Remember to vote...

From The Great Schlep on YouTube.

Go to this link...

http://video.google.com/videosearch?hl=en&q=the%20great%20schlep&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wv#

I just saw this video and I hope after you view it you, too, will agree with its premise. Even if it means traveling to New York instead of Florida. Go. Get there. Make the vote count. Hurry.
- Keith

Another milestone -- 15,017

Not long ago, just a few hours actually, my two blogs, CancerVivor.blogspot.com and kohnzone.blogspot.com, went past 15,000 page views.

In the scheme of things, that's not a very vast amount of traffic. But for me, it's ginormous. That's because it means my messages of health (cancer blog) and of a reunited family (kohnzone) are getting out to at least a handful of avid readers who keep clicking here, and, maybe, to more than that on a less-frequent basis.

My key goal is to get as many people I can to understand how I acquired cancer of the esophagus so that maybe, just maybe, they will not.

(Advertising interlude here: Please remember to click on the ads on this blog, as any money raised -- so far just $31.13 -- will go as a donation to Florida Hospital Cancer Institute. But Google won't cut a check until there's more than $100 in ad revenue, so get to work!)

So I'll recap. Yes, you can get cancer from heartburn. Heartburn causes acid reflux, which splashes stomach fluids onto or into the esophagus. When it happens too often, the esophagus gets defensive. It changes and takes on some characteristics of the stomach. This change, Barrett's Esophagus, is a pre-cancerous state. It opens the esophagus and other parts of the body to developing cancer. That is what happened to me.

So, almost exactly a year ago, I was diagnosed with cancer thanks to the expert endoscopy of Dr. Philip Styne. Hurriedly, he sent me to my wonderful oncologist, Dr. Lee Zehngebot -- Dr. Z for short -- who explained a lot and hooked me up with Dr. David Diamond, my fantastic radio-oncologist, who started my radiation program like it a matter of life or death -- which, after all, it was.

First, both docs had me go into Winter Park Hospital to be outfitted with my high-tech bodily accessories -- a medical port so Dr. Z could infuse my body with wonderful chemical cocktails and a feeding tube so Dr. Diamond could be sure that if I couldn't swallow food the old-fashioned way I could drink it without it ever passing through my lips.

Then I was tattooed and set up on a radiation program, which began a day or so later. A few days after that I had my first dose of chemo, a several-hour procedure where I was doped up pretty good at first and then -- bang! -- saturated with poisons to kill the cancer, or at least keep it from spreading as the radiation bombarded the tumor. I had radiation five mornings a week for several weeks and at the same time had a new buddy -- a chemo pump that slowly dripped the chemicals into my medi-port 24/7 for the same amount of time.

Nearly two months of this went by -- all while my mom was often unconscious recovering (I hoped) from heart surgery and lung complications -- and then I was free of both forms of helpful torture.

(Remember, this is the condensed version.)

I then had a month or so of a cooling-off period. This was from mid-November 2007 to late December of that year, during which time my mom transferred to a rehab center in Orlando and my daughter Jennifer Kohn became Jennifer Kuz when she married Chris Kuz in December. The Friday before Christmas 2007, it was Dec. 21, I went under the skillful knife of Dr. Joseph Boyer, the chief of thoractic surgery for cancer patients at Florida Hospital and, yes, a Yankees fan. But first I had to undergo a PET scan, which found two "hot spots" of possible cancer and then the two biopsies -- to my liver and chest near the lungs -- to confirm that they were not cancerous.

After the surgery, I spent nearly three weeks in the hospital -- one of them in the ICU with a tube running from my stomach, out through my nose and to a suction and a TV whose sound would stay on after you bash it with your arm -- before I was able to go home weighing about 75 pounds lighter than before I was diagnosed with cancer.

After another recovery period, in which I consumed many oxycodone and then hydrocodone pills to ease the constant pain, I was cleared to return to work and in mid-February 2008 I walked back to the Orlando Sentinel's newsroom. Shocked, truly, I received two standing ovations from the many friends who supported me with cards, letters, calls, a scrapbook, e-mails and prayers during my ordeal. These are the people dreams are made of, wonderful friends and colleagues who kept me going, folks who I'll never in my lifetime be able to forget or repay for their many forms of kindness.

