NSYN- I don't think I've ever posted to your thread before,but I wanted to let you know I just finished reading your entire story. First, let me commend you, your family, and your FWH in all your efforts towards recovery.

Also, thank you for being such an excellent narrator. Had you been blessed with my skills in writing, I'm certain I would not have made it past page 6, even if the content was the same.

Your heroic efforts to save your marriage are remarkable. From the sound of it, your family and your faith have given you that strength, so I guess you are all very fortunate.

I also have a dervish, so I particularly enjoyed the passages with him--although I've never had to sleep across a motel door to keep dervish at bay. He'd find way too many things in the room to keep him occupied to ever think about leaving!

Congrats on reaching your milestone. Sounds like an event-filled 4th of July, too. Doesn't sound so much like gluttony as a good dose of run-of-the-mill food poisoning! So sorry!