Dining After Brain Surgery - Dodgy At Best!

Hello Fellow Travelers!

There are many issues that confront the vertigo-stricken patient daily.  One of the most difficult and repeated is the frustrating task of consuming nutrients.  Until an alternative is discovered (and here is an instance where a pellet or a pill would be welcome) I am faced with the daunting task of consuming enough  proteins and water to thrive.

Strictly speaking, eating seems  like way too much trouble to even attempt, but there are restaurants and dinner parties, (and staying alive) to consider, so even the pickiest palate (me) has to "wrangle the metal" from time to time.  I tried just not eating but my PS said it was too "weird" and my not eating, was in fact, a distraction for anybody else!

I only want sugary round foods these days anyway.  So skipping the exercise in futility (any meal) seems like the best option to an especially picky gourmand, but if I am absolutely forced to work through a salad, I have the skillset necessary to struggle through the plate.

I had thought I could avoid most eating scenarios, I tried to avoid eating anyway (I've always been a big snacker and rarely committed to anything as defined as a "meal"; why limit my options to breakfast, lunch and dinner?  I might see something else I'd rather have while I'm waiting.  Like a cookie!)

But eating is necessary and neverending!  And the only food that holds any interest for me contains lots and lots of brown sugar and vanilla bean.  These "confections" are not great for your teeth.  I found this out the hard way.  I was forced to go the dentist.  Forty+ years of perfect dental health obliterated by one year of candy consumption!

Food is therefore required even though I may not want it.  I guess the trick will be finding something I really like.  Anyone have a nutrition pellet?  Yum!

Airplanes- A Pleasant Way to Catch Up On Reading Or A Terror-Filled Appointment With Death?

Hello Fellow Travelers!

I flew for the first time since brain surgery in 2011 and like almost everything else in my life, it was completely different from my prior flights.  In addition to all the usual security concerns (baggage, shoe removal, etc.) I contended with many additional situations that only the "handicapped" get. I was the first on and off the plane, I was escorted by airline personnel.  Speaking was not a requirement for me.   In other words, the optimum conditions existed for a physically impaired person such as myself.

What has changed flying travel for me from a fairly pleasant experience to a white-knuckled journey in terror?

What has transpired in air travel to make me regard passenger planes as nothing but 200+ human beings strapped to tanks of highly explosive jet fuel?

It wasn't Malaysian 371 (Although it's complete disappearance didn't help matters) that soured it for me.

What now compels me to mentally count all the bodies as they file past my seat?  As the passengers keep going by my fear increases  exponentially!

Next to the MRI (Brrrrr!) only an airplane comes close to my irrational, overwhelming fear of being buried alive!

As we left the tarmac I glanced at some of the other :"handicapped" passengers seated across from me.  One couple in particular held my attention, They had obviously filled out all the same forms we did because they availed themselves of all the services available.  It turns out they weren't "disabled" at all, they just didn't feel like walking!  I know because I asked.  I had to!

And they weren't the only ones!  Apparently, this flight abounded with able-bodied passengers that had claimed handicapped status.in order to avoid self-movement at the airport. We saw them hanging out by the gate for hours!  I devote most of my energy towards moving forward.  Allowing myself to be pushed in any circumstance is counter-intuitive for me.  Actually requesting "handicapped" status for me indicates I'm suffering from a profound disability  The people across the aisle?  They were embarrassed, sheepish, even.   And able to walk.

The only thing I hate more than my wheelchair?  A random "loaner" wheelchair,  You've seen them, at hotels, hospitals.  Where were these "walkers" (As in, people that can actually walk) seated?  All, except for me were lined up at the gate in airline loaner chairs waiting to get pushed!  I judge nothing and nobody.  In my view, everyone is doing the best they can.  However,if someone is going to all of the trouble to get a handicapped placard for their car (or check off the disabled box with a straight face) it seems to me you'd need to be fairly handicapped, or, at least, somewhat impaired

I don't really understand why flying now terrifies me and I'm not sure it matters. It does and I'll deal with it.  What I understand is that as soon as I don't need any assistance I won't accept any.  "Fear of Flying" makes me even more determined to stroll through airports, to saunter into terminals,  I'll be planning a big airport hike where I skip through several airports in succession..

Jury Duty? Really? Brain Trauma Now This?

Hello Fellow Travelers!