So in a nutshell, that is what I went through. And it's why I want to help keep others from going through the same thing. Maybe that's why I've made it this far; to keep you from coming down with this horrid disease. So I'll repeat some of the facts and tips here:

Cancer of the esophagus is among the most deadly forms of the disease and it also is among the fastest growing of the cancers, as society and work habits evolve. By the time you find out you have the cancer, it's practically too late. Luckily, it was discovered in my lower esophagus before the disease spread to my lymph nodes and the rest of my body.

I found it because it was difficult to swallow, so remember, if you find you have difficulty swallowing food or drinks, see a doctor. If you've had heartburn for a long time and it seems to have gone away without medical help, see a doctor. It probably didn't. Both problems are signs of cancer or at least Barrett's Esophagus. Remember, Tums and Rolaids won't relieve you of cancer, they just ease the symptoms of heartburn. See a doctor. Get an endoscopy by a qualified gastro doc. Listen to what he or she says very carefully.

Oh, and keep a positive attitude. You'll need it for what's to come.

But first let's pray it never gets that far.

A boat, some dolphins and us

So we're out in the Gulf on Sunday, again heading to Egmont Key, when a few friends come up next to us. We'd never met them, but new friends are new friends. So we cut the engine, relying only on sail power.

That's when the new friends -- a pod of dolphins -- really got playful.

As we're cruising at a pretty good wind-powered clip some of the mammals dove under the boat, popping up on the port side, then swimming back. One, with a bite missing from its dorsal fin, swam right up to the side of the boat at one point. There were several calves in the pod, but their mothers never let them get too close.

It was really an amazing sight.

We made it to Egmont and beached the boat as we did last time. A nice picnic on the beach and then it was time to sail.

But when we were ready to leave, the tide wasn't in our favor. It was coming in as we were going out. Another couple helped us launch off the island and we were on our way back.

Despite the tide cutting across the bow, we made it back to the marina in a little over an hour.

But we were not leaving just yet. Proving the adage that a boat is a hole in the water into which you pour money, the winch post on the trailer cracked as we were lifting the boat out of the water. So we had to hold off and I went to a nearby Walmart to buy help. I found a ratchet winch with two hooks, and one went to the boat and the other to the SUV.

It worked and we hauled the boat, stowed the gear, packed the masts and sails and made it home about six hours later.

What a day and and night. Still, the dolphins saved the day and made the whole thing worth the effort.

Yep, spills might foretell a heart attack

My brother Dan took two trips in the weeks leading up to his heart attack last month.

These trips were the type usually followed by kids screaming:
"Have a nice trip, see you in the fall." As in scraped knees, elbows and egos.

The first was during our visit out West. We were in Las Vegas when Dan returned to the hotel with a boo-boo on his knee. He said he was chatting on the phone when he somehow fell down. He insisted he was sober, but I think the rest of us had our doubts.

The second was last month during the family's annual weeklong trip to Catalina. This was several weeks after Catherine and I returned from California, where we met the wonderful people who make up my family -- the West Coast Kohns. Dan was running down a hill and wiped out.

Sister Amy Jones captured the moment with her brand spankin' new Apple iPhone (see photo above left). I don't want to disparage the high-tech G3 phone, but ... but maybe that's why the picture's a smidge fuzzy. Maybe. I'm just saying...

Today, Dan still doesn't think the falls were connected with his pending heart attack, but among the warning signs for heart attacks is sudden fainting. Not knowing why you suddenly fell might fall in that category. Dan's also the guy having severe chest pains who drove himself to the hospital rather than calling 911 for the ride.

So what have we learned?

First, call 911 if you have symptoms of a heart attack. Second, if you begin to fall for no apparent reason, see your doctor -- or an ER doc. It could save your life. Third, don't pose for your sister after falling if she's sporting a new camera.

It's a girl

OK, so Aimee is preggers, and the scans show ...

It's a girl.

Imagine.

Bit it's true.

The little lady is due early next year.

Here are some photos of the li'l critter.

See the resemblence?

The rugrat to be is looking up with her head at the right and heart to the left.

Above, the baby's foot is an inch long, as measured by the dotted line. See those cute little toes?

This shot is how we can determine her gender. Just read the words and figure it out for yourself (Hint: There's an arrow where something would be if she were a boy!).

Here she is looking upward again, with her head to the right, heart and abdomen to the left.

This is a 3-D shot of her legs, as if she were sitting, facing the right. Aren't those feet cute!

Come Sail Away

We took a little trip this past weekend. With our little sailboat. Into the Gulf of Mexico and out to sea.



