Wow... I haven't posted in months!

Anyway, on Thursday, I went to visit my honors professor in order to see what he thought of my paper topic for my Poets, Philosophers, and Revolutionaries in Latin America class. Anyway, we spent less than five minutes discussing my paper. He didn't seem the slightest bit interested in the paper, at all, as if it were the least of his concerns. Instead, he asked me what my future plans were after I graduated college. When I told him I wanted to go into an M.D./Ph.D. program, he was entirely interested. This is when he said that I was a "Jack Kent Cook Scholar". I never heard of this before. Apparently, it's a presitigious award that will pay for $50,000 for up to 6 years for a Ph.D. that I can use I want to go for an M.D./Ph.D. Isn't that so cool!?

Anyway, apparently my GPA is a tad low (3.74, not including all my other non-ASU courses). So, this is what I plan to do. I'm going to withhold graduating for another year. In the mean time, I will pursue a second degree (biology, biochemistry, or molecular biosciences/biotechnology, I haven't decided which) and take all the necessary courses to get into a Ph.D. program (i.e., second semester calculus, calculus-based physics (2 semesters), biochemistry, psychology, upper-level exploratory english writing course, etc.). Also, as an undergraduate, I can now apply for out-of-state undergraduate summer courses like at Georgetown, Yale, Harvard, UCSD, etc. I'm looking into them right now! Also, as I take this courses, I can try to improve my GPA and graduate summa-cum-laude! (Hopefully!)

Anyway, my parents are utterly supportive of this! I couldn't believe it! I thought for sure my mother would be angry and question my not graduating in the May 2007, like I originally hoped.

So, anyway, I'm going to be a fifth-year senior!

Current Location: ASU campus- writing my paper
Current Mood: Excited, anxious, and nervous
Current Music: None- although, a soprano saxophone lingers in the hall

I just returned from my two hours of testing at the cardiologist's office. The first test they subjected me to was an echocardiogram. It was cold, slimy, and painful. The technician kept jabbing the wand deep into my flesh trying to get a good image of my heart. I hated this test. Anyway, from what she could tell, things looked perfect.

The next test was a treadmill stress test. My starting bp was 100/70, which is really good. My highest bp was only 140/70. Yeah! I also lasted the entire 12 minute routine, whereas most people cannot even make it to ten minutes. So, everything was again normal.

For the last test, they strapped this holter monitor on me that I have to wear for 24 hours. They attached seven electrode leads to my chest, and I have tons of wires all around me. They first rubbed my flesh with a benzoin solution, which, if I remember for organic chemistry lab, is not exactly a fun thing to be rubbed into your skin. I also have to wear this bulky black thing around my waist that looks like an oversized beeper from the 90s. Also, every now and then, a random wire peeks out from the bottom of my shirt. If George W. Bush were here, he'd swear I was a terrorist with explosives strapped to my chest. Blech, it's so awkward!

Anyway, so all in all, I've had to derobe three times, and I'm not happy about it!

My last blood test results were normal. I do not have hypothyroidism, but I'll know when I see my general physician for sure. Next week, I have two appointments that I had to fit around my work schedule. I have to drive to 59th Ave and Union Hills all the way in Peoria while somehow grading assignments at the same time. Hmm... maybe I'll grade while driving... multitasking!!!

All in all, I feel like I've racked up quite a medical bill for nothing, which is a good thing, oddly enough.

Last Wednesday, I had a severe heart palpitation that lasted for 3 minutes and left me feeling lethargic. I actually had trouble breathing towards the end of the episode. Two months before that, I had a similar experience, so I decided to do something about it.

I scheduled my first appointment with Dr. Honing, a general practitioner, this Wednesday. He gave me beta-blockers, and my blood pressure was 126/70. A phlebotomist took three vials of blood and said to call back two days later if no one had called me at the point. Friday comes, I call, and the clinic is closed... now I have to wait until Monday to see if I have hypothyroidism after all.

Today, I had my first encounter with a cardiologist. I had to push back my hours at ASU by one hour since my appointment was at 11:30 PM. I waited for one hour before a nurse finally called me in. She took my blood pressure (right arm: 144/88, left arm: 144/98). She then did an EKG, which came out to be normal. About five minutes later, my blood pressure was 134/78. It dropped ten points in such a short period of time. After I saw the doctor, he ordered three tests: a stress test (where I walk on a treadmill), an echocardiogram to take an image of my heart, and a holster monitor which I would have to wear for 24 hours. I wanted to wear the holster right away, but then I could not shower for that period. Tomorrow, I have to go to defensive driving school because of that speeding ticket I got on Thursday. So, because of that, I had to wait until I could perform that test.

Anyway, like I said, I pushed my hours back to 1 PM from originally Noon. But, because I spent so much time in the waiting room, I didn't end up getting to work until 2 PM. I hope that none of the students came in today. After all, it's the first assignment of their class, and it's pretty easy. But if I did miss a student, then I'm more than a little worried. I hate the fact of being late, and also, I certainly don't want the professor I work for to find out.

Now, I have an appointment July 24th to do those three exams at a clinic at 91st Ave and Thomas Rd (because that was the earliest appointment), an appointment July 31st as a follow-up to my general physician, and a follow-up appointment with my cardiologist on August 1st.

I've accumulated quite a medical bill. Insurance will take care of some, but most likely not all of the cost. With the amount of money that this will cost, I'm actually kind of hoping that I do have some condition. At least then all this money would have been spent on something rather than nothing at all.

So far, all I've found is that my blood pressure can rise and fall at the drop of a hat. I do believe I saw the box "uncontrolled hypertension" checked on my chart. I may or may not have hypothyroidism and I may or may not have arrhythmia, both of which require a pill to be taken for practically the rest of my life, which always sucks. I mean, I can barely remember to take a calcium supplement every day, much less other tasteless capsules to be forced down my throat.

So, right now, I'm heavily contemplating health and auto insurance, especially considering that I'm paying for both things.

Current Location: ASU
Current Mood: Confused and perturbed

A photo my kitty! He was originally Josh's, but he likes me more!

Current Location: Home
Current Mood: Chocolate!

I am generally bored as I sit in this computer lab day in and day out. I am supposed to be a T.A. for a computer science class, but most of the time, I just do homework and receive a paycheck for it. So, I guess what I am really trying to say is as follows: I suffer from boredom and this is my why of coping with it.

Enjoy! :)

Current Location: ASU Computing Commons
Current Mood: Blasé
Current Music: None