Have a great trip! I've actually been to Asheville once, and it's beautiful—or at least it was twenty-some years ago. There was a really good used book store in town. With luck, it'll still be there.

I'm sorry to hear you're so stressed out. I totally empathize. Hope the holiday helps!

The MRI is definitely cool. Did it reveal anything useful diagnostically? (You don't have to answer if you don't want to.)