My "I lost 10 lbs on this cruise" review of the Getaway 6/7/2014-6/14/2014

On my phone in bed LOL it hurts to move around. :)

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On my phone in bed LOL it hurts to move around. :)

 

 

 

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Take it easy!!

Thursday June 5th Airport part 1--- Up since 4 am running around the house, packing, and getting my dogs ready. I'm not sure why I had to get them ready since they were staying home and being taken care of by my bf's mother...but whatever LOL

Ok we are all packed. Do I have my medicine? Let me check that 800 times. Do I have the passports? After checking 1000 times I was finally confidant I did.

Packed the car and drove to CLT airport. For those who live in that area, it's only $5 a day to park (not bad at all in my opinion) and there was a person at literally every aisle flagging you to where you needed to go next.

After finding a spot you walk up to the shuttle stop, board the free shuttle, and off to passenger drop off.

Make SURE to pay attention to which parking lot and letter aisle you are in.

The shuttle also drops you off at passenger arrivals not departures so you have to go Inside and then go up the escalator.

We had to check our bad so I asked the woman how much it would be and she said $25. Not bad I thought. So I paid it. She then weighs our bag and it is 57 lbs so now I have to pay an additional $100 to check it or start moving things around. Um no ill just pay it and then figure out balancing issues later it.

Ok got through security where I was questioned about my medicine. Luckily it was in the original pharmaceutical bottle and was fine

Boyfriend got questioned about his ECIG and after some explaining it was fine.

Then security pulled my aloe Vera gell out of my carryon and said I couldn't bring it on. Awww I completely forgot to check that. Oh well bye bye Aloe Vera.

The plane ride was pretty boring except I fell asleep and when we started landing I jumped out of my sleep thinking the plane was falling. :rolleyes: see how anxious I am.

(I'm trying to keep the threads short since some people can't stand to read long threads)

AND THANK YOU ALL FOR THE WELL WISHES AND SUPPORT.

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glad your surgery went fine. Take it easy and get some rest. Don't worry about us. I for one will wait right here with a glass of wine (or 2) :D

LoThursday June 5th--airport wrap up and Miami day 1.

Woo hoo we landed. No attacks on the plane now let's go hunt down my mom and sister who were flying in from EWR.

WOW what a coincidence their luggage belt was right next to ours.

After what seemed like a forever walk from the plane terminal to baggage claim, hm I don't know if I mentioned this but I flew into MIA), we finally found our luggage and my mom and sister. There luggage hadn't arrived, so no big deal right?! WRONG 45 minutes later American Airlines still had not released their luggage.

Errrrr your eating into my vacation time. When it finally did show up everyone's luggage was completely covered in filth.

Whatever let's not complain let's just get to the hotel.

25 dollars later and I think a 30 minute drive if that, there we are at our hotel.

Miami Biscayne Bay. We checked in and being a triple AAA member I got a decent rate for two days. I believe each room was $333.00 total.

The hotel was nice and I requested if we could be upgraded to a room with a view. She gave it to us. That was really nice.

The rooms we stayed in were 1008 and 1004.

Imagine my surprise that my boyfriend and I did not get a king bed we got two doubles. LOL well 2 night in separate beds might be a nice change LOL :p

Dropped everything off and went exploring. There is a publix across the street along with a wells fargo and a free trolley that will take you to Bayside Market, where we went the following day.

So after walking and exploring we decided we were starving. So bf went back to the room and us girls decided to walk around the hotel.

If you walk across the hotel lobby, passed the computer room, you will see two doors leading into the Grand hotel. There were all these places to eat and shop which was very convienent.

We decided to settle on this place that had a little bit of everything, I forgot the name dang it, but my mom got a cheeseburger and the rest of us decide seared ahi tuna except I had to tell them no soy sauce, no oil, or butter. Hmm you may also not want to give me the sauce or the mango salsa. "Um mm hmm how about steamed veggies and just plain tuna"....sure that sounds boring enough!!

We split up and went to the rooms to eat and just call it a night. We were all so exhausted from not only that night but from all of the events leading up to the vacation.

This is the view from my hotel room.

Ok next day was a little more exciting lol

Let me know the picture quality or it isn't good a suggestion would be great

Hmm let's try copying from my instagram

http://instagram.com/p/o4dgpzRSsX/

Hello all OP here!

 

HUGE apologies for keeping you hanging. I came down with a fever and rash. So off to the surgeon.:eek:

 

My surgery was this morning. I'm very sleepy and sore but other than that ok.

 

If you have any questions about the surgery please don't hesitate to ask.

