I Hate Doctors

Well, actually, I do acknowledge that most doctors do a great job, my hatred is directed more at the need for doctors at all.

Every time I see a doctor about something (which, up until this year, happened very rarely – why? See the title) I leave the doctor’s office scared sh*tless. If I wasn’t worried when I walked in, I sure as hell will be when I walk away.

Take today, for example. You all know I use my legs to get around. And for the past 3-4 months a pain in my left foot has caused me great discomfort and made me cut back on my walking, so it’s having a negative impact on my life, which I won’t allow any longer. I’ve tried letting my feet rest for days and weeks, I’ve taken painkillers, anti-inflammatory “drugs”, put deep heat on three times a day, all to no avail. So to the doctor I went.

Actually, it was a nurse.

Anyway, she had a look at my feet, and found that they look normal, and asked me lots of questions about the pain, how long it’s been like that, etc., etc., and then I started mentioning other things that have bothered me for a while. So she ran the usual tests, and I swear every other time I’ve had those tests taken they’ve been normal, but today this nurse discovered that I was running a fever, and that my blood pressure was low. Cue surprised face on my part.

So she sent me to see an actual doctor. Mainly about my foot, because she didn’t know anything about feet, apparently. So half an hour later I saw the doctor, and he didn’t have much time for me. He didn’t have time to look at my foot, but was very interested in my fever.

After lots and lots and lots of questions from him he told me that I should make another appointment with the doctor I normally see, and that I should have some more blood tests taken (I had some taken about a month ago), this time to check my red and white blood cell count. That’s when my brain just went WAIT! REWIND THAT PLEASE! WHAT?!? And then he sent me on my way.

Now, if I walked into the doctor’s office wondering about my sore foot, that was NOT what I came out thinking. For the rest of the day I’ve been convinced that there is something really terrible going on with me, and what annoys me is that the doctor didn’t take the time to explain why he wanted me to have my blood cell count checked. The first thought that came to my mind was “isn’t that what they do when they suspect that someone has cancer?”

I’m seeing my regular doctor next Monday. Because doctors make me paranoid with their vague diagnoses and cryptic answers, I am now wondering if I will even live that long. I don’t feel too great…

Oh Armageddon, How I Love Thee

And no, I’m not talking about the movie. Although I do quite enjoy that, too.

I am, of course, referring to the crazy end-of-the-world prediction(s) made by the crazy religious American Harold Camping. “The End is Nigh” – on May 21 2011 the world would come to an end at sunset, meaning that it would start with a massive earthquake in New Zealand at 6pm and travel around the world from there (westwards, naturally, all so that the Americans could sit back and watch the apocalypse unfold on their TV screens before it hit them) – OMG I’VE NEVER HEARD SUCH BULLSHIT BEFORE.

And Camping knew that this was going to happen because he had “deciphered” clues in the Bible. Go check in to a mental hospital, dude. You’re one of those ludicrous religious fanatics, just so you know.

I suppose most of you already know that he also predicted the apocalypse in 1994. Hey, big surprise – it didn’t happen. In fact, the biggest natural disaster in 1994 (in the Western World) was probably the Jan 17 Northridge earthquake in Los Angeles, CA, which had a magnitude of 6.7 and killed approximately 57 people. Not exactly something to shout “doomsday!” about.

Oh and I almost forgot to tell you – I woke up to May 22 a couple of hours ago. And boy, was she a beauty.

You know, if the world did somehow end overnight, and this is what the world looks like after Armageddon, and I find myself stuck here because I don’t believe in the Bible BS, whereas all the Christians were swept away to be with God – then I’ve got one thing to say to all you believers out there: YOUR LOSS.

Also, your loss, our gain. A world free of Christians could only be a better one.

As a student, and an atheist student at that, last night I did what I do best in the face of adversity or, in this case, a crazy prophecy: I drank and partied like the world was about to end. But you know what? Don’t be scared, it’s not going to end, nor do I believe it, it’s just something we do pretty much every weekend.

We don’t need to think that the end is nigh to party like there’s no tomorrow. Because we are reasonable, intelligent young people, not brainwashed, but educated, and we know that the sun doesn’t stop rising just because some madman says so.

The Countdown Is On

In exactly one month I will be flying out of Wellington, headed for Norway and three weeks of summer and seeing family and friends.

At the moment I’m trying to finish (lies – start) my final assignments for this trimester. I’ve got three essays due to be handed in on the 13th, 14th, and 16th of June. They all have to be between 2000 and 3000 words.

As for what I’ve been doing lately, I’ve got three words to sum it up: uni, boyfriend, parties. I’ve spent far too many days (and nights) in the library so far this year, writing essay after essay, doing research and drinking coffee. When I’ve had a day or two off I’ve escaped to Christchurch to be with Nathan, or he has come to Wellington for the weekend to see me. This long-distance thing is really working quite well (apart from the economical side of it, naturally. But it’s all worth it). Thursday last week I jumped on a plane and flew down to spend the weekend (as well as Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday) with my man, because he got some days off work due to a back injury, so I wanted to be there for him and keep him company. Plus it was his birthday last Monday (he turned 22), so of course I wanted to be there for that.

Nathan and me at my flatmate's 21st

I had just come home from university last Thursday and looked up flights to Christchurch, and there happened to be a really cheap flight that afternoon, and a cheap return flight for Wednesday (yesterday), so I quickly threw some things into my suitcase and got a taxi out to the airport, and an hour or so later I was in his arms at Chch airport.

For once I was a bad student (but a good girlfriend); I missed out on all my lectures this week as well as two out of my three tutorials. Oh dear. Thank god for Blackboard.

I took Nathan out for dinner on Sunday night because he had to go to work on Monday, but on Monday night we went to the movies, so at least he got to do something fun on his birthday. Then on Tuesday night we went to his auntie and uncle’s place for dinner, which was great, and on Wednesday night (our 5-month anniversary, incidentally), I flew back to Wellington.

This Sunday he will fly to Wellington to do a course just outside the city, so he will (hopefully) get a chance to come and visit me every weekend. After his course is finished he has a week off work, and that’s the week before I fly back to Norway (and the week when all my assignments are due), so it’ll be great to have him around then.

As for the parties I’ve been to lately… Well, most of them have been held at the house where I live. We had our awesome flat warming, and so far we’ve had two 21sts, and the party for the second one is actually tomorrow. It’s got a 1950s theme, so I went and bought a dress for that today.

My flatmate's 21st (Hollywood themed)

So much is happening right now, and I love it. This year has been amazing in almost every aspect so far, and when I get back from Norway I will seriously start looking for a part-time job. Also, in one month’s time, when I’ve handed in my three assignments, I’m halfway through my bachelor’s degree. Fancy that, huh.

Me dressed up as a gypsy at our flat warming (circus themed)