Insurance renewal season, and what to check before January
Open enrollment with a GLP-1 in the picture: the formulary, the prior authorization clock, the copay card, what to ask HR, and the reminders I set.
The Quiet Part
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The plateau that lasted eleven weeks
A long stall, the theories I collected, what my prescriber actually said, and what finally moved things, which was mostly time. Stalls are not verdicts.
Travel with a small appetite, from the airport to the family table
What I pack, what I buy at the gate, what goes in the hotel mini fridge, and how I survived three days with relatives who show love in casserole form.
Hunger cues when the volume is turned down
When hunger stops shouting, it shows up as 3 pm flatness, a headache, a short temper. How I learned to hear it, and the routines that keep me from skipping meals.
Leftovers, the enemy of the tiny appetite
A batch that should last two days now lasts six. The freezer system that fixed it: single portions, dated labels, the two-week rule, and three foods not worth freezing.
Old photos and the person in them
A memory notification, a navy suit, a wedding three years ago. The urge to delete, the urge to post, and the third thing I did instead.
What I write down before every appointment
My appointments are twelve minutes. One page, written the night before, makes them hold more: what changed, side effects in two lines, three questions, the medication list.
The fear of regain, and what I do with it
The thought that it could all come back is reasonable. Here's how I keep it from driving: a short list I actually watch, one conversation with my prescriber, and four minutes.
Alcohol got boring and nobody warned me
The second glass lost its appeal and I discovered how many of my social scripts assumed a drink in hand. What I order now, and the mornings I got back.
Cravings didn’t disappear. They got quieter and weirder
Cold things, crunch with no flavor attached, one pickle at 9 pm. What I noticed about cravings on medication, and why I stopped grading myself on them.
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