Category: Blog

Today I did the tourist thing. Drove to the further station out on the Metro (Vienna/Fairfax) and took the Metro into Union Station — well, that was the plan, but I got a little diverted. My goal was to get a pass on a Hop On Bus Tour, which I finally did, but got distracted and off the wrong station.

Once I got to Union Station, I found a bus tour and took it around one loop — decided where I wanted off — Air and Space Museum.  By that time I needed to eat, so I ate part of a filet of fish sandwich (McD style).  Yes, the fill is working.

Walked around Air / Space and then got back on the tour bus (sounds easier than it was).  Met lots of fun people on the tours, and generally had a good time.

Also took the "blue" tour and went over the Potomoc to Arlington National Cemetary.  All very cool.

Was almost touristed out, so took the train back — noticed there was a Metro station near the "blue" tour.  It was a Red Line train so went to Metro, tried to get an orange train but landed on a blue train.  Not a bit deal as they run the same route, there, so I got off, got on an orange that took me ALMOST to the right station — it went "out of service" two stations from where I parked.

So had to wait for another train.  It came, finally got to my station and couldn’t remember which side I got off on.  Finally found my truck and made my way back to the hotel.

By the way, I love this Embassy Suites hotel!  It’s one of the smaller properties — the New Orleans property was HUGE, about twice as many floors, much better atrium plus another property where we stayed at.  This has only 6 floors, has two swans living in it — though I wonder how they feel about it — must be like my dogs — they have a home with good weather, get regular meals, etc.  They are "royal swans" and must be birds that are frequently raised as pets.

Breakfast is completely made to order when it comes to eggs, etc.  Very good service and very good food.  Manager’s reception has had different food each night — last night’s ended up being my supper. 

Room is extremely quiet and I slept the best I have on the entire trip.  I should be in pretty good shape before I head out to Charlottesville.

Definitely having a good trip!

I made it from Knoxville to my hotel today. I may have been too ambitious on how much driving I can do in one day. The other bad part, is when I am at touristy places, they are closed.

Once I got settled into the hotel, I drove into DC and made it all the way to the Potomac, the Capital Building and Washington Monument.

My plan tomorrow is to find a train station, and take the Metro train to Union Station.  Then I’m going to try to take a tour.  We’ll see how that goes.  I figure that I have less chances of getting lost if I park in a train station.

One nice thing about Embassy Suites, at least this one, tonight, is that they really had enough food for me to have dinner in the manager’s reception.  I’m going to hit the breakfast in the morning.

I am tired.

It’s going well, I left Brandon about 9:00 am after getting gas, etc.

Had a very nice visit with the family, and right now, and stopped at a rest stop outside of Brandon, doing the rest stop thing.

I-20 is boring and I wish my GPS had a Wal-Mart alert, I want to stop and get some AA batteries and a one to two adapter for my car lighters, though I think the cooler and Zune are probably enough to pull juice off the battery.  Don’t want to screw up the electrical system so I’ve been keeping the amateur radio gear off.

By the way, love the cooler, it’s a good size, carries about two meals plus drinks and injectable meds (insulin and symlin).  Got it at Wal-Mart and made by Coleman.

Drove a lot, made a lot of little stops and generally taking it easy.  However, I-20 is BORING!

Really had a nice visit with my mother, want to go back through but don’t know yet.  I really hate I-20.

Would like to hang out in Chattanooga Tennessee but got there to late and went on to Knoxville.  I should be half way to Washington, DC.   I would like to get there at a decent time will depend on when I get up and going.  It’s 9:25 my time and 10:25 there time which always takes a bit to get used to.

I’m staying at a decent but cheap hotel, they claim they have wireless but I haven’t gotten it to work, thankfully I have my own internet.

Looks like the latest fill is doing good, which makes me real happy.  Still have some head work to do.

I made it to my mom’s in Brandon, Mississippi, took her and my sister out to dinner, and went and saw my sister’s two houses she is trying to sell. Both are nice. One is my niece’s, and one is a builder’s who hasn’t been able to sell.

She is probably going to rent the nieces.

I miss my dogs, especially Macy, as she is in my face all the time.  It’s hard to be without them.  I’m not falling asleep and my head is spinning with thoughts.

My mom isn’t getting that I don’t want to make any plans.  The next few days are all about not having plans.  Weird thing for me, but it’s a good thing.  My plan is that I have to be in Washington DC on Friday or cancel my reservation and that I don’t have to be anywhere until Tuesday morning.  That’s not like me.  I usually have life planned to the minute.

Only problem was a disaster of a lunch at a Shoney’s in Bossier City, horrible service, horrible food, and very over priced.  Won’t do that again, $2.00 for tea I can’t drink is ridiculous, part my fault.

I went in and got another Fill today – apparently, I have to pay a $30 copay.  We’ll see after it’s processed.

Also got my labs back.  A1C is 7.9 and my lipid panel is all too high.  I know I need to be on a cholestral lowering drug, just finding one I can swallow is a problem.

I definately need at least one more fill and I am really tempted to try to go in this week, but since I’m going to be traveling it is not a good idea.

I have restriction with some protein, but not with carbs.  I can eat all the carbs I want with no problems.  I’m still doing a really good job with "bandster" eating.  Not drinking while I eat, eating protein first, then veggies and then carbs.

