An update on my current situation (trailer, service, best, motel)

[meo92953]

Guess I'm not through sharing.

I was a little worried about how I'm going to do plant based eating while on the road without refrigeration but then realized I'd lost 45pounds in the time I'd been away. It was unintentional at the time and I didn't even know it was happening until my pants started not fitting.

I have decided I'm going to use a very small cooler for greens as fruit keeps well but I did eat a lot of the cups of fruit, which is probably why I lost weight. I found they became my snacks rather than cheese and crackers (my downfall), as I believe cheese has to be refrigerated.

I did eat a lot of sandwiches, mostly tuna and salmon because I couldn't find chicken packages very often. I also ate canned veggies and soups because my body craved them. Yes, fresh would be better but I grew up with home canned vegetables and fruits because that's the way we lived then. People had gardens in the spring and canned everything for the coming winter. There were root cellars for potatoes and root vegetables.

So I started eating better without realizing it. No ice cream or frozen fast food. Nothing I couldn't refrigerate or freeze. I used to love frozen pizza's and I suppose I could have bought pizza slices but my goal was saving money and I did save a lot, so I didn't eat out much. My big splurge was the occasional Friday fish special at the deli in Quartzsite. Even at truck stops while traveling I tended to get the fruit cups.

I've gained some weight back as my sister has a weekly family dinner and I got in the habit of eating like I used to so as to not offend her. She also bakes a lot, mainly cookies and who can resist home baked cookies?

I've started eating less at these dinners and either saying no to the cookies or having just one. I was shocked when I went to the doctor and I'd gained back 9 of those lost pounds. That was enough to get me back to my old/new habits.

Another thing I noticed while at Quartzsite was that my body became regular. I've always had trouble in that area and was pleasantly surprised. It took my being home and falling into old habits for my body to rebel again.

Reading the books I've mentioned on dieting, it finally clicked and guess what. My body rebels on Monday after our family dinners on Sunday and behaves throughout the rest of the week, unless we have fresh caught fish. Quite a coincidence I'd say.

I'll probably never be totally vegan as I love fish and enjoy eating it. I'll eat chicken, at least while I'm here, because they are raised here to eat. My sister understands that I can't eat red meat because my body doesn't process it well so even though her friend raises both cows and pigs, I don't eat them.

It's been quite interesting finding all this out. To know my bowels could have been corrected years ago if any doctor would have encouraged this change is frustrating. I've had problems with this as long as I can remember, until I changed my eating while traveling. Amazing.

So even if I don't have much refrigeration, I know if I keep doing what I've been doing, I will be healthier.

[StealthRabbit]

Hints for cheap and healthy eats while on the road. (Not requiring refrigeration).

Fresh fruits and veggies are far better for eating than canned or processed, (probably been 50 yrs since I had processed /fruit cocktail style). so..

I get to know the local stores, and ask the produce manager when they cull the cosmetically damaged produce (usually in early AM or just before closing). I often get these items for 1/2 off, sometimes free.

I check local agencies and ask at farm stands if they have any fields that allow gleaning. (There are national gleaner networks)

Volunteer at community food events such as feeding homeless families. Free leftovers.

Storage.
Lettuce can last a few days wrapped in soaked paper towels (available on dispenser in produce aisle (or ask), I use lettuce or cabbage instead of bread (which I avoid). Have learned to go without salad dressing,

A camper friend took an existing cooler and wrapped it inside and out with a high tech insulation material. Opening it only 2-3x/ day, He can go a week on a block of ice.

I budget my food intake while traveling...
1200 cal / day
One snack / day
No soft drinks
If eating out, use a happy hour food special <$5
If fast food... No buns, no fries, no drinks, and entree <$2 (watching cal and carbs)
No 'heavy' food while traveling. (Pancakes, potatoes, breads)

I do like many fruits that will keep without being refrigerated.

Manifold Destiny is a cook book for using the heat of your car engine to cook meals. You could do that on the way home from shopping. We also have a hot water heater that uses engine coolant to warm domestic water. Solar ovens can fold up very compact.

[meo92953]

StealthRabbit, You always have such good advice and wisdom. Thanks for sharing.

