abbey abroad :)

So. Close. I am THIS [imagine me holding up my thumb and first finger a half-inch apart] close to getting my visa. It's been approved, I just have to fly to Chicago to pick it up. I've been trying to find a flight for tomorrow or Friday (I would even sacrifice missing Harry Potter to get there!), but they're all either really expensive or only allow me a few hours in the city. The company does pay for the flight, but paying almost $1,000 for a round-trip ticket to Chicago isn't exactly being a good steward of SBC members' money. According to the travel agent, the cheapest way for me to get a ticket is to book it a week in advance and spend one night in Chicago. That will get me there right around Thanksgiving, so I'm not exactly sure how that will work.

Dad went to the doctor yesterday and found out that what they thought was pneumonia was actually two blood clots in his lung. They're not occlusive, and if you know what that means without googling it, I'm impressed. :) Usually, they would admit him to the hospital for treatment, but there's a new drug that he can take at home. He gives himself an injection twice a day for seven days, which I could never do, but hey--my dad's hard-core like that. I am SO thankful he didn't have to go to the hospital! He'll do more tests tomorrow to see if he has any clots in his legs.

Meanwhile, my uncle is in town for the week, and my two aunts and grandma (all on Dad's side of the family) will be coming in this weekend. They leave Monday, when my brother and sister-in-law come in town, followed by my other brother on Wednesday. And my sister's off work all next week. So my dad will definitely not be bored for the next two weeks! Hooray for family and Thanksgiving!