5/16 Bob's Red Mill, Portland, OR

I've gotten behind on posting on this blog, but I have an excuse.  I left the south coast of Oregon and headed to a state park that looked interesting near Portland.  Champoeg State Park is located in one of the oldest settled parts of Oregon and was originally a fur trading area.  Strangely enough, it is pronounced "sham-poo-eey."  I had thought it looked like a French name, but apparently it was an Indian name slightly corrupted over time.   

Anyway, I had paid reservations for three nights, last week.  However, I had been having periods of bloody urine and some kidney pain, which are indicators of passing a kidney stone, but the symptoms kept coming and going.  

I had contacted an old friend from 5th grade on up, so on Thursday, I packed everything up and went out to lunch with her at a place called Bob's Red Mill.  I had decided that if the bleeding continued after lunch, I would head back to Eugene to the emergency room of the hospital where I had had a lithotripsy last winter.  Did not want to start all over again at another hospital or a new urologist.  

We had a good lunch and lots of catching up, so here are some photos of the tour we took.  I was not allowed to take photos at the mill itself through the windows but there were some old flour mills in one area where photos were allowed.  This place grinds several different kinds of organic grains, either produced locally or brought in from other places.  Just down from the mill is a store and restaurant, which we went to after the tour.  

While I was not allowed to take photos into the plant, you can see the plant through several of these photos.  

After lunch, I drove the two hours to Eugene and checked myself into the emergency room. Normally, parking for RVs near hospitals is almost impossible, but I knew that this hospital not only had dedicated RV parking, but the parking spots also had electrical hookups.  I double-parked at the main entrance and ran in to get a permit.  Then, I drove around and parked, and walked the few hundred feet to the emergency room.  

I got in and out in a little over three hours, and that included a cat scan and blood work, plus seeing several nurses and a doctor.  She confirmed I had a kidney stone stuck in my ureter and suggested I call my urologist the next day.  Headed back to my motorhome and had a very good night's sleep!  

Unfortunately, I completely forgot to take photos of the hospital RV parking.  I would say I'd do it next time, but I am hoping there is no next time!  Friday morning I slept in and then headed to Armitage Park where I had reservations for a few days.  Bleeding has stopped and no symptoms right now, so I am hoping the stone has passed. 

I only took a couple of photos of Champoeg State Park, but I will be headed that way in a couple of weeks, so will take more photos then.