We hit the road from the KOA in Silt, Colorado and drove east along I-70.  This is one of the most scenic drives we have been on and we were really happy with our decision to take this route.  We had driven I-70 before but never with a trailer in tow.  For those that dont know, I-70 over the Rockies is nothing to laugh at.  The highway is considered an engineering marvel in many different sections and has created many a white knuckle from drivers traversing the steep incline and declines.  As this trip was our first long trip with the F-150 we weren’t sure exactly what to expect.  I am glad to report that it performed flawlessly and surly helped minimize some of the white knuckle moments.  One of the features that was really nice was the tow/haul mode.  By engaging this mode I was able to better descend and minimize the use of my breaks.  It also really helped with going uphill and prevented the truck from continually shifting and searching for the right gear.  In several sections speed was not an issue as we got caught in long backups due to construction.  Yup, 9 MPH…

Shortly after arriving at Jellystone of Estes Park, Lily started to not feel well.  She was complaining of a pounding headache and really didn’t want to do or eat much.  We were a bit concerned but figured that if she got some rest things would be better in the morning.  At about 5AM she came and got in bed with us and was burning hot (102).  Her headache was still there, her throat hurt and she was experiencing pain in her neck when she moved her head.  With these symptoms we were quite concerned and knew we needed to get her in to see somebody.  With a little bit of on-line research (thanks to the campgrounds WiFi) we were able to find the Estes Park Medical Center which is only about a 10 minute drive.

The staff at the Estes Park Medical Center was absolutely amazing.  We entered thought the non-emergency side and were quickly assigned a nurse that wanted to get some vitals to make sure we didn’t need emergency in order to save us the expense.  She explained that this side of the facility is by appointment only and that they had a full day but she continued to take the time needed to triage the situation.  Ultimately she did not feel we needed emergency and got us assigned to a pediatrician that was going to work us into his schedule for the day.  We waited in the lobby for about 5 minutes and were called back to the exam room.  With no appointment and no previous history here, we were in an exam room talking to Doctor Mark Wiesner in under 30 minutes.  He was great with Lily and she was very comfortable with him.  After some evaluation and a few tests Doctor Wiesner determined that this was likely to just be a bad bug that nothing but rest and fluids could help with.  On our way out of the center, Kim that runs the coffee stand came over and offered Lily a hot chocolate and told her that she hoped she would get better soon.

With no real chance of future business and not previous history we received some of the best care we have ever received.  The staff at the Estes Park Medical Center was so kind and caring it made us want to move to Estes Park just so we could have them closer.  Its great to know that facilities and people like this exist and are there to help when you need them most…