Insult to Injury

One of the most ridiculous things about working in the health care industry with absolutely no health care training is the development of acute onset hypochondria. I (and my other non-nurse researchers) are constantly finding new and exciting things to fear / be grateful I have not yet (and will hopefully never) experienced. C. Diff, PICA, necrotizing fasciitis, prolapsed orifices and all heme malignancies top my list of health complications that I pray to be spared each and every time I pray. When I worked in sleep research, I learned that there have been incidences in which progressively worsening insomnia resulted in the complete inability to sleep, which within weeks can result in death. This was also shown on House - it was very dramatic. Needless to say I have pondered over this extensively when I find myself awake during the wee hours.

So lately, while not dying though possibly a little punchy from lack of sleep, I've been back on the insomnia train. This is much like Mary Murphy's Hot Tamale Train, with just a little less enthusiasm and not so much grace or coordination. Also, where as people are dying to get ON the hot tamale train, I'm begging to get off the insomnia train. On second thought, it's nothing like the hot tamale train.

While parts of my day are spent in a soporific haze, this may be balanced out by the expanse of time free time formerly dedicated to sleep. This morning, up and at 'em around 5 am and rather than lay in bed and curse whatever damage is keeping me from oh so amazing sleep, I decided to get up and be productive. I got up, did some laundry, made my bed and headed out to the gym to take a run. While it would have been lovely to run outside, it was still dark and still July in Florida, which means hot, humid and a titch smelly in the mornings. So I go the gym, get my music rockin and CNN on silent and I get to runnin.' And this is when it happens. The woman next to me on the treadmill crop dusted the gym. I was gassed out of my run by the massive (or series of massive) toot(s.) One word: wrong.

Now this is just insult to injury. I'm 25 years old, I'm awake before 6 am, I'm NOT hungover and being heart healthy by getting in some cardio before going to work where I will do my part in curing cancer. Do I really deserve this?!? I keep running. I don't say anything because I have to assume that this assault is not malicious in nature. The implications of premeditation and the effects that it would have on my confidence in human kind are far to profound and expansive for me to consider at this point. But I'm still running, and because I'm still running, I'm still breathing. Hard. There's no avoiding it, but do I breathe through my mouth or my nose! (We've discussed this dilemma before in regards to elevators (What's it like to always have your feet firmly planted on the ground.)

Overall - just a poor way to start the day.