Ryan...

Have I mentioned that my brother is totally my hero??? :) He is hiking the AT (just in case I haven't told you--ha!) and is up in Glencliff, NH---and just found out he has Lyme Disease. Which sounds terrifying, and scary---and it is, but at the same time it has just been a miracle that he has gotten off the trail, and has been able to go to a doctor and get meds, and is in a place where he can rest. He got hit hard with the symptoms about 40 miles from anywhere he could get help, and had to get himself somehow to civilization, feeling excruciating pain in his joints, and fatigue, and I'm sure some disorientation. Lyme Disease doesn't mess around---from what I've read and understand, it hits you pretty hard when it really hits. He told me this morning he was able to make it to the Maple Syrup farm of a super hiker-friendly family, who let them stay with him and helped him out---amazing...

I've been so concerned about him ever since I found out yesterday...mostly because he's all alone, and I know when I'm sick, I just want my mom to take care of me :) I don't want to be in a strange place, I just want to be in my own bed... 

Brian and I were trying to figure out last night if there was anything we could do...he doesn't have a cell phone anymore, and we didn't know exactly where he was staying so we got out a map and started guessing, and looking up hostels since we knew he was at a hostel...we made some calls which were dead ends, and left a message at one of the hostels, but no luck...

Then, this morning when I woke up, Brian had taped a note to the bathroom door...

"Packrat called 

and Ryan/Castanada (his trail name)

is at the hostel 

you can call

when you wake up"

That note totally made my day!! Not only were we able to find Ryan, but I've become such a nerd since I'm trapped in my mundane life over here, and have been reading so many books on the AT, and suddenly, for a brief moment, I was part of the adventure...I mean, Packrat called me!!! wow...

Ok, enough about me---this is really about Ryan---who sounded good on the phone, (it was just SO good to hear his VOICE!!) and is actually going to check into a hotel where he can get some real rest...I just love him so much. I am so proud of him, and I can't imagine surviving half of the adventures he's already had! If you think to pray for him in his recovery, that would be awesome!!!

And I'll keep you posted!

(oh, and that's why I was up early this morning---I had to "get up" after I found that note!!)

Oh, and here are the AT books I've read so far...really good!

AWOL on the Appalachian Trail by David Miller

A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson, and

A Journey North:One Woman's Story of Hiking the AT by Adrienne Hall