 

Ok now LET'S FOR REAL GET TO THE REVIW:D

 

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GREAT to hear...come bank when you can!! ;)

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Friday June 6th--Miami day 2.

Woke up at 11 which is very late for me. I think from traveling and all the medical drama by body just crashed.

Everyone was hungry and my bf wanted to go to the gym.

I then looked in the mirror and yikes my eyebrows needed some work done and quick.

So we proceeded to the nail salon in the grand hotel so I can get my eyebrows donw. $15 ??!!! For eyebrows. Yikes that's almost double than what I pay in Charlotte but I was desparate.

OMG best waxing ever. She massage my eyebrows and did such an awesome job. Best $15 spent on eyebrows.

Now it was lunch time so we headed to the deli where they sell sandwiches (hot or cold), drinks, beer, etc.

Hmmm what can can I eat?

"Can you tell me the fat content in your turkey breast"?

"Huh"

"On the big slab of Turkey meat on the other side should be a table of nutrients facts, can you please tell me the grams of fat"

The woman told me it had 1g of fat per 2 ounces so I went with a turkey, lettuce, and tomato spinach wrap. Very plain but very delicious with a side of watermelon and fruit.

My mom and sister of course got something so much tastier.

We went outside and ate by the water, reflecting on the past week and how life can change in an instant.

Mom and sister wanted to go get a drink and I was getting sleepy again.

That is another side effect of this gallbladder problem...my energy is almost none.

We agreed we would meet at 630/7 and head over to Bayside market.

Up next Bayside Market, more pictures, and wrap up of Miami

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I'm so happy that your surgery has gone well, but in a real conundrum trying to figure out if I should play nurse or Mommy. :p

We've all been sending well wishes and patiently (most of us) waiting for the rest of your review.

Thanks for coming back so quickly but please make sure you take care of yourself with lots of walking tomorrow (as opposed to today). :D

Im laying in bed. Lol it hurts to move and the DR said today to walk around as much as possible to avoid any pain from the gas they had to use to put in my stomach. If I don't move I don't feel to much pain though so I'm not sure how much walking I'll get done here. :D

I have started my next segment but I'm drifting in and out of sleep. Lol

Never had anesthesia (sp?)before and the nurse said it will kick my butt and I have to agree it is lol

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Im laying in bed. Lol it hurts to move and the DR said today to walk around as much as possible to avoid any pain from the gas they had to use to put in my stomach. If I don't move I don't feel to much pain though so I'm not sure how much walking I'll get done here. :D

 

I have started my next segment but I'm drifting in and out of sleep. Lol

 

Never had anesthesia (sp?)before and the nurse said it will kick my butt and I have to agree it is lol

The next couple of days the gas will be your worst enemy. The incisions will be a bit painful but really, compared to the GB attacks, it's maybe a 5-6 level pain, not like an attack at 10+. For tonight, sleep when you can.... making sure you turn from side to side, but tomorrow......... MOVE IT!!, lol, said with compassion and caring. You will need to get up and move around. :)

Take care, sending positive thoughts and well wishes. :)

Cheers, Connie

The next couple of days the gas will be your worst enemy. The incisions will be a bit painful but really, compared to the GB attacks, it's maybe a 5-6 level pain, not like an attack at 10+. For tonight, sleep when you can.... making sure you turn from side to side, but tomorrow......... MOVE IT!!, lol, said with compassion and caring. You will need to get up and move around. :)

 

Take care, sending positive thoughts and well wishes. :)

 

Cheers, Connie

Thank you connie. I appreciate the advice. :)

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So glad your surgery went well!

Wow, those bag fees will kill you, won't they? We ran into that problem when flying back from a cruise after buying "duty free" alcohol. It wasn't so duty free when we went over the 50 pounds! And like you we were just too surprised to repack, even though there were people who stopped the entire line doing just that! I have now sworn off the large bags completely. If it doesn't fit in a 22" it doesn't go...

Take the full time you need to recuperate--don't hurry back to work. You will be glad you did :)

Yea! Glad you sound well. You are a trouper, coming to the boards so soon.

Take the pain meds offered on time and move. Don't try to be brave and not accept the meds, as that is what will let you get moving more quickly.

Friday June 6th Part 2, Bayside Market.

We all met at 7 and took a cab to Bayside Market. In reality we could have taken the free shuttle, but I am always leery about free public transportation in a city I know nothing about.

The cab was about $10 and I believe that included tip.

We got out and walked around. It was beautiful. All these stores to shop around in and restaurants to eat at.

There was a Cuban restaurant that looked so good but of course we couldn't go due to my current health issue, but I won't lie, I did stand there for a few minutes inhaling all the delicious smells.

