Pots and Dan

I realized tonight that I had failed to update our little blog since January...then I saw that Dan had helped out with a brief quip that should shed light on our feelings regarding our current area. Perhaps only quietly, I feel like we both our looking forward more than ever to the time when we get to "go home." It is when I feel like this, though, that God's grace gently reminds me that my home is where Dan and I are together. How blessed are we to be surrounded by Biolan friends and and "family."

Well, in case you couldn't guess, our apparent inability to write more frequently must be attributed to school. By the end of the first week, I already felt overwhelmed. But hey, overwhelming might be a synonym for nursing school! I just finished our first clinical rotation: OB! To say that I loved it would be an understatement. To get the opportunity to help moms and dads welcome in new life is an unforgettable experience. Also, I am never the type to turn down bathing, feeding and cleaning babies. My love for babies sometimes concerns my husband, but he generally reminds me of the great Goliath called school.

As I am more than a year from graduation, Dan is closer than ever. He will graduate in May with his Bachelors in Film...how will he use that? Not sure he knows yet! However, he will be going back to get his teaching credential at UCI next year. One of my friends told me credentialing is a rather painful process with pages and pages of papers. For some reason, I am more than certain Dan will excel. He's much smarter than he admits, though he truly loathes papers. By next summer, God willing, we'll be entering the work force at the same time!
For now, however, we are still plugging away at the tasks before us. Nursing school, work (CNA for me and tutoring for Dan), marriage, etc. Unfortunately, we've been pretty busy with doctor's appointments lately. Amazingly, they weren't for Dan!

I was recently diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). My autonomic nervous system is slacking a bit in conducting appropriate messages to my heart to get blood from the lower half of my body to the upper half when I stand. This causes my heart to compensate by beating really fast constantly, which gets worse when I do strenuous activity or even stand up. Thankfully, I've only fainted once, though I've come close often--including once at work. For safety's sake, my boss and doctor have put me on leave from work for a bit. After weeks of tests and different doctors, a very understanding Nurse Practitioner finally started me on medication today. I should feel a difference within a week or two. After another meeting with my cardiologist, I'll be clear to work again! Even better: I've been given permission to start running again :) It's good timing as my legs have begun to literally ache with boredom.

Though I truly dislike visiting doctors for any reason, these appointments have reinforced in my mind the absolute loyalty of my husband. He has taken me to the ER twice, 3 cardiac tests, 2 cardiologists and even an early morning primary appointment. Not once has he complained about the time taken or my limited ability to do things around the house. All I hear from him is how much he loves me. And, very sweetly, he helps me stand up and holds me until the dizziness fades.
How appropriate our wedding song was: Stand By Me.