The Attack of the Itis-es and a Spelling Bee

The first itis (eye-tis):

I went to the doctor, the first once since my health insurance kicked in. For the first time in nearly 10 years, I have insurance. So to the doctor I went- the first of many appointments I need to make for the various doctors I would like to see. This doctor- the podiatrist. For a while now I have been dealing with pain in my right foot. A while, I'd say like a year or two. I've tried not to complain and pretty much sucked it up. However, being on my feet for 12 hour shifts 3 times a week has been aggravating it something fierce. I've been icing it, taking prescription strength advil, etc., etc. and it has not been helping. So I went to the doctor.

A while ago, I had done my research, and I had figured I had Plantar Fasciitis. Now that I was actually going to the doctor, I was terrified of hearing that I have this because really what can I do? Resting? Not possible. The far extreme of surgery? Can't happen either, so I was really feeling hopeless that if I did indeed have plantar fasciitis, I would be stuck like chuck.

So what does he say?

Plantar Fasciitis.

Great.

He gives me a cortisone shot in the heel and recommends some shoe inserts with good support and then tells me to come back in 2 weeks. No resting or anything like that. The shot is supposed to start working in 2-3 days. So far, I don't really feel much difference and today has been day 3. I work tomorrow, so we'll see when the day is through how things feel. I hope better. I've read good things online about the shoe inserts I have, so I hope that holds true as well.

As for the second itis:

I have laryngitis. I am not sick. I do not feel badly. I just screamed my head off at the kid's school's basketball game Friday night and then more screaming at Grace's soccer game Saturday. Sunday morning I woke up with no voice. Sigh. I hope I have enough voice to talk to my patients/coworkers tomorrow.

Lastly, I wanted to announce to the world how proud of Nate I am! He won the school's kindergarten spelling bee today! There were 4 kindergarten classes who each had their own spelling bee within the class. Then they picked the top 10 people from each class and entered them in the spelling bee. There were 40 kids there today and Nate won first place!! How awesome! I am so proud :)

Reflecting.....

on 2011.

A lot of changes. Our family left our old school after MANY years once the school year was through. A lot of changes at that school since last December, too. I graduated from college. Kids started a new school. I started an ER Nurse training program. We lost a grandmother. We gained a niece. Another college graduate. A sister moved to yet ANOTHER island. Another sister moved to the Pacific Northwest. A brother off to Afghanistan. The kids started soccer. Grace joined Brownies (girl scouts). Ray and I got health insurance (ok, well that technically is in 2012, but it was like 1 second after 2011, so, there). We got a puppy. Ok, so that didn't really happen.

There will be a lot of changes in 2012, too.

I look back a year ago and look at where I am now. Last year, I had just completed the hardest nursing course of my entire program, the course where consistently 30% of the class fails. Every. Single. Term. I was so relieved to know I was moving forward towards graduation. It was hard to believe it was so close. Now here I am about to begin my job in the ER. Next year, I will be amazed at all that I know, laughing at how silly I was for being nervous.

I see my kids- how far they've come. Just over the summer, Nate has blossomed with reading and math. Grace has grown so much, too. I wonder where we'll be in a year.

While I wish time stood still, or slowed down, I do look forward to what tomorrow brings.

Good-bye, 2011. Hello, 2012. Happy New Year, everyone.