[meo92953]

I'm so, so feeling for the people of Louisiana right now. Watching the news all evening, remembering Katrina.

After Katrina, a co-worker from my workplace went with a group to help with the rescue of animals, pets left behind by people who couldn't take them. The situation there now reminded me of that time as pet shelters are being overwhelmed and asking that people not leave their pets there.

There was an update that pets are being transported to Texas shelters. Texas seems to be helping a lot, according to the news.

I don't think any of us will forget Katrina and the aftermath that followed. I'm thankful the surrounding states, at least Texas per the news, are showing compassion for their neighbors.

This may prove to be a time when we all have to pitch in where we can. For those of us too far away to help physically, I hope we help financially at least. I know I will be. I may not be able to give a lot but I will help as much as I can.

[meo92953]

I was/am tired tonight and went to bed, windows open to enjoy the night breeze as long as I can.

Taz, the protector of the chickens, started barking and I got a huge whiff of skunk. I quickly closed the window but it certainly did wake me right up. Hope it dissipates soon so I can go back to bed. She's a darn good watchdog and I'll bet we lost -0- chickens. Hope she doesn't smell too bad tomorrow. She always comes to me to be petted in the morning and I'll have to make sure she knows she did a good thing.

I'm not looking forward to it.

Another thing that happened today...I had hung up a black flag insect catcher outside and it really helped, caught a lot of insects. Well today a couple of little birds, I don't know what kind they were, came to peck at the insects and almost got caught. So I had to discard the catcher as I do not want to be a bird killer. Darn birds! That catcher was working great.

[thatdurncat13]

Sunday night the resident skunk around here decided to reassure me that it was still alive and well. Four hours later the smell was still horrific. I think the little dickens stands under the window and lets loose.
When my two oldest grandkids were small and we smelled a skunk I used to take a whiff and say "Mmm smell that fresh country air!" They were not amused.
I never thought about the flycatchers catching birds. Good to know. I don't use them anymore, the flies won't go near them.

[meo92953]

That's funny, about the skunk. I was right about Taz. She smells this morning. I still petted her and told her she was a good girl. And no chickens were lost.

I didn't realize that about the birds either. It shocked me to see them doing that. The regular fly catchers didn't work, the kind that spiral, but the cylinder, colored ones work great here. I have one inside that's caught a lot of the pesky knats and even two wasps, which surprised me. They worked well outside too but, oh well, birds are special and I'll do what I can to protect them.

[meo92953]

Okay, here's the scoop on the ultrasound. My left artery is almost 100% blocked so they sent a critical request to Sanford in Fargo. Since Fargo hasn't called me, they had me call them. I was on hold almost 20 minutes, but finally got through. Put on hold again and told, finally, that my case is in review and if I don't hear anything by Friday to call back. In the meantime, I'm to take an aspirin a day, or 4 baby aspirin until I can get to town to buy aspirin.

So many questions. Why do I have to go to Fargo when we have a perfectly good heart department in Fergus? If this is so critical, why the wait time?

If the doctor had listened to me in the first place, when I said I probably needed a stent, this would be over with. Instead I get to worry while I wait on phone calls. Frustrating.

[meo92953]

My sister suggested I call my doctor's office to find out why I had to go to Fargo, so I did. A friend of hers just had a stent put in on Wednesday at the Fergus hospital.

The nurse told me the hospital in Fergus doesn't have a Vascular Surgeon and I need vascular surgery. I pulled up some articles on it but don't fully understand and I was scaring myself with some of the answers so I decided I'd better wait to talk to the surgeon and/or staff to find out what they are going to do. It looks like it means a hospital stay regardless.

I'm thankful now that I took the higher insurance premium. My copay for a hospital stay is $3,000, which I have in my emergency fund. I think the other one I could have taken is $5,000. I took the higher payment for a lower copay because I didn't want to have to worry while traveling.

At first, because I wasn't using it, I thought I was throwing money away. I'm sure glad I did it now.

[shamrock4]

Meo, I hope you can talk with the surgeon/staff soon to give you more insight on your condition and solution. It is scary (and frustrating) to be left in limbo with lack of communication.

Glad you have good insurance coverage. That removes one worry which is good. Thinking of you and wishing you the best.