WLSFA.org Las Vegas Meet and Greet May 2011

May 26, 2011

Here is a brief rundown of the few days that I spent in Vegas. I arrived early though at two am Vegas time. It says 11 pm. Rosemary tells me that Toni is not able to pick me up. I find a cab and spend $40 to get to the Palace Station. I check in and get a room on the fifth floor. Rosemary and Toni and I go to the Cafe where I have some shrimp for dinner. It was $1.99.
Rosemary and I wait for Connie and Alfred while Toni goes to get some sleep. They will sleep in the second bed in my room rather than hang in the parking lot or casino!
We get very little sleep. Alfred does sleep. He drove over 20 hours from TX. I had been up more than 30 hours by the time I sleep. It was just four hours sleep as Connie had gone out to breakfast and did not have the card key to get back in the room.
Alfred and I did not even know she was gone. I dress quickly and get down for breakfast where I do not see Andrea or Beth. Sally does know their room number. I go up intending to connect to do the hike in the mountains. I learn that Andrea had a migraine. We are going to the Strip to meet up with Beth and Kaitlin. If we waited we could get the shuttle. No, we are hiking along the highway to get to where Beth and Kaitlin will be waiting for us. We ate at I Burgers where I had an eggplant burger and salad.
I was able to check out my videos on YT. My channel is AwesomeForever. I am also on Sparkpeople.
It was a long day. We finally arrive back at about 5. I think, I will wind down and get up later to shower change and meet people. My legs and feet start cramping from all our walking and standing. I made the notation that it was like no other mall...if you want to sit you need to sit at a slot machine! Nice marketing idea. It meant that my body reacted with frequent attacks of cramps. I had aspercreme and quinine. It hurt. I had just put my body to rest when it first started. It went on for more than forty-five minutes.
I kept thinking that I would get up and meet someone. I would call. Yet, it was the lack of significant sleep for the last four days that finally ended up being the straw that broke the camel's back. I fell asleep. I stayed asleep. It was peaceful.
Next morning, I found people whom I knew from YT and others. I recorded that there were six of us in one booth. It would not have happened when we were all over three hundred or more pounds.
I went shopping in the little shop at the hotel. I looked at my watch. It was just minutes before the shuttle would leave. Why not take a ride and see more of the Strip. I was thinking that I would come back at two to help with the set up of the M & G. One more seat the driver said. I went in to the rear where the seat was.
My friends from the day before were actually on the bus waiting for Michelle who does a blog. It seemed they were thinking she should sit there. Two decided to get off to wait with her for the next shuttle which lead to a man getting on. He sat down next to me. Shelly came back and we all sat in the back with some on laps of others. There were seven in the back. Six of us and the man. Can you believe it?
We spent another day going along the Strip. We ate lunch together at Ocean Grille. I ate some grilled tilapia and had some seared tuna from Shelly's appetizer.
 It was a long day. We arrived back at 5 again. It was time to register. Then go up and change for the Friday evening event. We were to have food. It was just two pieces of cheese and one blackberry for me. I sat with Jerry. He told me that Deborah was resting as her back was bothering her. I went up to get a drink and heard that Taunia and Rob were getting married. I was in a good place to take a video with my new iphone4 so I stayed and did.
YT will not let the sound of come out but I have pictures and video of the wedding. I am so happy for them. What a surprise.
Next day, I met so many new to me people. Some of the people that I recognized and started talking to were people that I knew via YT. I went to two of the round table discussions. One was on our body image post surgery the other was on walkingbuddies.
I also saw some of the seminar talks. I missed some of Rosemary's because of Saturday mornings appointment with Dr Timothy Katzen. I went to him to see what if anything could be done about the excess skin and breast lift. I left thinking that it was overwhelming! I was in tears. He said that he could do the tt and breast lift all in one surgery. I would not have to try to think which would be the priority.
He was young and professional. Here I was standing naked in front of a doctor. He even took photos for the insurance company.
One other surgery could be scheduled for my back fat and turkey neck. The neck makes me look older and would be something that I would have to pay for. The other three are covered, Dr Katzen said.
Saturday lunch with some people that I have grown fond of over the years. It was simple but some of it was not to my liking.
I had purchased a few dresses and was glad to flaunt the new look. It was fun Saturday evening. We danced after the program. Taunia had a burlesque show. I took more pictures. I love my new phone. I uploaded in minutes to YT or facebook. We had a live feed. Some said that Linda Rocked. Sunday I went up to the roof to dance the song that M'bake had made me practice. I learned some of it. We had it video'd by Beth and BTV. The live feed was too far away to really see it.
Some thanked me for the videos as they thought there were too many problems with the live feed. I spent the day with Jerry and Deborah. I took a cab to the airport and walked and walked. I was free of  luggage. I knew that I would be sitting far to long. I had to go from Nevada to California then overnight to Massachusetts. I drank lots of water to keep hydrated. In Long Beach, I bought a hooded sweatshirt that my grandson can wear. It was mighty cold in California! I was glad to have it in Boston as well.
Next year, I hope to do the zipline, the hike that I missed and maybe the jump from the Stratosphere!
Why don't you consider going to the meet and greet. It is scheduled for the weekend in May 18 to 20.
Do you want to know if I gambled? I did twice on penny machines. I put ten dollars in one machine a little at a time. I won but lost in the end. Vicki won. She did real well. I think she took home some of it. Deborah, Jerry and I played this time I went all out and put twenty dollars in. They won. So, if you are thinking of going look me up next year and sit next to me...you will win. I will be happy.
Linda

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