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.

Day 35: Still Waiting

Today marks Day 35 since I requested a copy of a Nextdoor study that company communications directed readers to request from Jacob Chavis.

As of today:

No study received.

No response.

No read receipt from my most recent email sent to multiple recipients.

At this point, this is no longer about a single report. For me, it's about communication, responsiveness, and the experience of engaging with a company as a shareholder and former user.

When organizations encourage people to reach out, those requests should be acknowledged—even if the answer is simply, "We're looking into it."

I'll continue documenting this process until I receive a response or the study.

Has anyone else experienced extended silence after reaching out to a company for publicly referenced information?

Join the discussion on NielFlamm.com.

Monthly Dialysis Labs: A Surprising Number I Haven't Seen Since 2025

Every month during dialysis, I have a full set of lab work done. The nice part? No extra needle stick. The blood is drawn directly through the dialysis tubing while I'm already connected.

The monthly labs help monitor many aspects of living with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), including:

• Potassium – helps reduce the risk of dangerous heart rhythm problems.

• Creatinine – shows how well my kidneys are filtering waste.

• Phosphorus – high levels can pull calcium from the bones, while levels that are too low can affect oxygen delivery to muscles and lead to weakness.

• Iron

• Hemoglobin

• Sodium

• Chloride

• Carbon Dioxide

• Total Serum Protein

• Albumin

• Magnesium

• Platelet Count

• White Blood Cell Count

The number I paid the closest attention to this month was BUN (Blood Urea Nitrogen).

Here's the simple version. When we eat protein, our bodies break it down, producing ammonia, which is toxic. The liver converts that ammonia into urea. Urea travels through the bloodstream to the kidneys, where healthy kidneys filter it into urine.

With ESRD, that process doesn't work very well, so BUN levels can rise because waste isn't being removed efficiently.

During dialysis, my care team measures BUN before treatment and after treatment to see how effectively the dialysis removes that waste.

When I reviewed my results on Saturday, July 18, something caught my attention.

For the first time, when my monthly labs were tracked starting in October 2025, my pre-dialysis BUN was in the normal (green) range.

Even more interesting, my post-dialysis BUN wasn't dramatically lower. Normally, I'd expect to see a much bigger drop after treatment.

So now I'm left with a few questions:

• Are my kidneys somehow recovering a little?

• Was this simply an unusually good month?

• Did my diet or hydration affect the result?

• Or was it just one of those lab quirks that occasionally happens?

The answer is... I don't know.

One lab result doesn't establish a trend, especially with ESRD. But after months of watching these numbers, seeing that green result definitely made me stop and smile.

I'll be watching closely next month to see whether this was the beginning of a trend or simply a one-time surprise.

Either way, I'll keep sharing the journey.

Another One Caught: Parking Like the Rules Don't Apply

I caught another one.


Today I was on my way to the local Harris Teeter to pick up additional lottery tickets for the pool I'm in (more about that over at NielFlamm.com/blog). Harris Teeter is only about a mile from my house, and to get there, I pass Rivertowne Public House—which, by the way, has a great Caesar salad and chicken nachos if you've never been.


As I approached Harris Teeter, just past the Pub House, I noticed a white BMW X3 with a South Carolina license plate WUP 290. The driver was inching his way into a parking space so slowly that he backed up traffic in both directions. It wasn't a particularly difficult parking job—it just seemed like everyone else had to wait while he perfected it.


I didn't have time to snap a photo on the way in because I was headed to buy those lottery tickets. But I secretly hoped the BMW would still be there when I came back out on my way to get a car wash.


It was.


One thing that crossed my mind: this happened before anyone at the nearby pub would reasonably have had a chance to enjoy a few adult beverages and make questionable decisions afterward. From what I observed, this appeared to be a sober driver making a deliberate choice to take as much time as needed, regardless of the line of cars waiting behind him.


That's one of the reasons I'm glad I have this blog. It gives me a place to document the little moments that make you shake your head.


One quick note before anyone points it out: yes, you'll notice a golf cart parked in a handicap space. It appears to be a legitimate designated spot, and I don’t have information on whether the owner has a disability. I'm not making any assumptions about that.


What I am commenting on is the behavior I personally witnessed. Taking your time is one thing. Holding up traffic in both directions because you're determined to execute the perfect parking maneuver is another. A little consideration for the people around you goes a long way.


As a BMW owner myself, I hate seeing behavior that reinforces the stereotype that BMW drivers are selfish or entitled. Most of us aren't. Unfortunately, it only takes a few memorable moments like this to give everyone else a bad reputation.


Let's all remember that parking lots work best when everyone shares them with a little patience, courtesy, and awareness.


Have you ever witnessed a parking lot moment that made you wonder what someone was thinking? Leave a comment and let me know.

My Billion-Dollar Career Is Delayed... Again 💸😂

Well...

I checked my personal Powerball and Mega Millions tickets.

The results were exactly what you'd expect.

I did not become an instant billionaire.

I'm still checking the lottery pool tickets, so there's a microscopic glimmer of hope. Somewhere between "highly unlikely" and "did I miss a number?"

The jackpots continue to climb:

🎟️ Powerball: $544 million (Monday)
🎟️ Mega Millions: $707 million (Tuesday)

That's a combined $1.251 billion waiting for someone.

I've already shared some of the practical things I'd do if I won. But after taking care of my family, helping my community, and making sure my friends were doing well, I'd have to spend a little on nonsense.

Here are three new ideas:

1. Hire a Professional Excuse Writer

Running late? Flat tire? Alien abduction? My personal excuse writer would have a believable explanation ready in under 30 seconds.

2. Open the World's First Museum of Lost TV Remotes

Every remote you've ever lost somehow ends up there. Admission is free, but finding the exit remote costs extra.

3. Start a Competitive Lawn Flamingo League

Teams would draft the finest pink plastic flamingos, complete with instant replay, referees, and commentators, treating every lawn decoration like the Super Bowl.

Completely ridiculous?

Absolutely.

That's part of the fun.

Now it's your turn...

If you won $1.251 billion, what's the first ridiculous thing you'd do?

Leave a comment on the blog. I can't wait to see your ideas—and who knows, maybe one of us will actually need them one day.

Join the discussion on NielFlamm.com.