Wednesday, May 03, 2017

TSA Comes For My Candy... It's War!

Ok, so I am moving from one hide-away to another today.  Flying from PVD to BWI.

I booked early.

I got a good deal.

I was packed and ready to go in time to walk through the apartment a few times to make sure I had everything.

I was here two hours before my flight.

I checked my luggage so I was unencumbered.

Now I fly somewhat frequently and almost always Southwest, so a lot of the time I get TSA Pre-check.  That would mean, my light sweatshirt and sneakers would stay on.  My liquids stay in my one bag (size of a small backpack).  But just in case, my liquids were in a baggie.  So it ends up being a regular check-in.  I take off my sneakers, my socks are pristine.  My sweatshirt is ready to throw in a bin.

Surprise!  New rule!  All candy and snacks must be out of my bag and in it's own bin.

What?

Rewind five hours, while grabbing a few things at Stop & Shop, I bought a dollar box of candy.  Then to save space, I took the box of individually wrapped "Chocolate Bit O'Honey" and dumped them in the bag.

So I had to step out of line, dump my overstuffed bag.  I don't check electronics or prescriptions.  There is no line to speak of, I waved two people around me.

Then someone asks why the candy/snack rule.  The TSA guy says that sometimes food gives a false positive for explosives because of it's proximity to wires (phone chargers, etc.)

Bullshit!

Did I mention it's steroid day?

Monday, May 01, 2017

May Day

Friday was chaos at the infusion center.  I didn't cause it, but I was suffering 2nd order effects. Normally when I have an infusion scheduled, I don't schedule anything else.  They can start late, run late, I can feel crappy, etc.  This past Friday I was scheduled for Pomidronate, a two hour infusion that takes anywhere from three to five hours​.

But just this once I scheduled a two o'clock appointment at the Eye Center in the same hospital complex.

Infusion room was backed up.  I was in the waiting room.  They decided to send me down the hall to have an IV inserted so my tests could get rolling. That seemed a smart move.  But my veins weren't cooperating.  They've been less co-operative as time moves on.  Dr. Miller told me that I need to work with a stress ball to build up the underlying muscle and believe me, I will!

It took several tries before they called in their big gun.  Between that and giving up me left arm they got the IV in place.  It try to keep all the nonsense on my right hand/arm because I am left handed.  Then there is a 30 minute wait for test results. I ran up to the other end of Washington and ran errands.

But sadly, despite their efforts - my actual infusion began moments after 12 noon.

There was just no way I was going to finish and haul ass to Biewend by 2pm.  So the eye doctor's scheduler offered me June or Monday.  So I picked Monday.  But it didn't work either.

And I'll be honest.  The last place I want to be on May Day is two blocks from the Common or in South Station.

I ended up with June.  Sigh.  Gotta get a stress ball.