I was going to post my recent summons to Jury Duty and my letter from my oncologist stating how handicapped and entirely incapable I am of being impaneled on a jury of my peers, but my PS has me thinking I might be shirking a responsibility by being disabled. I find it ridiculous that I'm so unbelievably impaired yet called upon for random civil service selections.  The odd thing is, under normal circumstances I'd be a heck of a juror, I pay attention to detail I don't judge people and above all I like a good story, no matter how convoluted.

I can't walk, speak or sign my name, so right now, extrapolating relevant evidence in a court proceeding sounds way beyond me.

My PS says that Jury Duty is a civic responsibility, like voting, which I do in every election because you can't complain if you don't vote and you know how I love to complain!

I don't think anyone gets cancer so they can avoid a jury summons.  I'd  be thrilled to serve as a juror the rest of my life if that meant I wouldn't have a brain tumor!  I would have been happy to hear an actual  case anyway!

My  PS says I am too biased and would be summarily discharged by either side.  Maybe.  I don't believe I'm biased, it's just when I can see how a story is going to turn out (and let's face it; most real-life stories are fairly predictable) I move on.


I've been working hard every day to be physically prepared for any new calamity;  tanks?  Check.  Nuclear War?  Got it!  Jury Duty?  WTH?!

Jury Duty?  Really?  Come On!

I've been working feverishly for life in a post-apocalyptic society, so to receive a summons to be waiting around a courthouse is beyond funny to me, or would be!

I can't even do that!

I mean what's next?  (Insert snarky comparison here) Because I'd be happy to do it! Whatever "it" is!  Thrilled, even.    If I could, which I can't.

But what I can do is go to the gym.  What I will do is strengthen my spine.

I'll take inspiration anywhere I can find it.  A jury summons is as good a source as any!

Shasta County - I'm In Love!

Hello Fellow Travelers!

Last week I traveled to Burney Falls in Shasta County.  All of Shasta County is ridiculously beautiful, the cows seem happier, the water tastes better, the folks are really friendly, (I mean, how could they not be?  Right? I just want to "be with" Shasta County!)  I left a device up there and they couldn't have been nicer about getting it back to me!  Another lost, outdated, device?  (Mine, no doubt!)  Who cares?  Shasta County, that's who!

You know what else is in Burney?  Lots of things!  All manner of things built to observe the natural wonders of Shasta County. We spent an afternoon at The Hat Creek Radio Observatory where there are 42 satellite dishes that rotate in unison (think Jodie Foster in "Contact").  These amazing dishes listen for radio signals coming from specific points in space!  SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Institute directs the  Allen Telescope Array (ATA) to search the stars for radio transmissions!

And they had T-shirts!  And hats!

Paul Allen donated millions of dollars (Allen co-founded Microsoft) and I bought a $10 mug for my dad.

One sight I didn't see (or miss) was the "Subway Cave".  I make it a policy to never go anywhere where "Cave" is in the title.  I avoided the "tube-like" cave but I heard all about it and it sounded like everything else in Shasta County.  The cave was spacious, remarkably clean and bug and bat-free!

But it's still a cave.

The only reason I don't beg to start a temple of some kind there is in the photograph- giant, multiton, volcanic, boulders that threaten to spill across the highway (299).   Look closely at the photo - California's solution to ancient, crush-anything-in-it's-path-red-rock?  Chainlink fencing!  For miles!  It's really disconcerting!  You know it's just a matter of time before the snow and rock move down.and whatever or whoever is unfortunate to be on that road when that avalanche happens will be snapped like twigs!  The fencing looks like it's holding on for dear life!  It's OK for a couple of miles and after a little while it's all you think about - being crushed by giant boulders.  Very stressful!  Too stressful!

It's like the mountains are wearing knock off Spanx, or some other form of retention that's doomed to fail!

What being in  heavenly Shasta County reminded me was that there are still plenty of places I want to see or experience both nationally and globally.  Tony Soprano once advised an underling to buy real estate "Cause God wasn't making more." (I actually think he lifted that line from yet another underling!)  He had a point though!

Seeing a ton of trees and happy ranchers on their little "Shangrila's" (PS's term for really large homes in this area) makes me see why our forefathers moved here across the country in stifling wagons, came across the sea in leaky, little boats hundreds of years ago:  they had to see what happened next.


Happy Independence Day!