brad’s various doctors and nurses, seeing that he got the best attention in a caring but understaffed facility. However, in spite of my forced absence (although I was doing a lot of phone management) Brad seems to be okay now and came home last evening. He always has said that hospitals try to kill him, by freezing and sticking him to death and waking him up so often he never is allowed to get rested. So he is feeling much better to be warm and cozy at home with no needles in sight and able to sleep when he wants and as long as he wants. 

We both are still plagued with slight nausea and dizziness and all-over soreness – we feel like we’ve been run over by a truck. That “bug” that hit us both must be a wicked one and doesn’t want to leave the body easily. (We have heard from others in Vegas and other parts of the country that this “bug” is going around and leaves you weak for quite awhile.) But hopefully we both will be feeling better in a few days. 

We want to give a big thanks to all who have stepped up to help us during this medical emergency. It is wonderful to have so many caring friends.  

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During Brad’s angiogram today the cardiologist found one place in the right coronary artery that had an 80% blockage so he did an angioplasty and put in one stent – the 7th one in that artery. We figured he wanted to match stents with Brad’s royals! 

But this is good news, perhaps pushing the need for bypass surgery further into the future. Brad is chafing under the orders to lie flat for so many hours, but he should be discharged from the hospital tomorrow and able to pretty much go back to his regular “job” of having fun in a casino, hopefully with Lady Luck still at his side. 

We thank everyone who was praying and thinking good thoughts and wishing Brad well today.

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Royals flushes - you never know when they will hide for seemingly eons. And then when you just about give up ever getting one, they pop up to surprise and please you. 

After a particularly bad start to 2009, deep in a gambling hole, Brad hit a royal on Feb. 5. It certainly didn’t get us even for the year, but it surely made our spirits rise. We are used to losing streaks, but we are human and winning is always more “fun” than losing. Then the next day Brad hit another royal. Great, we are quickly climbing up out of that big hole. 

The next day, Feb. 7, we are in shock when Brad hit his 3rd royal in 3 days, all in different casinos. We are out of the hole and extra cash on hand! Time to pay off one of the markers we had taken out during our January drought. So on the 8th Brad (who always takes care of the money) was supposed to take along some of that extra cash to pay off that marker, but he forgot. I teased him about his forgetfulness and said that I guess he would just have to hit royal #4 and part of that could pay off the marker. So that is what he did!!!!!!   (Isn’t it nice he is so easy-going and does what I suggest?) 

On the 9th my calendar tells me that we are scheduled to play at Casino #5. We joke on the way. Should we think about the common concept that maybe we have “used up” all our luck – or the opposite, we’re on a roll and keep it going. Anyway Brad does hit #5. I joke with the floor people about men having all the luck and I haven’t had a royal in ages. All the gals applaud when soon after I say that I hit a royal that is a lot bigger than his. 

The rest of the story is really a “cheater.” Yesterday we were scheduled to play just a short time on 100 Play, which is no guarantee by any means of getting a royal. But Brad was dealt four to the royal and connected on two, numbers 6+7. To keep him from hogging all the glory, I hit one too. 

We aren't going to try to extend this already-over-the-top royal streak.  We aren’t playing in a casino today – Brad is resting up for an angiogram scheduled tomorrow. Need to find out why he is “dragging” these days and gets chest pain on exertion. As I write in books about video poker I autograph – we are hoping for “skillful luck.” We are counting on a little luck in the hospital tomorrow and a lot of skill on the doctors’ part to make a good diagnosis. They say maybe more stents although he already has 6 from the last two angioplasties and there could be a limit to this option. And for the first time they mentioned the possibility of bypass surgery. 

I’ll report back here when the doctor tells us what he advises.

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There seems to be a “bug” going around in Vegas recently, causing a short-term illness rather than the extended one which plagued us in the winter. They are calling it a 24-hour flu virus, but it usually floors you for three days. The first day you just feel bad and don’t know why. The second day you are flat in bed in-between the bathroom trips on which you don’t know which end has a more pressing need. On the 3rd day, the frequent bathroom trips are over, but you are so sore and exhausted you think you were run over by a semi.

I just finished with my three-day ordeal and feel okay, but Brad’s hit him when we were at Ellis Island this evening. He had been dragging all day and had felt a little nauseated but ate some chicken noodle soup and said he was feeling a little better. So we decided to do our monthly play because Sunday is a 6X point day. After about 20 minutes, Brad suddenly jumped up from his machine, took two steps, and then crumpled to the floor in silence. I was sure he had suffered another heart attack. I yelled for security. 

Then the most amazing thing happened – nothing. The customers kept playing their machines. The dealer at the empty craps table just looked at him …  like … people lying on the floor of the casino was just routine … like ...  “Oh, just another Ellis Island drunk.” 

After a minute Brad did get up on his own and recovered enough equilibrium to stagger to the restroom. I went to the pit where I finally was able to find a couple of security guards -- with no help from the crap dealer who was still just standing guard at his empty table. The guards were efficient. One went to the restroom to see if Brad was doing okay while the other helped me gather up my belongings –- and the couple of thousand dollars I almost forgot to punch out of our machines.

By now I was pretty sure Brad wasn’t having a heart attack but had probably caught the same “bug” from which I had just recovered. The guards said he was finished vomiting but too dizzy to walk so they brought him a wheelchair. They gave me his keys, one guard escorted me to the car, and then I drove around to pick him up at the door. 

I had driven a car my whole adult life, but when Brad retired 19 years ago I rarely took the wheel; he was a willing chauffeur wherever I needed or wanted to go. It’s our joke that Brad has to be dying to let me drive. I hadn’t been behind the wheel for years when in 2003 I drove him to the doctor’s office where he was found to be in the middle of a heart attack and was sent by ambulance right to the hospital. 

Anyway, I got us home all right – so I guess I haven’t forgotten that skill. Now I will get a chance to polish up my nursing skills to help Brad through the next couple days.

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