By: Cheyann Armstrong
Scott Armstrong is starting his morning off by preparing his Honda Talon for a long day of riding. You would never know by the look of it, but Armstrong struggles daily with both diabetes and gout.
Armstrong is making sure he is hydrated before he heads off. Dehydration only worsens the symptoms of gout.
Armstrong is ready to go so he heads over to the tour guide to sign the waivers. Riding ATVs/UTVs in the West Virginia area is his annual vacation.
The UTV seems to be having a slight issue. Armstrong is prepared for issues like this to arise and fixes it right away.
The wild horses are ready to be fed. This is one of Armstrong's favorite places to stop and take a break to refuel with the horses.
Armstrong is feeding and petting the horses before it is time to keep going. "He (Armstrong) has to take breaks for snacks and drinks, otherwise he won't be able to walk the next day. Gout will take a big toll on you if you aren't careful about your lifestyle," says his wife, Tina Armstrong.
Now Armstrong is walking around a train tunnel originally built in the 1800s. He grabbed a few pieces of fruit to help keep his blood pressure level.
Armstrong is trying to stretch his legs every chance he gets. "Sitting for a long time seems to make the gout flare up a lot more often," he says.
Armstrong is excited to see where the tour guide leads him next. The guide is very understanding of the breaks Armstrong needs to take, as this tour is almost 10 hours long.
While Armstrong enjoys a fruit cup he continues conversing with the guide. "I feel like I hold everybody up. It's definitely not convenient for anyone around. When it's not a visual sickness, people don't thinks it's real sometimes," Armstrong says.
Armstrong grabs a Dr. Pepper. "I always keep soda around. It's one of the few things that help my blood sugar without working up the gout," says Armstrong.
The tour guide is explaining where he will be leading everyone to next. Armstrong is having a great day compared to some days he has battled against.
Armstrong is finally back at the cabin. He props his feet up to rest before dinner time. Rest for him is just as important as making sure he stretches as gout is easily triggered by just about anything.
On the way to dinner, Armstrong decides he wants to stop by the Matewan Flood Wall. "Not letting gout and the diabetes get in my way of having fun is a priority in my life," says Armstrong.
Armstrong orders the fried catfish for his meal. Fish is not an ideal meal for anyone suffering from gout, but Armstrong cannot resist a favorite food while on vacation.
After dinner, Armstrong is ready to head back towards the cabin. He has been at it since early in the morning and knows it is best to take it slow for the rest of the day in order to be in good shape tomorrow.
Armstrong makes a few adjustments to his SXS after making it back to the cabin. "If I feel good now I shouldn't procrastinate incase I get a flare up," Armstrong says.
Armstrong heads up to the cabin. He finally called it quits for the day instead of risking pushing it too far.
Armstrong decides to sit on the porch to enjoy the remainder of the afternoon. "Today has been a surprisingly good day. I feel like I normally have issues at the most inconvenient times, but today's group was very easygoing and understanding about my health issues. It isn't always as easy as today has been."
Armstrong grabs the cotton candy from the top of the fridge. Even though the primary purpose is for his blood sugar, he is happy to enjoy a sweet treat before bed.