First update-

Hospital and IVs are for sure. "When" is the question. Family meeting tonight. I'll let you know when I know when I'm going in for sure.

Thanks for everything dear friends.

-A

30 minutes

30 minutes until my appointment starts. Nerves are getting the best of me.

Here we go.

-A

I had a very frustrating night last night. At 6:45 Saturday morning, I awoke doing my absolute best to ignore "the cough." You know, the cough that means I'm coughing up copious amounts of blood. Maybe, in my delirious state, if I ignore it, it will go away. WRONG. But the real kicker in this situation is that I'm not home. I'm with family in Austin, TX, sleeping on a couch. Waking up scared, sick, and still drowsy, I'm not thinking straight. Not to mention I'm really nauseated from coughing so much/coughing up blood/swallowing more blood because I have no where to spit it out. I start an albuterol and realize that I am going to be sick. Luckily (I think) I wasn't, but and I finally finish my treatment and fall back asleep. However, the most frustrating thing about this situation is that I'm NOT on antibiotics, which in the past has been the only time this hemoptysis has occurred. And I took my Vit. K that day. So now I'm actually clueless as to the cause of this, and that scares me. Now I'm planning ahead though. Along with my nightly glass of water, I'm keeping an empty cup next to me in case this happens again tonight... I really hope not.

My doctor's appointment is in 3 days, and to be perfectly honest, I feel awful. Just terrible. I'm afraid I haven't improved enough to my doctor's satisfaction and I'll be sent to the Hole for the first time in almost 2.5 years. I've actually come to terms with it, really. Worst case, I'm right and I'm not shocked. Best case, I'm wrong and I'm thrilled I don't have to go!! My only real hope is that I'm testing out hypertonic saline for the first time at my appointment so maybe they'll let me slide again, but I think I've slide by long enough. Tuesday will be the test. Obviously, I'll let you know the results.

On a lighter note, I'm getting some good quality time with my family this weekend. I haven't seen this brother/fam since our May crawfish boil so it was long overdue. And my niece is growing so quickly!

OH! I'm done with summer school!!! I couldn't be happier to have two more classes out of the way. And with one of those classes came the idea of a different future career than originally planned, and it's worth looking into! I may be doing grad school instead of PT school! May. I don't know what the future holds yet, obviously, but I like having serious options. We shall see!

My family lately has spent a lot of time watching old home videos. I've been watching videos from when my oldest brother was crawling to when I was around 9 years old and everything in between! Birthdays, holidays, sports, and then just those fun times playing as siblings at the house. It really was fun seeing people/pets who have passed away that I miss dearly and watching the memories I don't have, or times when I wasn't even alive! It really has been fun watching these. Thank goodness for VHS-to-DVD converters!!

I guess I should call it a night here soon. I'll keep you updated on my doctor adventures on Tuesday.

-Andrea

This week

This week, my last week of school:
4 tests
4 quizzes
2 projects due
1 homework assignment of 40 problems
and only 2 classes.

Pray for me.

See you on the other side.

-A

Class in 30

Hi! I have class in 30 minutes but I have enough time to get a post in!

So right now my apartment is just me and one other roommate. We were suppose to have another girl move in on Monday, but she never showed. I guess we scared her off... lol

Summer school ends next Friday! Yay! Then my crucial doctor's appointment the following Tuesday. Cross your fingers people, this one is important.

I'm busy with getting ready for formal recruitment too, on top of school and health. I enjoy it though, so no complaints there. It's just busy! Lots to get done, not enough time it seems.

Going home this weekend for some family time! I can't wait. I love going back home to visit when I'm away.

I have a kines test tomorrow on muscles of the hip joint, knee joint, and ankle joint and then a physics test on Friday on... I'm really not sure what the topic is even called. Stuff. Busy!! Lots of studying, at least 2 tests a week, this week has 3 for 2 classes. And a project due early next week!! Now do you see why I haven't been posting much?!

I got a new laptop!! I forgot to mention that! My old one was toying with me about kicking the bucket so we helped it along with a sale that came to Best Buy! I now have a nice speedy laptop that I love.

The boxer puppy is getting big and strong!! But I love having her around. It's nice to have some canine company.

Ok class in 23 minutes, but I want to do treatment too so adios!

-Andrea