Flu Season

I hate throwing up. Hate, Hate, HATE IT! Thankfully, this is only a miserable experience I go through every 7 years. However, whenever Flue season comes around I get scared. If someone near me is even thinking about being nausiated, I wear a face mask and stear clear. My roomate was sick last year....I wouldn't even go in her room. I love taking care of people when they are sick, but I have no tolerance for vomit.

Why? Because when I throw up I pass out. Yup. That's right. The gag reflex makes me black out. Unconscious. Its not fun. I discovered this in highschool when the morning of homecoming I got sick and kept waking up on the floor by the toilet. This resulted in a huge headache and since the I have learned to pad the floor near the tub and toilet with towels.

Why on earth am I talking about this?? Because it's Flu season and I'm getting scared. The intern who works with me has felt awful all day...nauseous. She said her roomate has been throwing up the past 3 days!! My reaction: oh...go HOME! If you don't feel good you really should get some rest. Don't worry about work...it'll be fine. (This all said as I back away from her)

Seriously, I avoid sickness at all possible. At lunch, I went out and bought Purell to soak my hands in the rest of the day. If I could get my hands on some Lyscol spray....our storage room would be a fog of disinfectant. I keep thinking of where the germs might be. Ugh...on my keys. Can't rub that down in Purell. OH...the doorknob is definately contamiated! So I've been walking around all day trying not to touch anything with my hands (elbows can be used for a lot!)

However, this reminded me of my all time worst/funniest sick story. So I felt like those who don't already know it..would love it!
Let me set the stage: May of last year....end of semester test are coming up....and I've just started dating Will. (We're talking like just over a month...still fresh.)

So, I wake up one morning feeling very nausiated. End up passed out on the floor in my bathroom. I crawl out of my bathroom and throw a shoe at Natalie's door (roomate) in hopes that she's awake. Not likely...its 6:00 A.M. and she sleeps HARD.


NAAATTTTAAAAALLLLIIIIEEEE is my sick call.

She comes and takes care of me for a little bit, but keeps her distance. She calls Will because she has to go take a test and my "NEW" boyfriend comes over to see his girlfriend curled up, fetal position, on the floor with the chance of throwing up again very likely. He was awesome and took great care of me.
Now fast forward...
I warned him I passed out when I throw up but after having been sick 5 times already...I figure I'm done, so not much of a threat anymore.

Wrong.

I'm laying in the bed in my sweats while he studies German. Suddenly I get a hot flash...(menapause?? really?) so I get up the energy to go to the bathroom and put on some shorts. I let Will know he doesn't need to check on me because I'm not that sick anymore. So wrong. I get in the bathroom and get the sweat pants off. As soon as they clear my ankles I feel another wave of nausea. Oh man...not good. I knock over a glass on the way to to toilet and it shatters. Immediately Will is at the door screaming for me. I, irritated at my clumsiness, tell him I'm fine. (this is while I'm hanging over the toilet waiting for the wave to pass.) You know where this is going....Yup, gag reflex....blackout.
Next thing I remember is Will is calling my name and I feel him pulling me by my arms out from between the tub and the toilet.

I was mortified! Oh my gosh did I pass out in my sickness!??

He chuckled....No. But you are in your underwear.

UGH!!! REALLY!!!! More embarassment. This is just ridiculous!

He then sweetly asks (after propping me up against the wall) if I want him to leave. I shake my head embarrassed and ask if he could just hand me my pants and put me back in my bed.

I give him props for not running for the hills. Girl passed out in the bathroom in her underwear isn't really a good start to a relationship. But he stuck around....and 20 minutes later when he found me again passed out in the bathroom he even chuckled a little bit.
And this is why for the next 4 months Airborn and Purell are gonna be my best friends!

Like your snakes

I often wonder if people act the same way when they were kids. You, but just in a mini version. My mother told me a story the other day that I feel like best sums me up as a person, and after my mother told me this story I am certain now that, at least with me, not much has changed.

Apparently when I was little my mother said I was full of questions and was a very observant 3 year old. Hmm…sound familiar. Also, she remembers that I would say whatever it was I was thinking…good, bad.inappropriate (ha of course). It didn’t matter; if I thought it, I found it necessary to let everyone know. Years ago someone said that my mental filter was broken.

this is proof that I probably never had one.


Well I was about three and my mother took me to a McDonald’s and while she was ordering she set me up on the counter. However, much to her chagrin she noticed that the guy taking our order had some intense tattoos. His tattoo was of a giant snake going up and down both of his arms…in perfect sight for her chatter-box three year old to notice. I just laugh envisioning my mom noticing last minute and realizing her mistake moments to late to prevent me from seeing these impressive displays of artwork. She tried to order as quick as possible because knowing her inquisitive child, I would probably say something extremely embarrassing if I noticed the tattoos.


Umm...Quarter Pounder and uh, kids meal ...quick. (Nervous glances towards me)


“Would you like cheese?”


“Cheese.....yeah sure.” (More nervous drumming of the finger nails. Eyes darting between the snakes and me quietly observing the slithering artwork.)


“Anything to drink ma’am?”


“Yah that’s fine...how much?” (Receipts go flying as my mother rummages for money as quick as possible)


I stayed quiet the whole time. Impressive right? As my mom picked me off the counter to go sit and eat she probably closed her eyes in relief that I had kept my mouth shut. However, we all know this story doesn’t end with me remaining quiet.

As she picked me up to leave, impressed at my silence, she says that I simply looked up at the guy and very matter-of-factly said…


“Like your snakes.”


With that my mother whisked me away to finish my kid’s meal and hope that my happy meal toy would distract me from further questioning the tattoos.

It could have been a lot worse…


And thankfully my taste in tatoos has changed since then.

Close but no cigar

Fall weather is here.

My favorite running weather.

Came home from work....

got the shoes laced up....

Appropriate running spandex were on.

IPOD....check.

started stretchin....

weather was perfect.

I was ready for a great run.

but instead...

I baked a pie.

sigh. maybe tomorrow.