What a Week!

I'm so very grateful for this past week. My son is fine after a couple of scares. The first was an accident wherein the airbags deployed and he got neck strain and a wrist strain. The second was when he presented with weird symptoms that looked like meningitis (and if he had presented 2 days later they might have suspected swine flu). He is better & feeling good and that is just great. Regular old life with a couple of bumps along the road but nothing major or really exceptional, thank God.

I also gave a speech on Spinal Cord Injury & Rehab for my professional association. I enjoyed an excellent presentation by another speaker on spider & snake bites and jellyfish stings, etc. and took away some practical knowledge from that.

Now that swine flu is here, I'm a little nervous. I hope this thing can be contained, although clearly that is not easily done. Estimates are that between 1 and 4% of cases are fatal, which doesn't sound like a lot but it IS 1 out of every 100 persons or thereabouts. I think that is significant. The thing that is different is that it has killed otherwise vigorous young adults rather than old people and babies, as most flu does. Plus it is past peak flu season.

I am going to Houston tomorrow on business. Rehab related business, since that is my line of work. I will enjoy the change of scenery. I may have time to visit the art museum (MOFA, I think is is called). We shall see how the day plays out. I hope my plane ride is not too turbulent, etc. Just get me there and back intact, please.

I bought some flat shoes today, as I had been wearing heels to work for the past year, ever since I took a job that didn't involve direct patient care. I celebrate a bit of freedom for my feet, which have started to rebel with corns.

I also found a new sweater (for over-cooled indoor Texas buildings...must have a sweater all year-round for that) and got some new perfume, as my bottle of the precious stuff was near-empty. I feel naked without perfume!

The big thing I would like to state today is that there are people out there who have overcome unbelievable limitations and are more athletic, more positive, more connected, more amazing...than those of us who take our health for granted. I read a story on the internet about a middle aged math teacher who went into the hospital with an infection and woke up with no hands and no feet. He overcame this and continues to teach and has prosthetic limbs and is a very, very positive and active person. He says that life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it. I BELIEVE IT!

I spent years feeling sorry for myself because of a less than ideal childhood and I have been awakened to how extremely LUCKY I am and will not go down that road of self-pity again! There is nothing for me to complain about, as I have got it all and am so incredibly blessed with a wonderful husband and a great job & my health and the health of my family.

I have one lecture left to attend, then an exam, and then I get my BA in History! I'll be officially educated, for what that is worth. Of course, I've met some incredible people who were earth movers who never got a 4 year degree. It is about what you know, not what's on paper. It is a privilege to get a college education, though, and I'm glad I got mine.

Nurse Practitioner is my long term goal. It will take a few years. I won't stop short of it. Eventually, I'd like to be an educator. I really enjoy teaching when I get the opportunity (almost as much as I enjoy learning).

And, finally, here is the video in which Monkey Wit stars. We all get our 15 minutes (or was that 15 seconds) of fame! (I needed something demonstrating a polysynaptic reflex...I realized after the filming that Babinski's reflex is rather complex and that the medical community is in no way, shape or form in agreement as to its significance...but...here is a talented rendition of a positive Babinski).