The good, the bad, and the not so bad

A recap of the past month...

Health/Body Stuff:
I was prescribed a huge dose of anti-inflammatories for my back problem (the disc issue). I was out of back pain for a couple weeks and happily taking naproxen (aleve) when i got this hideous stomach-ache which turned out to be a bleeding ulcer. yay.

So, now I'm on meds for my ulcer, which is healing nicely, but i'm experiencing a pain hangover in my back. Actually, I'm handling it OK, physical therapy seems to be helping and I had acupuncture today, which helped a lot. I think I can manage it.

My hip is in stasis - i seem to know what to do so as to not aggravate it too much, but I can no longer kick that high on the left. But surprisingly, i'm not that upset about that. I still do some things that bug it, but for the most part, like i said, stasis. I've been able to train with regular intensity lately.

I've signed up for many sessions with my trainer at the gym in preparation for my test, and he is WORKING me! It's great. I feel like my stamina at least, will be ready for black belt. (June 23!!!)

School/Pre-med Stuff:
My first test was quite the eye-opener. Well, I got myself a tutor and he has helped me figure out how to figure out problems. Also, just having more and more and more experience makes me much more comfortable in the language of Physics. After I got the graded on the curve (I got 12 points out of 40) I still managed to land a B or so. My second test went much better and I got 27 points out of 40, which landed me a high B and in the top 10% of the class! I can do this. My next exam will be next Friday and then only finals remain for this first quarter of school.

I start my MCAT review class in a week and that will add much joy and delight to my life.

I absolutely adore working the Kids Clinic. Every week, I drive up there and I am actually looking forward to my time there. I love all the kids and I'm learning what it's like to be a doctor. I love being a fly on the wall and every week I think to myself, Peds! I must do Peds! I almost can't imagine wanting to do anything else, but i'm sure i'll feel that way about more than one rotation. It's so exciting. And it makes me really feel positive about the direction I've chosen.

Now that I'm in it, my indecision is gone. I mean, I know there will be times, moments of doubt, but the longer I spend working towards it, the more confident I am that Medicine is what I'm meant to do. And that I'll be goddamned good at it. I am so relieved to feel that way!

Lucy Stuff:
Little miss Lu is doing great. She pees in the potty and now even at daycare and out in public. She still poops in diapers, but I'm not so concerned over that. All in good time.

She is hilarious and smart and keeps me busy all the time. I love her.

A funny story:
We were taking the bus to school a couple weeks ago, which is kind of an ordeal for us. We have to take the stroller to the bus shelter because it is about 1/2 a mile away and then we have to take 2 buses. But I like to take the bus and I like to not drive.

Included in tuition at UW is a bus pass. They send students a validation sticker each quarter to put on the ID card and that is supposed to let you ride the bus. I had been using my ID card all quarter not realizing that I didn't have the right sticker on it. I did have a sticker which displayed my name and that I was a student Winter quarter, but not the bus validation sticker. I had no idea.

I climb on the bus with Lucy and the stroller and bag of stuff and show the driver my pass. He asks to see it more closely so I hand it to him.

"This is not the right sticker." He helpfully informs me.
"Oh. Well, that is the one I got in the mail. Maybe because it's my first quarter, they send you the big sticker for the front..."
"Ma'am, I'm quite familiar with how these are supposed to look"
(Like I'm trying to scam the bus system for a free ride)
"Oh, well, that's the one they sent me, I don't have another sticker."
"I'm afraid you're going to have to pay bus fare, then."
Irately, "I don't have bus fare!"
"Well, then you're going to have to get off the bus."

I couldn't believe this guy. I was PISSED! I mean, even if i *was* trying to scam the bus system for $1.50 (which i wasn't) who the fuck would kick a student mother and her 3 year old off the bus?!

I grabbed Lucy, called the guy an asshole and dragged her and our stuff off the bus to wait for the next one. I was so pissed.

Lucy yells, "Why are we getting off the bus? I want to ride the bus RIGHT NOW! WHY DID HE TELL US TO GET OFF THE BUS?!"
"Because he's being a shithead," I told her, still within earshot.

We waited 15 minutes for the next bus and by the time it arrived, I had cooled off.

The next bus comes and since we're at the turnaround, the driver gets off the bus for his break. Lucy looks at him and says,
"The other brown one was being a shithead!"

Oh man. That's my girl.

That driver could not believe his ears. He asked me what she said, and so I had to tell him the whole story. He too couldn't believe what a shithead that other driver was being. He told me as long as I hadn't peed in my pants and wasn't completely drunk, I could ride the bus.

In other news, at 3.4 years old, my little lucy is learning to read. Of course she is ;)

Husband Stuff:
He's nice.

He's going through hard times and it's also hard for us to get much time together. The time we do spend together is nice and snuggly, but it's not often and our sleep schedules don't really coincide.

He's a great papa (he's up giving our crazy girl a bath before I put her to bed) and he loves his family.

But he's having a hard time and is going through stuff (and has been really for a couple years now).
We love him.

Other stuff:
Who has time for other stuff?