Saturday, August 24, 2002

I am a klutz and it's a miracle I have survived this long. Thursday night, in my feeble attempt to get to sleep early (as in 11:30 or 11:45 pm), I was rushing around picking up trash to put out for trash day friday morning. Well, I saw some kleenex on my couch and, because I was rushing, I neglected to remember that I had been studying pathology in the middle of the floor (I was studying immunology at my desk and decided it was easier to just study path on the floor). So the binder was lying there with the amazingly sharp prongs exposed. My big toe got caught on the first prong (that hurt too) and then the bottom of my foot was sliced by the second or last prong (sorry, no instant reply available). In the process of landing on the couch, my knee hit the coffee table and then my neck started hurting. So, I had to stop dealing with trash to clean my wound and bandage it. After I got done doing that and finishing the trash and making my lunch for friday (egg salad...yum!), I got into bed. Then it hit me that I was hurt by a metal object that had been to the anatomy lab on more than one occasion. And then I thought about tetanus because last week we had a problem solving session on tetanus and tetanus immunizations (immunology class...duh). So I got out of bed, hobbled over to where I keep my immunization records and realized that I would be due for a booster shot by April 2003. While I doubted the possibility of me getting tetanus, last week's discussion on the economics of the tetanus toxoid (aka the booster shot = $) and tetanus antitoxin (human IgG to tetanus = passive immunity= $$$$$$) and the description of tetanus symptoms made me want to get a booster on friday. Then I realized that my insurance covereage ended at midnight. Now my question became, should I hope the booster from 1993 is still effective and risk tetanus and wait until Sept 1st (when I would be covered by insurance again) or just pay for the booster? The thought of lockjaw and death led me to visit the student health person and to my delight, I discovered that the booster is free for students and she was happy because that saved her the time and effort to get me to come in next spring to get the booster then. Anyway, my arm started to tingle and little and I swear my left hand felt colder than my right. Then my deltoid muscle (where the nurse stabbed me with the needle) started to hurt a little. But then it stopped so I thought that was great that I had minimal side effects. But this morning I woke up and had really bad pain in my left deltoid again - worse than the night before! In fact, I feel like I can't even use it without being in pain. I have to lift it to the top of my desk with my right hand or it hurts!!! I don't remember it hurting this much the last time I had a booster. I only remember that event because my mom had an unusual amount of fun hitting my arms when I got immunized for Hep B and chicken pox in 1996 though she claimed she forgot that I had been given shots in both arms. Anyway, feel pity for me because I am a weakling. It's a good thing I asked to be given the shot in my left arm (aka the sacrificial limb)! Well, back to learning about B cell maturation and activation (you know you want to know!)
~me~ at 4:51 PM

Wednesday, August 21, 2002

Hello anyone who checks this page. I updated my home page. Okay, so I edited the main page and updated my page about things that suck in my humble opinion. You'll notice that my extreme hatred of UPS still exists. I also hate this one barnes and noble customer service agent but she isn't big enough to slander on my main site. Oh and in case you were wondering my book did arrive today but the UPS tracker says it's still in transit. What a useful tool wouldn't you say? They update it oh so often (every 48 hours or whenever they feel like it). Back to immunology. Actually, I'm going to eat dinner (stuffed bell pepper leftovers...yes they're still good!).

~me~ at 6:09 PM

Tuesday, August 20, 2002

I hate UPS. My package was supposed to be delivered today and well, it wasn't. According to their online tracking system, it arrived in New Orleans at 5:14 am and so they had from then until 7 pm to get it to me. For most people, 14 hours is more than enough time to accomplish this but apparently the lazy people who work at UPS had other ideas. In fact, they can't even tell me where exactly in this god forsaken hell hole of a city my package is sitting collecting dust. And why not? Well, because apparently, they scan the packages and update the system whenever they feel like it. I have never had so much trouble getting packages delivered except when UPS was used and never by my choice (I would sooner use the USPS than choose UPS). So the way things currently stand is that the last time info on my package was updated was at 5 am. Aaaargh! So I sent hate mail to UPS and then, even though they won't care, I sent a message to barnes and noble and advised them to request a refund on their shipping charges from UPS for breach of contract (I didn't have to pay shipping so I don't really care if they do this - they probably won't) and to change shipping companies or at least provide customers with the option of choosing an alternative shipping company. So, in conclusion, UPS is now on my blacklist and I hope they go under. Now for a new topic, they are charging us $20 for a little pocket book on info about the types of exams we can perform on patients and what we need to know for our scope exam at the end of this year and the fex exam at the end of 3rd year. Gee, I paid tuition and student fees for what reason? In my opinion, if a non-copywrited (copywritten? what's your opinion chris?) assortment of papers is made for students only in this clinical diagnosis class, then we shouldn't have to pay for it or at least not pay $20. I would value it at $5 for students in the class and anyone else who desires a copy can buy it at what they consider it's retail value. They claim they produce it at cost to themselves...whatever. Oh and today I had to sit in traffic just to get on the freeway (where traffic wasn't bad at all) because the idiots who drive don't merge onto traffic unless the car that would be behind them stops so they sit there! It took 15 minutes to get on the freeway and only 15 minutes to actually get to school! Oh and people won't let you move over lanes during traffic because they're more concerned with moving into the lane you're in so they speed up and close what space was available. I'm leaving early tomorrow because I hate dealing with these drivers. I also hate the non existent on ramps that exist for I10 in this city. You have less than 1 car length to merge and if you have to stop, you better hope your car can go from 0 to 60 in less than a second because you can't see the cars coming around the bend very easily once you start merging. Was there some sort of dare as to whether or not a drunk person could develop the infrastructure of this city? Okay, I'll stop bashing this city...for now...only because I need to get back to immunology.
~me~ at 8:42 PM

So I had to abandon my once brilliant idea of saving money on books by buying them from barnes and noble.com since almost 5 days have passed since placing my order and so far they have shipped one book out of the 7 I had ordered to me and that book still hasn't technically arrived yet (UPS tracker says it is in transit to New Orleans). Hopefully at least one of my 2 neighbors who graciously allowed me to list them as a package acceptor on a sign I made, will be home to accept the package. Anyway, so I cancelled the books I needed now and spent almost $25-$30 more because the price is the listed price and then you have to add about 9% to the price and well, I'm not happy to say the very least. So I wrote one of my nasty emails to bn.com and let them know that I was pissed that I still hadn't received my textbooks. If they claim to be a great source for textbooks, they need to actually ship the crap out not hold onto it. If it were a book for fun, I wouldn't care as much but these are books for school! Don't they realize that most students can't wait weeks for these things?!? Anyway, we'll see what their response is. Past companies that have screwed me or sold crappy products (like amazon.com and crayola) have given me gift certificates towards my next purchase, will b&n follow suit or screw me? Only time will tell. Time for bed now. I have my clinical diagnosis session tomorrow afternoon and it's a good thing I took the time and effort to request 1 pm since they gave me 3:15 pm instead. yes, I'm being bitter and sarcastic. Good night!
~me~ at 12:20 AM