friends: over the weekend

LINK: friendships: over the weekend

And I thought I had an eventful weekend…

BRENDA:

I met up with Brenda after work—she wanted to share what had happened over the weekend. When we finally sat down, she told me she had her IUD removed and since her primary care provider retired, her GYN decided to run a full panel of labs just to make sure everything was okay.

A few days later, she got the call. The results showed that she had hypertriglyceridemia and type 2 diabetes. She said she broke down right there in the doctor’s office and was swiftly referred to an endocrinologist. As she was talking her voice started trembling, and I could see the tears welling up in her eyes. She kept saying how much her life was going to change—no more impulsive sweets, late-night munchies, or “treat yourself” weekends. But I reminded her that change doesn’t have to mean punishment. Her husband’s incredibly supportive, helping her collect new recipes, learning what foods are best, what to avoid. I suggested she try the Blue Zone diet. I’ve done it before and it did make a difference for me. I told her I”d go on it with her, as solidarity, and it seemed to lift her spirits a bit.

We promised to hold each other accountable. Brenda’s never been thin, and she’s always wanted to be but more than anything, she wants to be healthy. The last time I did the Blue Zone diet, I dropped down to 46 kilos, about 101 pounds. I was skinny but I remember feeling light and energetic, not dragging ass all the time. I mentioned how places like CAVA, El Pollo Loco, and Chipotle have surprisingly great salad bowls for a quick healthier meal.

FIVE STAR:

Five Star hit the jackpot at the casino over the weekend. Instead of taking a check, she asked for the payment in cash. Let’s just say it was a shit ton of money. She was with her parents and another friend, and as they were driving back home on the 101, she noticed a car trailing them. Every turn she made—even the ones without a signal, the car followed. It got to the point where the other driver pulled up beside her and motioned for her to roll down her window. Thankfully, she didn’t. She told her friend to call 911, and the dispatcher advised her to head to the nearest police station. As soon as she did, the car sped off.

I told her that if something like that ever happens again, to call me right away (if she remembers to). She told me that she was having a panic attack and nearly vomited in her car as she was trying to figure out what to do as this all transpired. I know she likes to be high-key but with the way inflation is going and the political climate, I told her that she may want to bring it down a notch because people could see her as a target since she has nice things and she is very tiny. She is not as aware of her surroundings as I am, so I have to remind her frequently, “Hey, you might wanna put that away” or “You can’t be iced out with all that when we’re going to a sketchy ass area”.