It was the farthest we'd ever traveled offshore with the boat. We went from Fort Desoto Park (the best beach in the U.S., according to at least one noted expert) to Egmont Key at the edge of Tampa Bay where it mingles with the gulf.



It was really a great trip and I am glad we made it.

That's because it was more than just a trip. It was an adventure.



Sure, how big an adventure could it be?



Well, imagine a trip involving a woman overboard, a daring (work with me) rescue in the middle of a shipping channel just as a vast cruise ship was within minutes of passing, an island picnic, a sailing ship grounding on a sandbar as the red-hot sun flirted with setting and then an encounter with dolphins, sand dollars (the vicious kind) and even a shark.


I hope you enjoyed the photos...there will be more to come in the future.

A healthier brother

Somehow, Dan was able to go home Saturday, just a couple days after experiencing a heart attack.

He's much healthier now, thanks to the stent in his lower doohickey artery, or whatever it's called, that was fully blocked before.

Dan even sent me some images of his heart, before and after the near-fatal event.

The first image is the clogged heart and the second is the new, improved Dan Kohn Heart.

We have our father and his legacy of heart problems to thank. But that's OK. It could be worse.

Dan said he's feeling much better than he was last week soon after arriving to work one morning. He said he was surprised because the pain wasn't quite as bad as he thought a heart attack would feel.

I guess no one really knows what to expect.

Let's hope most of us never find out.

Unnerving news

I received a very disturbing call Thursday just before heading into work.

It was my brother-in-law Brice calling to let me know my younger brother Dan Kohn had a heart attack a short time earlier. The news was sketchy, but apparently Dan had a clot in his lung which caused the trauma. Brice said he'd call back when he heard more.

A text and photo message a couple hours later eased my concern a bit. It was a shot of Dan in the ICU and a note: "Dan is in recovery doin ok. One stent." I was in a meeting, but that really made me feel better. Once the meeting ended I called Brice, who was with Dan in the ICU. I also spoke to Dan and he said he was feeling much better.

He said when he arrived at work he felt a horrible chest pain and drove himself to the emergency room. I nearly scolded him for placing his life and others in danger rather than dialing 911. He said he'd heard it several times already. Still, Dan was alive and Dan would make it .

Hearth disease is part of the heredity both Dan and I inherited from my father's side of the family. I was lucky enough to also inherit much stronger heart genes from my Mom's side, and so far haven't had such problems, save for high blood pressure.

But Dan isn't so lucky. Our paternal grandfather died young of heart problems. Our uncle, Daniel Kohn, our father's older brother, died of a heart attack at a young age. Our father, Mel Kohn, had his first heart attack at age 36. So this legacy isn't one to take lightly. We've both beaten those odds so far.

Dan knew of this genetic blessing and was working on it. He'd been working out and training to run a half-marathon later this year. He'd lost weight, lost his gut and is in pretty good shape. But that wasn't enough to clear out the single artery in his heart that was completely blocked.

The half-marathon is off for now, but Dan's healthy life will experience a renaissance and I know Dan will be healthier a month from now than he was a month ago.

14,017

I am flattered and honored that there have been more than 14,000 visits to my blogs since I launched CancerVivor.blogspot.com in October 2007.

Since then, I also created kohnzone.blogspot.com after discovering a piece of my family I never knew existed.

Throughout, I have tried to warn anyone who would listen about the dangers of ordinary heartburn and acid reflux. Most recently, I logged into Facebook and soon was chatting with a friend from high school whose longterm domestic partner has been having acid reflux for years. She and her partner live offshore, so he hasn't been receiving the type of care we expect here. I implored her to force him to see a doctor and I hope she's read through this blog and forced him to read it too.

That's because heartburn can cause cancer, which can cause death. It's that simple.

So if you or someone you care about has longtime heartburn, reflux or the like, please, please have that person see a gastroenterologist. Soon.

Time is important because this is a dangerous cancer and you don't want it to spread. That's what could make it fatal.

Please keep reading and I'll keep writing. And I hope that helps save a few lives in the process.

In retrospect and reflection

I talk to Amy, Tracy and Dan and I realize several things.

One, that without the obvious splitup of my parents, as depicted in the photo shot in Brooklyn in 1958 or '59, my siblings Dan, Amy, Tracy and Andy never would have been.

Two, that the aforementioned split helped shape me and make me who I am, and, to a degree, who my children are. I have no complaints.

