Minneapolis -- the home of Mary Tyler More. Yes, I found her statue just a block from my hotel.
After enjoying (and being overwhelmed) at the American Pain Foundation 2010 Summit in Minneapolis (and taking a day to at least partially recuperate), I’m back. I’ll be writing more (much more) about the conference and all I learned in the future, for now, the trip … in review.
I like Southwest Airlines. Unfortunately, this trip was on Delta Airlines. Nothing bad happened, just not up to Southwest standards. The plane left from a different, busier terminal. Coming home, I was at the furthest possible gate from the entry (walking is not my favorite activity with pain). Plane was crowded and I was forced to sit crooked to give the big (really big) person in the center seat enough room (crooked is not good for my back).
I will totally complement the Minneapolis airport, the light rail transportation system and the Radisson Downtown Hotel. Easy. Nice. Nice people.
One thing I learned about myself is I have spent so much of the recent years in isolation (I sit home alone most of the time because of pain) that when meeting with 150+ other people, it was overwhelming. So many people. So much talking. So much social interaction. It wore me out. Don’t get me wrong. All the people I met were wonderful and supportive and smart and motivated and many were also in pain. Still, whew. I need a rest … in my cave.
Coming soon … stories from the summit and what I am going to do to speak up for the millions in pain!
I like Southwest Airlines. Unfortunately, this trip was on Delta Airlines. Nothing bad happened, just not up to Southwest standards. The plane left from a different, busier terminal. Coming home, I was at the furthest possible gate from the entry (walking is not my favorite activity with pain). Plane was crowded and I was forced to sit crooked to give the big (really big) person in the center seat enough room (crooked is not good for my back).
I will totally complement the Minneapolis airport, the light rail transportation system and the Radisson Downtown Hotel. Easy. Nice. Nice people.
One thing I learned about myself is I have spent so much of the recent years in isolation (I sit home alone most of the time because of pain) that when meeting with 150+ other people, it was overwhelming. So many people. So much talking. So much social interaction. It wore me out. Don’t get me wrong. All the people I met were wonderful and supportive and smart and motivated and many were also in pain. Still, whew. I need a rest … in my cave.
Coming soon … stories from the summit and what I am going to do to speak up for the millions in pain!
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