Out Of The Pond And Into The Ocean, Toronto Odyssey Day 2

My evening was spent walking the streets of downtown Toronto, as I tried to find something I could use as fast-acting carbs, should I experience a low. Almost every street was lines with restaurants of every ethnicity, with the occasional smattering of a Subway or Denny’s buried in the middle. I eventually found a Circle K, which is the equivalent of a convenience store, where I overpaid for a bag of sour patch kids, a couple of energy drinks and som Slim Jim’s.

As I walked, i started to feel overwhelmed at the size, congestion and scope of the buildings around me and the population of people. Considering making my way through crowds in Regina tends to trigger PTSD symptoms, this was significantly difficult. Regina has a population of roughly 250,000 people. Toronto sits at just under 6.4 million. But I did manage to locate my venue for today’s activities and the short walk it would require. I ended my evening by grabbing a quick beer at my hotels lounge, which cost me about as much as three beers would have, in Saskatchewan. Welcome to the big city!

The meetings of the day went as well as one could expect, with my attempt at maintaining my level of consciousness by consuming copious amounts of caffeine. What do you expect from someone with diagnosed ADHD and a propensity for getting bored? The day ends out with me heading to my room and switching out my CGM sensor before it could expire. Then, I ventured out to my nearest shoppers drug mart, which was over a kilometre away.

I sweat up a storm, so I grabbed a shower before installing the new CGM sensor. Lo and behold, the battery in my pump was dying. I could have grabbed some while I was out. Instead, I had to ventured out again to grab some AA batteries. Once I had them, I was able to replenish my pump before heading back to the RCMI for supper with my brother and sister regulators.

It was an excellent meal of stories, shared stories and networking. It was nice to speak to some like minded people and and have a meal among peers. It was my first realization that this trip was worth my time. I walked back to my hotel room feeling satisfied. There are lessons to learn but I’m too exhausted to acknowledge them. Tomorrow is another day and I need to be fresh. ☯️