Three, that while my father was a caring and compassionate man toward his children out West, he also failed them in some respects. Some of the failings were his fault, many were not. Among the former, he gave up when trying to win their custody after it appeared he lost. At the time, men infrequently won custody, true. Later, he focused on anger over his divorce with their mom, and that got in the way of his parenting, relegating him to being a so-called "Disney Dad." Anger betrayed the love he felt for them. In spite of this, not because of it, they turned out pretty damned good.

Four, I am not sorry that my parents split. I turned out well, as did they, and I now have a brother and two sisters. Further, I was blessed to have a wonderful mother who gave me a wonderful foundation to build my life upon. I'm not sure which is better: growing up an only child or growing up the eldest of what might have been five had they remained a couple. We'll never know. None of us, since all the key players in this drama have passed.

Oh, the questions I'd ask Mom if she were here. But at least her scarlet letter has been lifted -- and shame on those who imposed it on her.

Looking back to the past few weeks

It's Saturday morning and this past week has been a whirlwind. Since arriving home we spent about a day recovering from the daylong journey on Spirit Air, which does anything but lift your spirits. Then I was back at work, and Catherine prepared for her trip to Maryland to visit Melissa, EJ and the gang.

So, looking back, the two weeks spent in California were amazing. I met two sisters and a brother -- and their children and one very nice husband -- who, until a couple months ago, I'd never spoken with and didn't know existed until a short time before that.

We don't really look alike, but what we share is our father. Mel Kohn, we suspect, traveled to California and spent some time there with my mother before they called it quits. Mom and I moved back to New York a little over a year after I was born. But Mel remained on the West Coast, where he found work as a manager in the industry he'd been in back East -- trucking.

At only 36, he had the first of three heart attacks and it was then, several years after I was in New York, that he met his future bride, Rita -- his nurse. Perhaps now aware of his mortality, he and Rita married. They purchased a house in the town of Huntington Beach, in Orange County south of Los Angeles. They had four children in rapid succession -- not unlike Catherine and myself.

Dan, named for his Uncle Daniel Kohn, is the eldest of the four. His namesake, our father's older brother, also died at a young age, not unlike their father -- my grandfather, Abe. But Dan has been getting and keeping in shape of late and has begun to run in foot races, including a half-marathon just a little while ago. He's going through a divorce and has two children, Caleb, who was out of town during out trip out West, and Hannah, who is a gem of a daughter and, to me, niece.

Amy is the eldest daughter and the person I first was able to contact when trying to reach my new family. She's quite a woman, with a fun sense of humor and a strong spirit. So strong that I don't even think Spirit Air could break hers.

She's married to Brice, an engineer with Alcoa's fastener division. He jokes that there are a lot of nuts at work, he's the nuts and bolts of the operation, and the like.
They live in the house our father purchased in Huntington Beach, which is known as Surf City USA, buying it from their mom several years ago. Their four children are Kenny, Abby, Missy and Grace. Each is a very distinct person with a very unique mind and spirit. We had loads of fun with all of them, even the last full day of our visit when we went to the movies.

Tracy is Mel's youngest daughter and is quite a card. Early on during our visit we kept missing one another but finally got in touch with one another. Good thing, because during our two visits with Tracy and her wonderful kids Elyse and Nolan we had a really good time.

Our first meeting was at The Block mall, where we went to Dave & Busters, had a great dinner and played a ton of games. The kids won a lot of tickets and got a prize or two in exchange.

Our second time together was a trip to Magic Mountain, the Six Flags theme park north of L.A. with a bunch of amazing roller coasters. We did quite a few coasters, and I was even able to coax Tracy and Elyse onto the Superman coaster, which shoots you out to 100 mph then curves straight up until you reach about 325 feet before you free-fall back to the start. It was a great time and I hope the kids like their new aunt and uncle. Tracy and I are sure to build a good relationship over the years.

Sadly, I was unable to meet my youngest brother Andy because he died about 18 months earlier. Andy was a troubled soul and my regret is never getting to know -- and possibly help -- him out through the years. But I was able to be part of his interment at sea. Amy and Dan had planned a trip to Santa Catalina Island to scatter Andy's remains. And I am glad they were able to schedule it during our trip out West. We traveled to the island for the afternoon and Dan rented a small powerboat -- with me at the wheel -- to head offshore for our very casual farewell to Andy. We all shed tears during the trip, perhaps Amy the most, as Dan scattered Andy's remains. As Amy said, those were just his physical remains, but his spirit remains all around us all the time. I lightened the air by pointing out that for a little bit, anyway, he was around us all the more as his ashes melded with the Pacific waters. Dan tossed in some of his and Andy's favorite baseball cards. And we all thought that perhaps Andy and his mom would bump in to one another since her remains also were interred off the Catalina coast.

