Baldies' Blog began originally in the UK by a 26 year old journalist with a blood cancer on a mission to inform the world about bone marrow donation.

He has since died, and I took on the cause of making cancer care more transparent for everybody.

Cancer is a disease that will touch everybody through diagnosis or affiliation: 1 in 2 men will be diagnosed and 1 in 3 woman will hear those words, "You Have Cancer."

I invite you to read how I feel along my journey and
how I am continuing to live a full life alongside my Hodgkin's lymphoma, with me controlling my cancer, not my cancer controlling me.

I hope that "Baldies' Blog" will prepare you to handle whatever life sends you, but especially if it's the message, "You Have Cancer."

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Sunday, October 16, 2011

How to Eat Well and Cheap during Medical Travel


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I think I found a way to eat well while traveling for my medical treatment.
I've been stressing over this weeks upcoming trip to NYC. I'm going with a friend as a caretaker and not my parents, who tend to baby me.
I've been adding up the costs in my head:
2 tanks of gas: $80
Parking for 48 hours- $80- 130 + tip
Without ever leaving the house, I know I'm dropping $200, MINIMUM, to survive for the two day trip, and this does not include meals.
Even McDonald's has gone up:
Highway food: $20
Meals During Stay. . ..
This is the big scary unknown, but I've discovered something I wish I'd participated in before.
Restaurant.com offers discounted giftcards, up to 80% off or $2 for $25!! Today just enter TOUCHDOWN in the coupon code box to get the deal.
www.hgracejewelry.etsy.com
for my endeavors: now
including handmade clocks
And the site makes it simple by allowing you to search restaurants by neighborhood. I can type in Hope Lodge's zip code or NYU's zip code or the community (Murray Hill) and see restaurants offering the discount within a mile radius, even though I wish they'd decrease it even more for NYC. A mile can put me in Brooklyn there!
Purchases are printable! Once you've completed your order, the gift certificate is at your fingertips.
Just one warning: be sure to read the sites and the merchants regulations carefully. The purchase of a $50 gift card often requires purchasing $100 worth of food with 18% gratuity automatically added. Your $8 meal (with discount) turns out to be $66 very quickly, a mistake I made. I think I'll be meeting my friends for Pacific Asian Cuisine Weds. night.
It's so important to understand guidelines and fees. My caretaker and I are now eating at The Pita Grill for a minimum purchase of $35 for a total cost of $12 + tip.
Thank you to all who have purchased my jewelry or donated. My funds for food are coming directly from that account.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I was in a similar situation. This might help save money when traveling to NY. Did you know there is a bus from Boston to NY for about $20. This will save you gas and parking fees. You must reserve ahead of time to get that price. You can also pack a lunch or dinner in a cooler or lunch bag with an ice pack. This will save you money on at least one meal. I'd wear latex gloves on the bus for sure.

Hillary St. Pierre said...

oh yes, I've been packing meals and snacks for a long time now since 2008.
I've also found a great fruit cart near the cancer center. But I now live as far away from Boston as NY, but there is an amtrak train I could take. However, I need a caretaker and tickets for two are $80 each way= my $160 for travel.
I also am not cleared for mass transit.
Thanks for the ideas though, Im sure they can help others who are not as advanced as I am.