I ate out in public for the first time during the diabete meet up.  It went very well, too well, as I do very well with eggs and sausage and that’s what I had. At least I know what is safe.

I’m still eating 4 – 5 times a day, and wish I could get to 3, but just am not there yet.

Still not losing weight — got on the evil scale yesterday but I’m maintaining my surgery weight loss.  I know how to lose weight — go on a liquid diet for 6 weeks, but I’m not ready to go there again.

Good news, next fill is the Tuesday after I get back.

In honor of LeeAnn being in the area, we put together a diabetes twitter meetup. Brian, LeeAnn and myself all met there, along with Amy, Brian’s wife.

I loved the way we organized it — LeeAnn picked a range of days, I narrowed it down to a single day and location, and Brian picked the time and place.

We ended up at a Cracker Barrel in Arlington.

I got the waitress to take a picture of the group:

LeeAnn is on the left front, I’m left back , and Brian and Amy are on the right.

Here’s Brian and Amy

And Brian has an interesting tatoo

Yesterday was 6 weeks since my surgery. 

I’m doing good.  I think I’ve mentioned this before, but when I start hiccupping it’s either time to slow down or quit eating depending on what I am eating and doing.  Hiccuping is a precourser to some real nasty stuff.

I am still having trouble slowing down but it is getting better.  I stop on the first hiccup and wait awhile. 

I have been "off" since yesterday at 10:30 — though had a shrink appointment at 11:00.  It was pretty good.  He seems to think that I’m doing pretty good.  I still haven’t solved the problem I went to him for — sleeping.  I’ve been pretty tired lately, as I am going to bed when I am so exhausted I can’t keep my eyes open and then get up at 6:00.  I’m trying to sleep in some but Macy won’t let me. 

I don’t think I’m losing weight though my trainer thinks I am. I am staying away from the scale since it stresses me out.

I am going to something weird for my trip — just in case, and take about 4 skirts that are too small for me.  At least then I won’t be stuck if my clothing starts falling off again.

I leave Wednesday — and don’t worry, the husband, dogs and alarm system are all still here.  Visiting Mother on Wednesday, plan to be in DC on Friday, have to be in Charlottesville on the 14th  — I’ve asked for a room the night before, but did it last minute so I don’t know.  The workshop ends on the 16th, and I have a feeling I’ll drive as straight through as possible to get home. 

Especially since it’s a computer science workshop, I’ll have my full compliment of laptops, smart phone and air card so I’ll be tweeting and blogging on the way.

I’m planning on getting at least a 2 day tour pass and sight see in DC as much as possible.

I’ve been doing a lot of me stuff — especially the last couple of days, I’ve actually pulled out 5 trash bags of stuff out of my office and put out a lot of broken electronics.  I’m getting rid of a computer that has been driving me nuts, and generally just taking care of me.

It’s nice.

This is a really good program and the CORRECT BUSINESS MODEL for service dogs.

Quoted from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31596375/ns/us_news-military/?GT1=43001:

Dogs help injured soldiers overcome challenges – Military- msnbc.com

Training takes up to nine months and costs $23,000. Service Dogs doesn’t charge its clients but relies on private donations and foundation grants.

Unfortunately the diabetes community has been a victim of people who participate in a business model where the clients pay for the training.  If you are considering such a program, RUN, do not walk away.

And yes, since my sister got her on Facebook, she’ll probably read this.  The sad part, is that she will only get what she wants to get, as that is how she reads everything.

We had a tough conversation last night.  She’s worried about her brother-in-law, my uncle as he is having problems with complications from diabetes. He’s on insulin now — the oral medications stopped working, which is going to happen if you live long enough.

Oh, and mom has diabetes too, and she should know these things.

Last night she told me if she had to go on insulin she’d give up, she wouldn’t do it.  This is being told to her daughter who choose to go on insulin in 2002 because I was tired of the random number generator.  I wanted her on insulin immediately when she was diagnosed, but of course she won’t listen. 

Here I am, on insulin AND symlin, with the genuine and earned fear of needles — emergency plastic surgery after going through a windshield of a car with nothing to numb the face.  She’s seen me inject, etc.  Oh, and yeah, I’m the one getting fills which involves another needle.

PLEASE.    I’m sorry but insulin isn’t that big of a deal and I really don’t have much respect or patience with that attitude.

But that isn’t the biggest problem…..

I’ve got another issue right now that she doesn’t get – mushies — every lap band patient gains weight when they are on mushies. It’s expected, you can’t help it, and you eat food you can’t and don’t eat any other time.

There isn’t much you can eat on mushies.  The easiest for me is "loaded" baked potato so that when I get done there is more butter, sour creme, and/or cottage cheese than there is potato.  Of course, there is little or no protein etc.

AND worse yet, I was on the phone with her after the fill, and OH MY GOD, I actually went to Sonic and bought a strawberry shake.  How awful, especially after I stated to her last night that I don’t keep ice cream in the house and I don’t buy it.  OH MY GOD, how awful that I bought a shake — she sniped at me over this in an aside last night.

I’m SERIOUSLY thinking of flying to Washington now, and skipping the trip to her house.