Where Was I?

This post will be a bit different than the others. 

I was not originally planning to write about my few weeks back in the U.S., but there were a few things I thought would be important to talk about.  

For the new fans or international fans of the blog that may not be aware, I am a U.S. citizen, born and raised in the U.S. of A.  

This part of my trip was not really meant to be about traveling and I didn’t treat it as such.  

From when I originally mapped out my year around the world, I planned for this stop back in the U.S. for a couple of reasons. 

The first was to refill some medications and visit my doctors.  

I scheduled a few appointments to do blood work and to see my endocrinologist in Washington D.C., where I would have to pay out of pocket because I no longer had adequate healthcare in the United States. 

I had an international health care plan that would cover emergencies, but not things like insulin, pods, or visits to a doctor. 

I know for those that live outside the United States how crazy some aspects of U.S. healthcare sound because I talked with many about it during my travels. 

Without insurance, one vial of insulin, which lasts about 15 days, can cost around $300 USD. 

In Australia, when I met an endocrinologist in Sydney, I was able to get a prescription for 10 vials of insulin for the same price. 

It’s sad and makes no sense, but that’s the system we live in and until it changes, Type 1’s have to figure out how to work the system. 

 I can’t give out advice that would break any laws, but for the diabetics reading this it’s important to remember there are a lot of online forums, apps, message boards and ways to connect with fellow Type 1 diabetics.  I would recommend using all resources available to get the supplies you need to stay alive.  

Returning to the U.S.A.

I flew from Tokyo to Chicago, where I had a layover until flying back home to Boston.  

I still remember deplaning at O’Hare and seeing the ‘Welcome to the United States’ signs when I entered the customs area.  

After traveling through Africa, Asia, and Australia for the previous six and a half months, it was such a strange feeling to be back in the U.S.  

It didn’t take too long to get through customs and to my surprise, the agents didn’t seem to really care that I had been outside the country for so long. 

I had a few hours to kill, so I ordered a pizza at Macaroni Grill and I remember how strange it felt to hear English everywhere and to once again use my U.S. dollars.  

I then flew home to Boston, where ironically enough my large backpack didn’t make it on the flight and my bag went missing.  I traveled for over six months in cities all over the world using all different airlines and none of them lost my bags.  

But, when I returned home to Boston, American Airlines wasn’t able to handle the task.  No surprise there. (It did show up the following day)

I don’t think it’s super interesting to discuss the domestic travel I did for the weeks I was home so I’ll keep it brief.  

I saw friends and family in Boston, Tampa, New York, and Washington D.C. 

I went to a few baseball games, ate great American cuisine, celebrated a few holidays, celebrated my 31st birthday, and took care of some medical needs to prepare for the next leg of my journey.  

Here are some photos from my time back in the U.S.:

While it was nice to be back in the U.S., I wouldn’t say it was relaxing as I was still constantly on the move, taking busses, trains, and planes from city to city.  

I also had to prepare for my next few months overseas, which would begin with a 10-day trip to Israel.  

With a new batch of Type 1 supplies, a few new articles of clothing in my bag, and a European summer on the horizon, I was back at JFK Airport and ready to head over to the Holy Land. 

THIS WEBSITE IS NOT INTENDED FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING MEDICAL ADVICE.  PLEASE CONSULT PROPER MEDICAL PERSONNEL FOR ALL HEALTH RELATED ISSUES