Bayside market is huge! There were many bars and boat rides. If you want to go on a thriller boat ride, you can take one here. I forgot the name but I want to say it was called something like the Big Thrill.

I wanted to go but everyone voted against that idea. I tried to argue that I had no physical restrictions but alas I gave in. I rather be safe than sorry.

We kept walking and found a seafood restaurant, I think it was called Lombardis/lombardos, and we sat outside.

Everyone scanned the menu and I had a really hard time finding something to eat.

Most of the salads had about 6 ingredients that I would have had to remove and would have been basically left with lettuce.

I found a grilled chicken sandwich that had cheese on it. I ordered the sandwhich with no cheese and strict orders of no butter or oil and no fries.

The food came along with everyone else's alcoholic drinks (and my water) and we started to eat.

Of course mine came with fries. I so wanted one but decided to just eat the chicken not even the bread.

After dinner we decided to keep walking. The DR also told me to walk alot after meals to help digestion.

I was in love with the atmosphere. The flavor of the Latin music, the smell of the bay, and the ambience was just amazing.

I spotted a smoothie cart and decided that would be my desert. The man spoke no english so my BF had to order In Spanish.

I just had blueberries and strawberries, no milk, but everyone else had a regular smoothie and OMG they were to die for.

We walked over to some benches where my BF wanted to smoke his cigar. He bought a cigar at the cigar shop at the market. He bought a Padron on the shopkeepers recommendation and said it was a wonderful cigar

This was one of my favorite nights. It really was a beautiful night and we kept cracking jokes about my health and how everyone is eating and I'm shrinking everyday. (I try to find the humor in everything.)

My mom really wanted to take the free trolley back to the hotel so we found it and rode it back. It was a 15 minute ride.

Then we decided to walk to Publix to pick up last minute things and called it a night

Here are some pictures.

Please let me know if you see them.

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Friday June 6th Part 2, Bayside Market.

 

 

 

Here are some pictures.

Please let me know if you see them.

 

 

 

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Special evening for all of you. Even with restrictions on food, you managed to enjoy your time there.

Nice pics.

Here are some pictures.

Please let me know if you see them.

 

 

 

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Yes, the pics came through just fine.

Hoping you feel better soon and you're 100% for next cruise!

Wow! What an awful start of your adventure. I, too, live in Charlotte, so I know the medical situation here. You are brave for just visiting the ER!

 

Can't wait for the next installment! Hurry, please!:)

I went to Presbyterian up in huntersville. Surgery was at lake norman. I'm originally from NYC and I think there is nothing worse than the ERs in NYC LOLLL

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Special evening for all of you. Even with restrictions on food, you managed to enjoy your time there.

 

Nice pics.

You know, alot of people gave me a hard time about going because no one believed that I would be able to avoid bad food. But although cruising is all about food, this time I made it about spending time with my loved ones. After that food becomes dead last to me. :)

I'm glad you can see the pics!

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Yes, the pics came through just fine.

 

Hoping you feel better soon and you're 100% for next cruise!

Why do you think I'm going to work Monday LOL. I only have 40 hours left for the year. Gotta cruise soon. No time to be all up in bed :p

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I suffered what I thought was back pain for 20(!) YEARS before they finally figured out it was gallstones. By then they were 3 golfball sized stones and that final attack was so severe that I too went to the ER at night but luckily a great surgeon took care of it the very next day. I woke up from anesthesia literally grinning from ear to ear! First time painfree in 20 years by golly.

 

I am so looking forward to the rest of your adventure! Be very thankful they diagnosed you early :)

Oh my 20 years??? I wouldn't be able to cope:eek:

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I want to read the rest of the story, but find that the longer I have to wait for more, the less that I care.

 

Come on, tell us your story.

Sorry to leave you hanging. I get impatient also. My health declined a little bit and then my surgery was yesterday. If you still care to read. I definitely will be updating more :)

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Waiting for more of your review.

 

My daughter was away at college in a small town without a good hospital. She followed the restricted diet and waited 3 months until she was home to have the surgery.

I hope your daughter is doing better :)

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Thank you for continuing to post during your recuperation.

You know, alot of people gave me a hard time about going because no one believed that I would be able to avoid bad food. But although cruising is all about food, this time I made it about spending time with my loved ones. After that food becomes dead last to me. :)

 

I'm glad you can see the pics!

 

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Excellent way to look at it. It's great you could go and still have a great time.

Building memories..... ;)

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Sorry to leave you hanging. I get impatient also. My health declined a little bit and then my surgery was yesterday. If you still care to read. I definitely will be updating more :)

 

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You do not owe ANY of us any explanation. Glad you're back and taking us on your journey! ;)

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