Abilene Motor Express....A New Place To Call Home

Not sure what happened to my post but it’s in regards to Rebelchicks sleeper window issue. See my response below.

 

Volvo had a recall in September 2018 because the hinges that hold that window are not strong enough. They advised that you do not drive down the road with it in the open position for any reason just because of what is happening to yours. The only way to fix that will be for them to replace the hinges and that should’ve been done because the recall said it was a free service.

 

I never drive with an open bunk window knowingly! I always thought it was bad for the window anyways. I don’t even ride with my front windows down. I can’t stand the noise the wind makes. But, however he shoved it back in place, it’s holding so far.
<crossing fingers & toes, knocking on wood>

I think that the breakdown system (or at least the Abilene part) was down and they couldn’t access it. I also know I had a Hill load that they were more concerned with. Parts may or may not have been available at a dealer, but I didn’t have the time and it’s not a big deal. I just wish they would’ve let him out some tape on it to help hold it. I sure don’t want to have it fall off driving (that would be awful) but also, it’s supposed to be raining or snowing or sleeting in RVA and I’m headed back that way. If I get loaded tomorrow. Both of the 2 stop pick ups I have in Pooler tomorrow have terrible reviews. Slow slow slow. We will see.

 

Gatorade from Indy to Wytheville. Was all good til WV then it started to really snow til Beckley where it changed to sleet then to rain in VA. Got pulled into the VA scale and was a little over on my trailer tandems but thankfully they let me go around back to adjust the weights and reweigh. I figured the scale would be closed at 1900 but nope. Next load off wytheville yard to CA. Hopefully come morning will still be rain and just wet. If still icy tomorrow towards WM may just pull over earlier than want to. Only thing that scares me about winter driving is the other morons on the road thinking 70+ mph is ok. Saw a knight truck out in a field coming through OH today and roads were dry there.

 

Thanks for the heads up. Thought maybe it would be done. At least I got 33k in the box on this one.

 

Last Friday, went home for the hometime with my kids that I didn't get the week before.

Just as I was getting ready to leave the yard Friday morning, got a call from Safety informing me that my CDL was suspended. Turns out, when you renew your driver's license (as I did back in January), you also gotta go show 'em your DOT medical card. Oops.

No problem, though. I was assured by Safety that all I had to do was fill out this form here and they would scan it in and submit it through the appropriate internet channels and it would be resolved without me having to do anything else. Cool beans. Did all that, and went on my merry way.

Friday night, noticed a little tenderness on my left leg, just below the knee. This was just as I was getting in to bed, so it was dark and I couldn't actually see it. But I didn't worry much about it. Bruise, maybe.

Next day, it was even more tender, and warm to the touch. And red.

And fortunately (for some value of "fortunately") I've had MRSA 9 times previously, so by this point I know exactly what it looks like. And this certainly looked like the early stages. So off to a trip to Patient First where they confirmed that, yep, it was MRSA. Gave me some different anti-biotics than what they've given me in the past, and gave me a note excusing me from work. Told me to come back in a few days for a follow-up.

Since I wasn't going back to the truck until this was clearly on the mend, got to keep my kids a couple extra days, so that was alright. Took 'em back home on Tuesday, then swung by Patient First. The redness had faded a little bit, but since MRSA has put me in the hospital twice, I don't mess around with it. So I opted to take a few more days off to make sure it was really going away. Because the last thing I want to have to deal with is a leg swollen from hip to ankle when I'm halfway across the country.

Went in yesterday, the redness was mostly gone, and they said I was good to come back to work today. So that's good.

Rolled into the yard this morning, went in to Safety to give 'em all the paperwork saying I was cleared to come back to work, and found out that my CDL is still suspended a week later. And thanks to the DMV being closed due to COVID, I can't just swing by the nearest office and straighten it out. We've faxed over a copy of my medical card, and we're now just waiting for the DMV to update the records.

Meanwhile, folks at the office are being told to either go home or stay home. So I'm going through all this trouble to get back in the truck and go driving in all the winter weather that's sending everybody else home.

 

Came out of Memphis yesterday, the roads were good to Wytheville.