Asthmatic, student, beginner runner. Navigating my way through LIFE!
Still alive! Got an endocrinology midterm next week that I’m really nervous for. I haven’t had butterflies in my stomach about an exam since 1st year. Anyway, I’m working hard on that. I might be running on empty and flying by the seat of my pants, but I am running and flying nonetheless. Here’s hoping I last until Wednesday.
It would probably be a good idea for me to get some exercise here. For my sanity. Lungs are OK but they are preferring not to move today.
Vancouver 2010 is about to start and the country is teeming with excitement. And I’ll admit to being excited. I hope to catch some of my favourite sports, and hopefully see some of the hometown heroes do well. It’s not hard to get swept up in such a universal event. Despite this I’ve already written these games off as tainted…
Y’all know that, depite the matter being brought to the Supreme Court of Canada, women are being excluded from the ski jumping event right? There’s no women’s ski jumping in the Olympics. In 2010. Freaking 2010. The women ski jumpers fought hard in an effort to have their event included and I’m so proud of them (I may or may not be related to one of them). Trust me, it’s not for lack of persistence or persuasion that this happened.
There are over 100 elite women ski jumpers from something like 16 countries. Compare that to luge, skeleton, or ski cross and you’re laughing. Yet the IOC says the sport isn’t developed enough.
Basically, no matter what our Supreme Court would have ruled, the IOC isn’t under government sanction so it wouldn’t have mattered anyway. This despite the fact that it so blatantly violates our Charter of Rights and Freedoms. There’s no way the IOC can swoop in and hold this kind of event in our country, and brazenly violate our laws. Except it’s happening. And frankly, I’m pretty pissed off.
And that is my Canadian egalitarian perspective for the day. A little tangential but…. frig.
Yesterday I said I was feeling good, today not so much. I’m not too sure what’s up, just really tired and running out of puff. Had trouble concentrating on schoolwork today too.
In anatomy today we were covering the respiratory muscles, and as I was sitting there doing my pursed lip thing I thought I might go crazy.
BUT!! On a VERY positive note, I’ll be seeing my mom and sis in 2 weeks for a lovely little trip! Not going home, but it’s the next best thing! Details another day…
Thanks for your helpful suggestions about my cat allergy vs. family predicament! I will ask my doctor next time I see him about switching allergy meds. In the meantime, I have devised a plan to keep everyone happy (my sinuses shall be the greatest benefactors). My cousin and I are offering to cook dinner next week at my aunt’s house. My aunt is going to be away for the next two months in Vancouver to volunteer for the Olympics, but she said we could certainly use her (pet-free) house for Sundays. The aunts and uncles are impressed at our initiative 
School is crazy busy. I’ve got 2 exams next week that I believe will be quite challenging. But as you’ve probably figured out by now I’m happiest when I’m totally immersed in school and studying and I like it busy!
Breathing is in general quite good. A little tightness here and there but I’m actually quite impressed with the lungies of late. I’m not saying we’re having a nice winter, but I do think that the mild(ish) temperatures and slightly humid air are keeping my lungs in good shape.
All for now, hopefully I’ll think a real topic when I’m less brain-fried!
Who knows what the allergy/Benadryl hangover feels like? Bleurgh… head achey and groggy. Eyes puffy and crusty but no longer stinging and watering. Ears full. Hives thankfully no longer itching.
I really can’t go to my aunt and uncle’s house anymore. I’ve made a real effort since they’ve acquired these cats but… yeah. The thing is… Sunday dinners are pretty much sacred in my family. You don’t touch Sunday dinner. Oh well, I’m sure they will understand, though they might be surprised. The allergy symptoms seem to really crop up later in the evening after I’ve gone home.
Blaaaah. Time to hop in the shower and get ready to start this week.
It finally got cold again. Except I forgot to check the forecast and dress accordingly so I didn’t have a hat or scarf. I walked to school taking shallow not-breaths and it was quite uncomfortable. When I got sat down in class I decided the lungs needed a boost so I took ventolin while sitting in the front row (clap clap clap). When I take my puffer in front of people I always try to make it quick so my technique is usually bad but whatever.
Then I went to the blood donor clinic but it was an epic fail because…. my iron was low! She said it was pretty bad and that I should see my doctor, but that has never happened to me in my whole blood donating career! Yes, I’m a vegetarian but I eat well and no, I will not consider eating meat. It gives me the heebie-jeebies. Why the sudden decline in my iron level? Any idea? I feel pretty good, should I worry? So now I’m eating a bowl of mini-wheats, did you know that a serving of mini-wheats has something like 50% of your recommended daily iron intake?
I’ve got research proposals to write (exciting and oh so boring at the same time) and midterms to study for (already!) but it’s almost the weekend. Who’s excited??
I don’t care that it’s raining, or that it’s a blizzard out there. The law says you can’t smoke within 9 metres of a building so buzz off and get out. Of my air. That little shelter over the doorway is not for you. Shoulda thought of that before you took up smoking in Canada.
Sincerely, Danielle
You know how smells and tastes will bring back memories in a really strong way? How the smell of stew will forever take me back to my old violin teacher’s house, and how cherry Blistex reminds me of Christmas because I always get it in my stocking, how the smell of ski wax brings flashes of winter, and how the scent of vanilla brings me back to my pre-teen candle obsession.
Well there’s this one hospital admission where I ate an entire pack of orange tic tacs (yes, the infamous ones in Juno) in like a day because I was so bored and the meds were leaving a bad taste in my mouth. Today in molecular evolution, the girl next to me was on an orange tic tac rampage and incidentally, she was breathing on me. And I swear, I could taste, smell and feel the nebulizer treatments.
Neurons are weird and awesome.
Click here to see Amy the Asthma Mom’s post on aid to Haiti, with a special emphasis on breathing/asthma care during the crisis. I’m sure it’s on many of you guys’ minds right now.
I text-donated a measly ten dollars through my phone company, thinking it was all I could do. Meanwhile, my 14 year-old brother went busking with his accordion at the local farmer’s market , and raised A WHOPPING 350.00$ for the Red Cross. Way to go little one!
The temperature has crept above zero and it is raining today. That’s not what my lungs like but that’s ok, today’s not a running day anyway so I can take it easy.
My aunt and uncle have started to invite me over more often, which is much appreciated but they do have two cats. Frankly, I don’t know how many more of those visits I can take because cats really make me feel yucky. Then there is my other aunt with the dog… dogs aren’t as bad but everything does take its toll. Still, I love my family and visits always make me happy.
School is good. I can tell that endocrinology is going to be the class that will cause me to work myself into the ground. But the prof is good and it’s interesting so I’m up for it! Yiddish (I know you’re dying to find out) is super fun and interesting. We’re learning quickly and so far I’ve gotten perfect on all my quizzes, wooohoo!
It’s almost time for me to venture out into the rain (so weird for January). I’ve got a busy day but a tea date to brighten it up. Hope you are well and happy 
