Oh My!!! What a Day!!!

OK! After 19 1/2 hours after the start of our day (which began @ 2:30 am) we finally landed in San Francisco! Are you ready for an unbelievable story!?! Hang on here we go...

Our flight from Raleigh to Chicago went smoothly. After that, not so smooth! Once in Chicago we had about an hour before boarding our next plane so I took Miata to McDonald's for a biscuit & drink then we made our way to our next gate. When the time came, we boarded with no problems. Once everyone was on board we waited to taxi away from the gate. It was rather warm in the plane. For some strange reason we were not moving rather still waiting, by now the plane was much warmer; Hot! It felt to be at least 100 degrees! Obviously something was wrong with the air! Finally the captain announced that there was an issue with the air and the mechanics were working on the problem so we could get the temp. in the cabin to 72 degrees shortly. So we all just had to sit and wait in this extremely HOT plane! Over an hour later the captain announced the air was fixed and it would start cooling quickly, by now everyone was miserably HOT! It was over an hour later but we were now taxiing away from the gate. Upon leaving the gate the captain announced that we were number 45 on the flight deck for departure! So we would taxi a few feet and wait! Taxi a few more feet and wait! This went on for over another hour! Finally over 2 1/2 hours later (from original depart time) we were getting closer to take off as the captain announced we were now number 12 in line for take off! **Although during the last 1/2 hour of inching our way to begin takeoff the plane was getting HOT again!** After several more minutes of waiting the captain came back on the intercom and announced, "Because of mechanical issues we have to return to the gate!! He said obviously there is still an issue with the air and as it still is not working correctly (yeah! everyone looked like wet pigs! lol) but there was also an issue with an oil leak in one of the engines and it would be safer just to return and have the mechanics work on the plane!

Ok... remember our crunch for time!?! Well of course it looked as if there was NO way we would get to SF in time for Miata's pre-op appointment! Though I wasn't suppose to... I had already been turning my phone on & off during taxi time so I could call Tim and have him contact Mrs. Arlene (who we stay with), the gentleman that was suppose to pick us up from the airport in SF, Hertz Rental Car, Dr. Brent's office, El Camino Surgery Center, etc. to inform them of our very lengthy delay!! Poor Tim was having to change our pick up times, our rental car from one city to another, talk with Dr. Brent's office, and so on! Anyways, back at the gate everyone had to exit the plane. Once inside I spoke with a customer service rep. and explained our situation to see if we could possibly catch another flight (on any airline) quickly to maybe still make Miata's pre-op appointment, which the stewardess on board suggested I do. Unfortunately there was NO way they could get us another flight and said the quickest route to SF would be just to wait for our plane to be repaired. So we, along with hundreds of others from our plane, began to wait... by this time it was after 1:00! The game plan was they would work on the problems and would update us on status at 2:00. At 2:00 they told us they had fixed the problems but now they had to have the fuel truck come and refuel the plane! So, we waited longer!

Finally at about 3:10 we began to re-board the plane! Once Miata & I boarded and got seated we watched everyone else board and we waited. Well, everyone was finally aboard, seated, and it was about 3:30. The captain came on the intercom and announced we would be taxiing shortly and would have a very brief departure wait! Yeah, so we thought! Well we waited and waited some more! Finally the Captain came back on and said the delay was because they now had to restock the plane with water and other items before we could leave! So we waited even longer! Finally at 4:43 our wheels left the ground, yeah... even though we were 7 hours late! We were now airborne and our flight was cool, thank goodness, and it was running smoothly UNTIL about 3 hours into our flight our captain announced for everyone to please fasten their seatbelts! Next we made a very rapid descend! How far down we descended I don't know. It wasn't scary just different/interesting! Left everyone wondering, why!?! Well after several minutes the captain again came back on and explained there were pressure gauge malfunctions and that was the cause of the rapid descend!!

Ok... all was still alright and we were, after all, closer to SF than we had ever been, praise the Lord! We had about 1 hour left and were again flying smoothly. Prior to landing a stewardess came on the intercom and announced United's sincere apology for all the trouble everyone has experienced with this flight and for the lengthy delays in everyone's travel plans. She said United Airlines wanted to show their appreciation for all we had endured and gave us a website address to go to for the completion of needed information from each passenger in order to receive some type of gift from United for our much endured troubles! Anyways, at 5:37 SF time we landed at SF airport!! 7 hours 12 minutes late! By this time the gentleman that was suppose to pick us up had somewhere he had to be at this time and wasn't able to come get us! So Mrs. Arlene & Mr. Jack came to the airport to pick up Miata & I. But it was also too late to obtain my rental car because they closed at 6:00 and we couldn't get there by that time! So Tim called Hertz and again rescheduled for me to now pick up the car (but in a different city due to all the delays) as soon as they opened in the morning, which was 7:30 AM so that I could get Miata to El Camino Surgery Center on time. Well, shortly after that change I received a message from Dr. Brent's office that said I needed to be at the surgery center by 6:45 AM so that he could see her before he went into surgery with his first patient (our original time to be at the center was 9:00!) Ok... that is before Hertz opens!! So, now I have NO way to the surgery center!! Of course I had to now ask Mrs. Arlene if she or Jack could please take us in the morning at 6:15 so we could be there by 6:45, which I hated to do!! They were happy to do this for us but I felt just awful asking considering we had already inconvenienced them the entire day with all that had taken place with our flight!! This also means I have to call Hertz in the morning and change my rental car pickup plans once again! I will have to have them come to the surgery center after Miata's recovery and take us back to their office so that I can obtain a car!

Anyways, after we left the airport Mrs. Arlene & Mr. Jack took us to the Sizzler for dinner. We had a good meal and Miata ate very well, which I was pleased about since she couldn't eat again before surgery. After dinner we finally made it to the house about 8:00 PM. A few minutes after getting settled in, Dr. Brent called the house to check on us but more importantly check on his little "character" as he calls Miata! He is such a sweet doctor! He said don't worry about anything that he would just see us early in the morning and take care of what he needed to do at that time. Though we needed showers there was no time because it was now after 11:00 PM our time (NC time) and I needed to get Miata to bed!! I quickly washed her hair, although I didn't have the special bacteria shampoo I was suppose to wash it with! Dr. Brent said to just wash with regular shampoo and he would do what he needed to in the morning. Next we quickly brushed our teeth and washed our face (though the rest of us was definitely smelly!) and headed for the bed! It was now about 9:10 PM, which was 12:10 PM our time and we had been awake (with no sleep on the planes) since 2:30 AM!! We were exhausted but happy to be in San Francisco and finally going to sleep!!

Tomorrow has to be a better day!!

Give Thanks to the Lord, for He is good!! In all things He is good!! Regardless of stressful times in our lives we are to rely upon Him for He is in control! Over all, to look back at our day... It is pretty humorous!! When we feel out of control because we can't figure everything out to fit our time lines... He shows us how He can work it all out!

As for United Airlines... I was pleased that they gave us two meal vouchers while we waited for the plane to be repaired but we will see what gift they give for all the trouble and I will update once that happens! They actually had already emailed me before I even made it to Mrs. Arlene's house, that is a good sign.