Old update

Post written mid-June (just never got a chance to post it.  Sorry for the delay in info):

I wrote up an update, but for whatever reason when I transferred it to my phone to post, I lost the file.  Oh the joys of no internet at home.  You gotta get create in working on your desktop and transferring things to stick drives, phones, etc to try to get them on the internet later.  Wooty woo!

I made the decision to move from my tiny home.  My trip to the hospital sealed the deal for me.  The post-clean up sucked.  I had to throw away so many towels and my favourite pair of shorts.  Why?  Because I did not have a sink big enough to pre-rinse nor did I have a washing machine to wash it all.  I was so ill, I could not close my windows to turn on my A/C.  Most homes these days this would not be as much an issue.

I posted the trailer for sale.  Available staring07/01/16.  I will be moving in with one of my friends.  Our goal is to save money (my current rent does not save me money, but my Park Manager is a truly awesome lady).  For me, to pay down my massive medical bills I have recently accrued and my equally more massive credit debt.  For her, to save money on a down payment on a house.  The craigslist ad is here:http://boise.craigslist.org/rvs/5638445873.html

I have now been without a vehicle for a week.  I find it rather annoying in the sense that I have not gone on a proper adventure (according to my standards) for almost the entire month of June, ever since my Jeep broke.  I am itching to get into the mountains and go play and have fun.  I walk and ride my bike everywhere now.  But that also limits how far I go and what I do.  Biking causes me to sweat a lot and it is summer, so trying to stay fairly presentable after riding can be a challenge.  And since I rarely shower at home, it is pointless to go to work to do so, simply since I will sweat and stink to get to/from work.  Argh.  I am so very thankful for my friends that have given me rides.  Sometimes I do not like being that “needy” friend.  My fierce independence rebels, but my pride needs minimizing every now and then.  So this is good for me.

I realized I never updated on the rest of my adventures and trip to Moab last month.  I only covered my kayak trip.  Whoopsy!  I was in the Moab area for 10-days.  I left on Sat 20 May immediately after work.  My stress levels were hella high leading up to my trip simply because once my work week starts, there is not a whole lot else I can do to prepare.  And, of course, driving the 600mi from the Treasure Valley to Moab, UT in my Jeep (manual tranny, 4.10 gears, 35” tires on shitty engine = massive and slow shit show on interstate/long distance driving), also stressed me out.

I was having A LOT of problems with my health insurance in the weeks leading up to my trip.  They denied almost every single one of my medications, including my insulins.  And you know how I found out they were denied?  My pharmacy.  When I went to refill them, the pharmacy advised they were no longer covered.  Yep.  ZERO communication from my health insurance regarding my medications, which, you know, keep me alive.  Not like that matters or anything.  I started a dialogue with our middleman who talks to our insurance and with my union representative.  I then got in contact with our insurance representative who attempted to explain the process to me.  Yeah…not impressed.  My diabetes was in control.  I knew my body in and out.  I did not need to go to different meds if the ones I was on (for almost 20 years) were working just fine.  I soon learned how much health insurance really does not care about the people it serves.  It became very apparent that they were there to save money and money speaks, especially from pharmaceutical companies that they have deals with.  Unfortunately for me, my insulin manufacturers were not on that list of companies my health insurance makes deals with.  FML.   So.  Trying to sort out all that stuff.  You know, they staying alive part.  Was truly stressful mere days before my departure for Moab.  I did manage to send out an email to my health insurance filing a grievance claim.  I also contacted a Pediatric Endocrinologist in Seattle that specializes in diabetic athletes, woooo!

Current info post now/today:

Let’s just say that even though I may not pay a monthly due for my insurance to be a member of it, I actually pay more for insurance now than I did when I paid a monthly fee.  The cost of my prescriptions has skyrocketed astronomically.  I wish before work agreed to this insurance carrier we would have looked more closely at the costs of prescriptions and how rigid the company would be to force its members off their regular prescriptions and onto a “cheaper” version.  I am having a very hard time affording my prescriptions.  I find it very frustrating.  I would like nothing more than to have a continuous blood glucose monitoring kit, which would help me immensely with my active lifestyle.  Or to try out an insulin pump (Omni Pod looks promising), but no.  Shit is waaaay too expensive.

I will get back to the Moab trip on a later blog post.  I am a wee bit more flighty on this post than I would like and have not actually covered the topics I want to discuss, but I also dislike super long wordy posts.  So my post on dating and caring for our aging parents will have to wait.

