ForeverWandering.com

I’m actually enjoying a layover at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky airport. A 2 ½ hour layover.

I promise you that I’m not insane. At least, not very.

I’m the kind of person who likes to just sit in subways and airports. I don’t mind delays (unless it’s been a while since I’ve seen my wife, of course) unless they make me sit on the runway for more than fifteen minutes, and then I’m only upset if I really, really have to use the bathroom. When I visited New York City about seven years ago, I simply sat on the subway going up and down Manhattan for about three hours, simply seeing the different people and cultures that passed through (I did get off occasionally to turn back the other direction – thank goodness for three-day subway passes).

But right now it’s just peaceful. I just finished my dinner, which consisted of a McDonald’s burger, fries, and a soda. I still have almost two hours before my plane departs (which means an hour and a half before we board) and then one more hour to home. But after finishing, I just sit here (on my trusty laptop computer) and stare out the window that looks over one of the takeoff runways. It’s simply beautiful as the sun nears the horizon (it’s only about an hour to sunset).

It’s just amazing what a sense of peace one can get out of applying just a bit of patience.

Priceless.

Well, at least I know that my timing is on.
It seems to happen once every four years. It usually lasts for about three to four days. What is it, you ask?

I get sick.

Monday started out alright, but starting about noon things began to go downhill. I drove home with one of those full-body aches and was exhausted. I was actually cold — and I was wearing jeans. That never happens. Sure enough I got home and took my temperature — 99.0. A decent mid-grade fever for a person whose normal temperature is 97.0.

I go to sleep. For three hours this cycle occurred: Sleep for forty-five minutes, wake up and go to the bathroom, take my blood sugar and temperature, lay down and warm up enough to go back to sleep. By the end of the three hours my temperature was 101.9 degrees.

Let me interject that it was no small comfort that my blood sugar stayed normal throughout this whole process. If you know anything about diabetes, then you know that blood sugars tend to rise during times of sickness, and the body produces ketones, which burn fat for energy. This may sound nice, but ketones are toxic to the body, and can be very dangerous in a diabetic if not monitored during these times.

Anywho, Sarah got home and took care of me for the next couple of hours, and then we went to sleep. I woke up yesterday feeling okay. Not great, but okay. Fever was back down to 99.0, and since I wanted to make sure I was better I called in sick to work. I relaxed yesterday, although I did do some housework to help Sarah out. By the end of the day my temperature was back down to 97.1, so I thought I was in the clear.

I had every intention of going back to work today, since I actually woke up at a normal time, but now I had a sore throat and some not-so-fun acid reflux (probably the cause of the sore throat). Temp was back to 99.0. So I called work and let them know that I would not be in for the rest of the week, since I was supposed to leave early for an appointment tomorrow and I’m supposed to fly to Pennsylvania on Friday for the weekend.

You may say that I just need to “suck it up” and go back to work, but here’s what I say: I don’t want to get as sick as I usually have in the past…throwing up for four days, not being able to eat, high blood sugars, and losing ten pounds (the hard way). It is not fun.

So here I am. Doing my devotion and blogs, taking care of the cat, doing some minor housework, and relaxing so I can heal.

Hurricane Ivan, if you haven’t heard, is hitting the Gulf Coast tonight and tomorrow. Almost everything up to central Alabama (including Birmingham) has been put on hold — school and work. And, as predicted, even those people who already have four gallons of milk, three loaves of bread, and enough water to turn the Sahara Desert into a small ocean are clogging up the grocery stores in order to double their inventory.

It’s a hurricane, people. Not a nuclear warhead.

Before I go on — I can honestly understand why central Alabama is shutting down. Flooding and hurricane-force winds are a real possibility, if not inevitable. Authorities and employers are protecting people, and I’m happy about it.

If you’re on the Gulf Coast, you don’t need anything. Drive north. When you feel that you’ve driven far enough, drive another 100 miles and you should be good. You might need enough supplies for a day or two, but that’s all.

If you’re in Lower Alabama (Montgomery and lower) and you plan on staying where you are, then get enough supplies for a couple of days. If something serious happens and you can’t get anything from the grocery stores when this is over, then call your local American Red Cross. They’ll hook you up. I know this. I work for them as a Lifeguard Instructor. If they don’t personally give you supplies, they’ll tell you who to go to.

If you’re north of Montgomery, then protect your house as best as possible against wind damage (i.e. cut down dead trees close to your house, etc.) and sit tight. If by some tragedy something does happen to where you are (no power, no house, etc.) then after it’s over walk to your local emergency center or shelter. You will survive the walk. There’s no radioactive fallout — I promise.

And last, but not least, if your cable tv goes out — please do not call 911, 311 (the non-emergency-but-important-information-number), or your local cable company. They are doing the best they can. They’ll get it on when possible. They’re not going to leave you disconnected. They want their money, and they know they have to satisfy your need to watch the Home Shopping Network at 3 in the morning.

That’s all I have to say — for now — since I plan on enjoying my two free days off.