Our trip to Las Vegas the previous weekend also was an important part of our visit. Amy and Brice reserved the rooms at one of the Strips nicest properties -- Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino. The room was magnificent and the ameneties wonderful -- a wave pool, a meandering lazy river pool and three swimming pools -- and the company of Amy, Brice and Dan great. It was a chance to bond and get to know one another. While we didn't hang out as much as I'd have liked in Vegas, we spent lots of time together there and on the drive there and back. Dan managed to scrape a knee even while he was sober and I introduced Amy and Brice to matzo ball soup served at the deli in the New York, New York casino, though couldn't get them to budge on the gefilte fish. Maybe next time.

We also had the opportunities to meet relatives on both sides of the family. A college graduation party in San Diego gathered the Green family together. They're Amy's Mom's side of the family, and it was nice to meet them all. The house was in a beautiful area. It's weird that even though the city is south of L.A. and Orange County it was cooler. Toward the end of the trip we also had a chance to travel to Long Beach and visit with my cousin Trudy, her husband David, as well as cousin Jill and husbad Alan, plus their nephew, Kirk and Maddy's son Mark, now a Hollywood up-and-comer. We had a nice dinner, a tour of Trudy's condo and during the conversations Trudy offered a few insights into what she recalls of the days when my Mom and father were dating and engaged.

It's kind of like a puzzle to put together, tidbit of information by tidbit of information.

I'm sure at some point I'll have most, though not all, of the pieces filled in.

The day we flew back home, Catherine and I spent the day as tourists. We went back to Universal Hollywood, had lunch at Bubba Gump Seafood on CityWalk, did the few rides we'd missed before, then left and touristed in Hollywood before heading to the airport for our delayed flight home. Ah Spirit Air. Gotta like em. Just remember, if ever you have an opportunity to fly on Spirit, pass it up and fly another carrier. You'll thank me later.

Waiting to leave LAX. It is 10:45 and the plane leaves at 11:40 or so. Just 20 minutes late.

A wet willie for the Apollo 13 crew.

We're all watching family videos at Amy and Brice's house. We leave later today.

We are at Magic Mountains.

It's been a busy, fun, introspective visit

It's now nearly Friday morning West Coast time and I finally can say I've met all my siblings. I met Tracy on Wednesday, when we met at The Block at Orange, a mall, and had dinner and some fun at Dave & Buster's.

Elyse and Nolan are really nice young people and it sounds like they've had a lot going on of late. I'm happy to have them for a niece and nephew.

In fact, tomorrow, Friday, they, their mom and I are going to Magic Mountain for the day. I think Catherine is going to stick around the hotel and rest after this whirlwind visit that involved several sub-trips since we arrived in California.

One such sub-trip was on Thursday, when Amy, Dan, Catherine and I traveled to Catalina island for a twofold visit. First thing we did was to rent a small motorboat and travel offshore from the island resting about 22 miles from Long Beach. There, Dan laid our brother Andy's ashes to rest in the sea not far from where their mother's remains were put to sea several years ago. A few of Andy's and Dan's choice baseball cards also were interred in the sea for Andy to enjoy.

There also are several photos of our visit below, so feel free to check them out.

Though I'd never met Andy, and never experienced the demons he encountered daily, the loss remains with me. Amy and Dan each had tears in their eyes as the ashes met the Pacific. Amy had a good point the other day when she explained that those are just ashes, but Andy's spirit will never be too far away. He's up there looking down on us to this day.

We made it back to shore in one piece -- of course, since I was at the helm -- and spend the next couple of hours meandering about Avalon, the small town on Catalina, which is a mountainous island protected from us humans except for about 10 percent of the land mass that makes up the residential and commercial areas.

We had lunch overlooking the marina and some of the sealife.

And, I believe, we all got to know one another more. Though sad in many ways, I think the time spent together made us more of a family and I'm glad we've had as much time as we have to do this.

And I'm sure my time with Tracy and her kids will be spent as well.

After all, we all have nearly five decades to catch up on.

Amy and Dan aboard our little boat as we head out to set Andy to his final rest. It was a poignant moment for all.

Dan performs a striptease for dozens - er - for onlookers.

