Eye Appointments and Costco Pretzel Bagels

I’m at Carolina Eyecare today—not for me, but for my dad. I drove him, and I didn’t just bring the Neo along with me. I also slipped a Costco pretzel bagel into my backpack.

Now, before all the New Yorkers judge me—and I get it, because I would too—these pretzel bagels are fantastic and such a good value! I think a bag of six was only $4.99.

They taste surprisingly close to the ones from New York street carts. They aren’t salted on the surface, but there’s just the right amount of salt baked into the dough. They’ve been flying off the shelves at my local Costco in MTP, and I can understand why.

Would I prefer the outside to be a little crispier? Absolutely. But I can’t have it all.

A Backpack With a Particular Set of Skills

Today, I went to Costco to get a new backpack.

Full transparency: I also picked up some Harry’s razors to try—and some underwear. I know, TMI.

I have a habit of collecting backpacks, among other things. It’s my addictive personality manifesting itself. This time, however, I needed a backpack with “a particular set of skills.”

This backpack will be my dialysis bag.

I prefer a backpack because it keeps my hands free—or at least one hand, since I use the other to hold a cane when I walk. It’s a simple thing, but having everything comfortably on my back makes getting around much easier.

My dialysis backpack needs a compartment large enough to hold two small blankets because the treatment room can get very cold. It also has to fit a neck pillow and a Bluetooth headset sleep mask, which is essential for helping me sleep during treatment and making the time pass faster.

Then there are the practical necessities: water, snacks in case my blood sugar gets low, a pocket for papers, and room for all the other ancillary stuff that comes with treatment.

Some folks arrive with several enormous reusable grocery bags. Others bring carry-on suitcases. One lady brings a collapsible wagon loaded with all kinds of supplies.

When I travel, I’m notorious for packing too much. But for dialysis, I like to keep things light, organized, and ready in the car.

I get it done with a backpack—one that has a very particular set of skills.