I never did hear back from the Endocrinologist in Seattle.  Alas.  I was hoping he would be a good resource for me.  Boooo!  I have so many questions!  I especially wanted them answered before my backcountry survival race this weekend.  Oh well.  Guess I’ll trouble shoot as I go along.  Fingers crossed it all works out well.

Here are the details of the 2nd Annual Wompus Trek: (link to the event from 2015) and emails from the event organizer.  *I especially love his description of my team (a friend from RWB and I- the only civilian, female and diabetic; gotta love it, hahaha!).*

Email 1:
" Good Afternoon!

Three weeks from now, the 2017 Wompus Trek will be an awesome story of your past weekend's exploits and possibly a physically painful memory of much exertion.

I've been pulling together logistics and making final scouting trips for the key areas of the race lane.  The race lane is a beautiful alpine green with some snow patches seen on the highest traverse.

There will be 8 teams in total, with Recon, SF, and SEAL representation and veterans from the local Red, White, and Blue organization as well as a team of highly accomplished racers from outside the veteran community well-poised to crush the race and check egos."

Email 2:

" Wompus Trekkers,

I convinced a former smoke jumper/paramedic to do a full run of the trek lane with me this past Wed/Thurs, and I'll make a few last-minute packing recommendations based on current conditions:

-tactical or light leather work gloves

-clear lens safety glasses

-a light/mid- weight down or similar jacket

The lane, especially the part that will be traversed in the dark is extremely lush right now.  And while in many places in Idaho, you can get on a ridge line and out of the dense brush, this area has a LOT of bear brush, even on the ridges.  There may be some soul searching moments in the brush, in the dark, uphill...  And it is dense enough in places that it may change the route you otherwise would have picked based on terrain.  That said, the bear brush is contentious but won't rip you to shreds--I wore my convertible lightweight pants--no rips.  Much of the latter part of the lane is more open forrest (with a high meadow or two) and a bit easier travel.  As always, I will recommend considering trekking poles--they don't win cool points, but many of the pitches are steep with granite and downfall--downhill when exhausted even in the daytime will challenge ankles here.

We have been having unseasonably cool weather--a light or mid-weight puffy jacket is not a bad thing to bring and possibly make a decision on when you get here as to whether or not it actually goes on the lane with you.  You will likely never wear it while moving and it is added weight, but is a definite nice to have while pumping water in some dark, cold, draw in the wee hours of the morning.  Realistically, you will only filter water once in the dark or possibly not at all if you are very efficient. 

Water--there are a lot of unmarked streams in the lane and all the major marked streams are still flowing well.  I am a water hog and 4 litters of capacity was plenty for me. 

Schedule:

Friday, 15 July

1700 - meet

1700 - 1800 - Safety, lane, comm brief

1830 - load transportation for the mountains

1830 - 2100 - travel

2130 - 2230 - teams insert

Saturday, 16 July

2030 - cutoff for all teams to finish (God help you if you go a second night on the lane)

Sunday, 17 July 

1000 - load transportation for Boise

1200 - arrive in Boise

Attached are a few photos from the lane.

See you all, soon!"

I am still gathering all the things I need for the event.   Since I moved, my outdoor gear is a little more disorganized than I would like.  I eventually got my Jeep back after not having it for a month.  I was vehicleless for about 2.5 weeks.  It was VERY frustrating.  I walked and biked everywhere.  Which was nice, but also an issue while living in a trailer with a shower not useable when the ground water is cold and attempting to look nice (say, for a date), was a moot point since I would sweat on my trek to wherever I was going.

I am very thankful to the friends that picked me up or let me borrow their vehicles.  One day, I biked 10mi to a friend's place to borrow her truck to drive to Fruitland for a tattoo session.  I then biked back the 10mi.  Good day overall.

My Jeep ended up costing ~$1,500 to fix.  Apparently there is a design flaw in JK Jeep models in which the driveline attaches to the front axle at an angle that is conducive to getting debris inside the shaft.  As a result, things like dirt, water, road debris, etc get inside the shaft and end up wearing away at the moving parts.  My driveline froze solid at the ring/pinion area and could not be removed.  I had to replace the driveline, front gears, ring and pinion, gaskets/seals and have a master install kit done on it.  In addition, I got a new rear diff cover that is armor so that it has better protection when I drag or smack it on a rock...or few.  Such a painful bill.  Which of course, I could not afford.  I have been living on credit cards.  And I hate it.  But what are you gonna do? *shrug*

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