"The Hershey Curse!"

    The Fog hung thick over Interstate 81 beginning
just to the south of Hazleton. It's the kind of a damp
fog you expect to see in most every horror movie.
   And from my previous experiences in Hershey
this year I should have realized I was driving straight 
into the plot of this thriller!
      I call it 'The Hershey Curse."
      I'm not sure how it fell upon me..or us.
      I have always been a big supporter of
Hershey....or at least.....of its main industry!
      To briefly recap the story line we made one
trip to Hershey Medical Center's Emergency
Room after an artery in my wife's foot started
spraying enough blood to satisfy the needs of
about three Hack Saw Murder Movies. Although
the wound had been sealed in Wilkes-Barre we
were sent to Hershey because she had undergone
foot surgery there earlier in the year. After 9
hours and three specialists we were told the folks
in Wilkes-Barre had done a good job and were
sent home.
      Permanent repairs to that artery came after
another visit to the same Emergency Room weeks
later. That time doctors from two departments
debated who should handle the surgery. Their
consultations resulted in a visit that lasted two
days  and had me sleeping on a hospital recliner
that refused to fully recline on a night when I
myself was sick and probably should have been
admitted as a patient!
      Yesterday we left for two separate
appointments at the Medical Center. Besides
the fog a heavy and steady rain was soaking
northeastern Pennsylvania causing some
flooding in parts of the area.
      Although covered in fog Interstate 81 was
clear of flooding. BUT  the story was different
in and around Hershey! One stream just off the
Interstate was already well over its banks as we
headed for the hospital. By the time both of my
wife's appointments were over a State Of
Emergency had been declared in the County.
   We were told that all roads were closed and that
no one was being allowed to leave the medical
center!
    Envisioning another night in a hospital
recliner...or worse.....we checked with a hotel
literally across the street and found there were
vacancies. A worker told us cars were being
allowed to go to the hotel, so we got the
van and cut into a bumper to bumper line that
stretched for miles.
    That's when we realized that cars were
actually moving, though at a crawl, and decided
to find a way to get back to the Interstate.
     Knowing the way we came was definitely
flooded we actually went in the 'wrong' direction,
towards Harrisburg. Although traffic didn't thin
out for an hour or more we eventually reached
I81 and completed our 'escape' from
Pennsylvania's 'Candy Capital.'
   One more battle with the fog...then...we
finally made it home!
    My wife has at least one more appointment
coming up in Hershey. I'm thinking about
checking the bus schedule and buying her a ticket.
    I'm also searching for something else I must
absolutely do on that day here at home!
    If not.......let's hope I've finally out run the
Curse...and that all your NEWS is good!