IVs and Awkwardly Long Hugs

Wellll this has been interesting...

Some thoughts- the idea of a New Year, turning over a 'new leaf' and making resolutions, all of that tomfoolery I don't really buy into that occurs on Jan 1st every year-- it's kind of off schedule. I mean, unless you were brought into the world on Jan 1st, your new year isn't really then... of course chronologically speaking it's the day the new calendar begins, but in terms of each individual's life, the start of your New Year is your birthday.

I am now on my 22nd year, and so this is my New Year. And I'm really embracing it this time, because this one is mine alone (well... not totally alone, I know, but stay with me.) I've started Dance classes as my birthday gift to myself, it's cool 'cause they're close to my job and have a flexible schedule. I'm surprisingly coordinated and feel lighter on my feet already (mostly just in my head, but I like to think I look gracefull, lol) I'm having so much fun, and it breaks the monotony of my workout routines. Speaking of which, I have to stop swimming for 2 weeks because my "New Year" started off to a less-than-desirable start. :(

My fever spiked and I had to go to a specialist in infectious diseases (an "ID Doc" if you will, the specialty I'm interested in,) because the medications I've been on weren't fighting my infection well enough. They decided they needed to give me IV vancomyocin, which is the BIG GUN in the fight against MRSA (what I regrettably recently found out was the cause of this whole mess, it's a good thing I insisted on a culture!) So NOW I have an IV line in my right arm for the next 10 days and a Nurse has to come to my house twice a day to give me the medication.

And today, during the first infusion I was like "Oh, I'll be fine, I never get any side effects..." Sure enough, right as the infusion wrapped up, I got this horrible redness and flushing all the way from my abdomen up my neck and face! I felt like I was being attacked by tiny ants under my skin and I burned everywhere and turned bright red...so THEN they had to shoot me up with IV benadryl, and lemme tell ya, that shit packs a PUNCH. I was woozy and acting really high, apparently. But I had this awesome Nurse Kim, and she sat with me while we talked about how much we loved our Microbiology classes in college and also had an awesome conversation on the development of drug resistant bugs around the world. There was some malaria discussion in there as well, and the doctor (who gave me more than one awkwardly long hug, over by like 2 seconds- hence the title of this entry) joined in. So all in all it was pretty cool, and just reaffirmed my decision on Med School.

More on that later- but suffice to say that I'm on the right track, be it a roundabout one. It involves enlistment, but I'm really excited about it! I can only teach (and have this much time on my hands) for so long before I get antsy and, for fear of stagnation, get back on the course I'm passionate about. Can't wait for boot camp, to be perfectly honest.

Aaand most everything else is going smoothly. Making friends down here is easy, but I've stuck mostly to Catrina, Karla, Jesse and Brooke because they've been there through everything (and know how to have fun.) I suppose I am really enjoying being home and reading books and visiting my old haunts, mainly the Barnes and Noble across the street (where a manager I know gives me his employee discount on the books I buy-shweeet!), the movie theater, and some local sushi bars. Mmm. Sushi.

Until next time...read this book: Too Soon Old, Too Late Smart by Dr. Gordon Livingston. I finished it, it's awesome, and I'm now on My Sister's Keeper, which I heard was great.
And to those of you who e-mailed me, I really appreciate the encouragement. :P

Ciao Bella!