Motorhome Experiences of Judy and Lyle Dean Lebsack


Spring 2024

Judy and Lyle are making plans for a month-long journey from our summer base in Berrien Springs, MI to far northern Idaho--a scenic part of America we have not yet visited.  Intermediate stops include Aberdeen, SD (one of Lyle's first radio jobs) the International Peace Garden on the North Dakota/Canadian border, Badlands of North Dakota, Mt. Rushmore in South Dakota, the Badlands of South Dakota and, yes, WALL DRUG!.

Our goal is to end up at International Falls/Rainy Lake in Minnesota where Lyle's son and daughter-in-law have an island cabin. With any luck, catching (and eating) walleyes is on the agenda.

Summer 2024

UPDATE

Things happen!.  

In April, Lyle had not felt well--with abdominal discomfort, not pan.  After a week, it was not better, but he ignored July's urging to go to the emergency room.  Finally, she called Lyle's son, Erik, who lives nearby in Ft. Myers.  They loaded Lyle into a car and hauled his stubborn butt to Gulf Coast Regional Hospital Trauma Center (at 2 am).  The medical team quickly diagnosed him with severe sepsis.  Thus began a ten-day hospital stay, two weeks of rehab whiile awaiting gall bladder surgery.  Timing, they say, is everything.  One doctor commented to Judy that one more day of waiting might have been too late.  Lyle has recovered nicely, but so thankful to Judy, Erik and the team at Gulf Coast for saving his life.  

That series of events changed our summer cruising plans.  We left the motor home in FL and drove the car back to Michigan.  We still have plans for that fishing trip on the Canadian border over Labor Day.

We have a competent crew keeping watch on the motorhome until we return in November.