What's another few minutes?

I should be in bed.  It's 10:35 PM.  I'm not in bed.  I'm at work...real work at UD.  And, while most people would probably bitch and complain about a 15 hour work day, I'm actually really grateful.  15 hours later and I'm still here, doing what I love doing, surviving and thriving. 

I didn't sleep well last night.  Another reason I should be in bed.  I was up from 1-3 tossing and turning (thanks hot flashes), trying to read to fall back to sleep. I started Gone Girl after seeing the movie over the weekend.  The movie was good...long as my mom had said and not overly uplifting.  Karyn, if you haven't read this book, don't.  The plot of a marriage that's falling apart and miserable and people cheat and whatnot that you hate...it's this book.  At the same time, you know me, I like movies, and I like feeling competent so reading the accompanying book is sort of a given.  The reading finally helped and eventually I got back to sleep.

Here's the thing about having cancer...things seem like a BIG DEAL.  As I was tossing and turning, my ears hurt.  It had sort of bothered me earlier in the day and I hadn't thought much of it.  But, lying in bed, without nothing else to do, I started freaking out a bit.  What if I have an ear infection?!  Can my body handle it?  Ohmigosh I'm not sleeping, that's gonna make it worse! Should I take my temperature? Ok, fine.  Ok, it's fine.  But STILL! And then I was planning on working out since I'm back on that.  But I'm not sleeping!  Which is more important, the working out of the sleeping? 

This is my brain at 1 am.  It's not a fun place to be.

The other complication in the planning of waking up and sleeping and working out was that I knew I had to be in to school early to finish getting ready for this Physiology Understanding (PhUn) Week event I had planned.  Back in summer BC (before cancer) I had laid the foundation for partnering with DECA, the school that is actually located in our building on campus (really neat charter targeting first generation college students) to have my physiology students go in and teach a lesson.  The American Physiological Society, my professional society, sponsors the week, sends free stuff, etc.  So seemed like a good idea, fun, helpful for promotion and tenure and demonstrating the integration of the Marianist spirit in my actions, blah blah.  But mostly, I'm a dork and think physiology is super cool and so wanted to share that with younger kids.  Yay me.

All that said (or stated rather...this is an annoying habit my favorite old boss used to point out, when I would write 'that said' since it isn't really said), I've been busy so planning got a bit rushed, hence the need to get to school early.  After arriving, I finished my arts and crafts time:

Look at those officemade stickers!  Couldn't find where the biceps ones went...

 

Let me tell you, I started these yesterday and there are a lot of NSFW pancreases (pancrei?) out there...

 

So the "Passports" for the 7th graders were set...things came together, and starting at 10 I was off!  4 7th grade biology classes and 2 high school anatomy classes.  My students teaching stations in each, the high schoolers getting to check out the cadaver lab.  There were double classes in the afternoon so post-lunch I was sort of running around with a crazy woman.

 

It was worth it though.  The DECA kids were super impressive (since this is the cancer blog...one girl asked why I wore a scarf, I told her I was sick with cancer and that drugs that make me better cause me to lose my hair...it was sweet as they all said they hoped I felt better) and my kids did a great job.

Getting ready to play telephone to act out neurotransmission.

 

Around 4, I was through, after and exhausting but totally fulfilling day.  Had a paper discussion with a student, grabbed some Chipotle for dinner, got to witness another student actually doing some good critical thinking, then I got started on the real work of the evening.

 

I've been putting off cleaning up the data we collected this summer because after my student presented the cancer stuff happened and I haven't been motivated to get back to it.  But, tomorrow is the deadline for abstracts for the big meeting I go to each year (this year in Boston again), and since I typically am not motivated other than by deadlines, that meant it was time to start...

 

Data analysis (yay Excel!), abstract writing, rinse and repeat for another one related to some teaching stuff.  Quick application for an award (got to try! love me some free money!) and that brings us to now, almost 11:00.

 

There's a lot of bullshit in my job sometimes (a lot of the time...) and in life too (cancer at 29, wtf?).  Today was one of those days that makes it seem worth it though.  I got to do what I like, learn something, have fun, and help others do the same.  Plus, I got to do it all wearing a t-shirt!

 

#officeselfie  Scarf comes off when no one's around..