A solemn moment as Dan scatters the remains of Andy in the Pacific off Catalina.

Tracy, Nolan and Elise joined us at Dave & Busters.

An Amazing Week

I haven't had Internet access until now -- except by blogging photos from the cell phone.

But other than that single snafu, this has been an amazing week. I've met some wonderful people, and I just happen to be related to them all.

My sister Amy and husband Brice are great people, and their four children -- Kenny, Abby, Melissa and Grace -- are wonderful kids who each are independent thinkers and pretty darned smart.

We've all spent quite a bit of time together, going to places like Boomers (a family fun center), Universal Hollywood, the pier at Surf City USA -- a/k/a Huntington Beach -- and just out and about around town.

Catherine, I, Melissa and Grace drove out to Riverside the other day to meet my brother Dan and his daughter Hannah. Dan lives in the city but just far enough out that his neighbor has goats in the backyard. He has lots of room on his lot. And (shhh, don't tell anyone) he has a roller rink in front of his garage. Ask me about this later.

Dan is a great guy and I hope to get to know him better through the coming years. As with Amy, we have a lot of time to make up.


Hannah is a wonderful young lady. When we first met, she was dazed and confused due to exhaustion from a Girl Scout camping trip and then a night at her friend's house. Too pooped to pop is how my Mom used to put it. But once she woke up, she warmed up very quickly. She and Melissa -- who prefers the name Missy -- spend the night in our hotel room and they conked out there pretty fast. But no bother, as the next morning was our trip to Universal.

The weekend is booked but I hope to meet up with my sister Tracy and her two kids next week. I will call her to set up a time and report back here.

I can't begin to describe how hot it is out here. Once you drift inland from the coast even just a couple of miles it is uncomfortable. Unless you're in the shade. Then it's bearable. Barely. At Universal Hollywood, the temps had to be in the low triple-digits. It was hot. Scorching hot. Central Florida is by no means chilly, but the heat is different. This is a "dry heat." It's very, very hot, but not in the shade. In Florida, it's just plain hot and humid.

It was so hot at Universal that the kids had to play in the Curious George water playground to stay cool and comfy. They had a blast there. We did, too, by watching them play.

Catherine and I shift hotels from the Hilton to the Double Tree, but just for a night. Sunday night and Monday night we'll be in Vegas, and then Tuesday through our departure we'll be at the Double Tree in Anaheim.

Speaking of hotels and accommodations. Here's my ranting review of the Hilton across from the John Wayne Airport in Orange County, Calif.:

It's pretty darned mediocre. The room's nothing to write home about. Very plain Jane, vanilla, dull, same-old-same-old. The staff is sub-satisfactory and very much less than accommodating. They charge $16 a night to park. Yes. Really. The breakfast buffet costs nearly $20 a person and wasn't that impressive to look at so we didn't choose to buy.

The pool and spa were bright spots, but the fitness center, even with its nice, shiny, new machines, lacks some major basics. The business center is well equipped, but why the heck would you use it for 60 cents a minute? What a load of crap. Oh, speaking of which, they also charge $10 a day for high-speed internet, or $6.99 an hour if you chose to connect in the lobby. (Funny thing is, that's why I didn't hook up to the Internet until now. And I hooked up by finding the hotel-guest signal from my room -- for the hotel next door. It does not charge!)

So, shame on Hilton, in a big way.

But if that was a bad review, watch out Spirit Airlines. Spirit, in a word, sucks. If you have a choice between Spirit and any other airline, choose the other carrier. Yes, Spirit has leather seats. But they cover the most uncomfortable plastic and metal objects one can imagine using as airline seats. My back ached the entire flight.

Also on the entire flight, the flight attendants INTENTIONALLY turned the temperature up to a point where even I, as in I, the person who hates room temperatures too cold, was way too hot. I had to ding and ding the attendants throughout the flight because it was so uncomfortable. And it wasn't due to any mechanical problems, just that they set it up high.

But the biggest kick -- aside from the $20 fee for baggage -- was they don't have ANY entertainment, even for a fee. They claim to keep fares low (NOT!) by allowing their passengers to bring their own entertainment devices. What a bunch of B.S. That's just their way of saying we were too cheap to buy minor upgrades to our new Airbus A-319 aircraft. Even low-cost carriers JetBlue and AirTran offer more -- and more comfortable seats, to boot.

So in summary: Great family, cheap hotel, crappy airline.