NYC...on the way to Boston

Building off my last visit in the hospital, there were some decisions to be made regarding my treatments. When we went in on Tuesday for treatment I was informed I wouldn't be getting treatment. One of the three drugs I was getting increases the risks for blood clots so they didn't want me to continue on the current regimen. Turns out I had to make a decision - start with a systematic chemo regimen or have a liver biopsy sent to the Foundation 1 study to learn more about the exact make up (which can take 3-5 weeks to get results). At this point, it has already been 3 weeks without a treatment so 3-5 more weeks seemed scary, but in the long run we decided it would be the best decision for treating the cancer. Since I was due to fly to NY on Friday, we asked if I could do the biopsy before I went.

And this is where all hell seemed to break loose as far as communication goes at Mayo. I was scheduled for a biopsy Wednesday morning and told to not take my blood thinners 12 hours before surgery. Back to work we go with plans to return on Thursday after being off meds for 24+ hours. They had me all ready on the table, just no meds or doctor yet and I mentioned flying the following day. Everything came screeching to a halt. I couldn't get my blood thinners for 48 hours after the biopsy and my doctor would highly not recommend me flying without them. So, after much stress on my part thinking 1-2 more weeks would be the end of the world, we were reassured that all would be okay and they would schedule the biopsy for my return.

As stressed as I had been, we were heading to NYC to see Tres for two days before heading to Boston for the HOW design conference...with time to sight see. No, Mark wasn't going to a design conference but he was tagging along for the sightseeing and working from the hotel room during the day.

Hello Big Apple!
We arrived at JFK late Friday night and took a bus to the stop closest to Tres' apartment. From there it was a 2 block walk to his building, then up the 26 floors to his apartment, by elevator thank goodness! Being up that hight does have it's advantages, we could see the Hudson River, One World Trade Center, the Empire State Building, etc. After settling in, out we went to grab some dinner. Then we walked up to Times Square to see it in all it's madness. Dinner wasn't quite enough so we stopped at a bar called Bea and had a midnight snack and drinks.

Times Square

On Saturday we didn't rush since Mark and I were still adjusting from Phoenix time so when we were all up and ready to start the day, Tres, Kyle, Mark and I headed for a quick bagel breakfast en route to ground zero and the 9/11 Memorial. We were there a week early to get to see the museum, but we were still able to see the new tower up close and visit the memorial. Seeing the names of all of those innocent people etched along the edges of the fountains is so sad, but you can't keep us down!

Patti, Tres & Mark with One World Trade Center in the background

World Trade Center Memorial

Kyle, Tres & Mark

After that we headed up to Wall Street and the stock exchange. We saw the Wall Street Bull and while I wasn't waiting to get a picture up close, I took one from afar. We were headed towards the water to look out at the Statue of Liberty when it started raining. Change of plans...find a place for lunch and then head back to the apartment for a nap. But I did manage to detour the group so I could see The Macy's with the wooden elevators. Of course Mark's beloved a Spurs were playing so we found a sports bar in Hell's Kitchen and had wings and watched the game...followed up by some good ol' Baskin Robbins peanut butter and chocolate.

The Stock Exchange

Wall Street Bull

Flat Iron Building

Macy's

Old Wooden Escalators

Kyle didn't join us most of the day on Sunday because he was meeting his family in city for brunch and shopping (he's from Long Island). That left Tres, Mark and and me to explore on our own. First stop, Central Park. Unfortunately it wouldn't have been great for me to walk throughout the entire park so we visiting about a fourth of it, seeing the famous fountain, the Dakota apartments where John Lennon lived and was killed, The Strawberry Fields Memorial in Lennon's honor, and just lots of people, horses, flowers, trees, grass...it's the little things when you live in a desert.

Central Park

Strawberry Fields plaque

At the Central Park Fountain

Those pretty blue eyes just pop in this picture...love you Bud!

Finally found the tulips we were looking for!

We exited the park at 5th Avenue and got to go into FAO Schwartz, the flagship Tiffany & Co. store (even though I didn't buy anything), and just browse along 5th Ave en route to Tres' office. We picked up lunch from a deli and headed up to his 80+ floor office to enjoy lunch while overlooking Central Park.

On our way back to the apartment, we strolled by Radio City Music Hall, Rockefeller Center, saw where the tree goes every year, saw where the Today Show is filmed, and even the ice rink turned into a summer patio bar. 

Radio City Music Hall

Ice Skating Rink...or Summer Garden & Bar

I had to imagine the tree

The Today Show location

We took a cab back to the apartment and went down to the Hudson to do a Circle Line cruise to see Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.

Ellis Island

Lady Liberty

The city from the Hudson

Empire State Building

After freshening up, we went to a trendy new restaurant in Hell's Kitchen. I mean, how do you go wrong? It was delicious and I think the guys were especially excited about the mistaken delivery of free bacon salted tator tots.

Before heading in for the night, Mark had his first real request. He wanted to walk by where Stephen Colbert and The Daily Show are filmed. We were already in Hell's Kitchen and since it was really his one request the whole trip, we went.

"Abandon news, all ye who enter here"

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart

Back at the apartment we packed our stuff up for our morning farewell. I was taking the train to Boston at 7am to make it to my conference on time and Mark was headed to the NYC AMEX office to work for the day. He caught a train Monday night to meet me.

Up next, Boston!