A better month

As advertised, February is starting out much better than last month. I got my big assignment for the beginning of the semester done at last--my presentation on pediatric congenital heart defects. If anyone wants to ask me anything about Tetralogy of Fallot or hypoplastic left heart syndrome, now is the time. It will all be leaked out of my brain within the next 3 weeks. Anyway, I had to put it off for a while because for a few weeks things were way too crazy around here for me to be able to think about anything that complex and make sense of it. Then I went to do the presentation this Tuesday and the last 20 slides I had spent the previous evening making did not save--which was more than I could take. So I spent Tuesday night recreating them, and gave the presentation on Wednesday. It went fine, and now I have a little time to relax before getting into starting our thesis and research project.

I am down to my new low weight: 165. Woot! Only 5 lbs to goal. I hope I get there, but it's probably okay if I don't. I bought a new pair of jeans last week (Target has pretty nice jeans, actually) and thought they were 8's but when I got home learned they were 6's. It's my second pair of size 6 jeans and I can't believe they fit, still. When I interviewed for this program in February 2007, my suit was a size 18. It's easy to be excited about losing 6 sizes.

Running at the GU gym is going fine. I'm not running as far as I do outdoors, because treadmills are boring. I do listen to podcasts instead of music, which I like, except that there is a bank of TVs in front of the treadmills, which gets distracting when I'm listening to a podcast. But all in all, it's fine. I find now that I am running more for stress relief and enjoyment than for exercise or doing something "good for" myself. I am also lifting weights--upper body only, I think running is enough for my lower body. And working on my core. It feels good.

We've been getting to know the new freshman class at school. They are all pretty nice. One of them is an old friend of mine from my first ICU job, a guy I always got along with really well but never really got to know that well. So it's been fun getting caught up and all that. I've gone out with the freshman class for drinks a few times and it's been interesting. Most of them are younger than our class is, and most of them don't have kids. They are struggling with the same classes that we struggled with, the same personality issues and all. It's nice to be in a position to offer some (hopefully) helpful advice.

Things at home are going well. Hubby seems to be doing well on his recovery path. I went to see a therapist this week and he basically told me that I seem to be coping in a normal and healthy way and I probably don't need personal therapy right now. I thought that might be the case and wasn't sure if I should see this therapist individually or for couple counselling (which he also does). We are going to see him next week for a couple session to see if we can do some work that way. I think it sounds like it will be helpful and interesting.

Hope everyone is well out there. Thanks for all the kind comments and well-wishes. They mean a lot to me, truly.