Skin in Crisis

This week was quite the adventure.
When it rains, it pours and just goes to show that when you think everything’s in your control...God reminds you that you control nothing and should probably stop trying to. (And really, that sleep is overrated)

8:45 pm Tuesday:
The first lesson - that I am not even in control of my own skin.
Tuesday evening was our Gospel Choir "sing-a-long concert" which was a blast. Toward the end, my right knee began to feel funny and itch - but I didn't think anything of it because it was hot and stuffy and we'd been standing a long time, and who doesn't have an itch now and then? Afterwards, though, my knee began to itch worse and feel funny. When I finally looked at it I discovered that my entire knee and the area around it was flaming red and covered in little hives. Granted, this sight unnerved me so I went to a friend’s house who had some Benadryl cream (after Bekah offered me some lotion that said: "Lotion for Skin in Crisis" which we found amusing).

9:15pm:
I then came back to my apartment by which time hives had sprouted on both my elbows and I could feel my knee swelling. Brie was concerned and called Safety and Security who arrived with their little first aid kit and came to the conclusion that I was having an allergic reaction (which we had established....it was the "from what" part that was still a mystery). So he recommended that I go to the emergency room just to have it checked out.

10:00pm
The emergency room at 10:00 at night was not exactly penciled into my schedule, but Bekah and I trudged down there and answered lots of questions which ended back to square one. No one could figure out what was going on except that I was allergic to something. They prescribed some steroids and Benadryl and we were on our way.

12:30am
Starting homework. Unfortunately, the 3 hours I'd set aside to work on a project were spent in the ER...and needless to say it was a late night.

3:10am
Bedtime and more Benadryl.

7:00am Wednesday
In the morning, I woke up with hives everywhere so Benedryl it was, off to classes pretending that nothing was happening. Luckily they subsided during the day, I just had to tape my eyes open during class.

5:30pm
Hives were back. But, by now I was not phased. Took my Benadryl, and somehow made it through Bible Study.

7:00am Thursday
No hives! (and they haven't come back and hopefully they won't) because there's just too much to do and I really can't have Benedryl making me more tired than I already am.

10:00am
(or around there…I’m not sure) Brie had surgery on her hand. (Poor Christie...Brie and I are turning the apartment into a hospital and medical supply)

11:45pm
Bekah and I (and most of SPU) headed out to the midnight showing of The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. Oh my goodness I am so obsessed with that movie! I'm so tempted to see it again and again. I recommend everyone go see it...and take me too, I want to go again!!!

3:30am
Yet again…finishing homework. Bedtime and Benadryl.

6:30pm Friday
I got paid to play four-square, Clue (love this game...why did we not have this at home??), and make fuzzy-ball creatures with three adorable children.

1:00am
Contemplating watching Atonement…or doing some homework…but sleep wins.

12:00pm Saturday
Kick-off for Relay for Life begins, and so does a heat wave!! It was 94 degrees Saturday which was amazing except sunburns were prevalent and it seems a little morbid to fight cancer while burning your skin...they were handing out SPF 45.

1:30pm
Fred Meyer run with Bekah's family

2:30 – 5:30pm
More walking, resting, walking, homework.

7:00pm
Dinner break with Bekah's fam at Azteca. The Ballard Azteca was overrun with loud and intoxicated people celebrating Norwegian Independence (??) why Ballard is so excited about this I’ll never know…probably for the same reason they have a statue of Lenin in downtown Ballard.

8:45pm
Leaving Azteca. While Bekah’s family waited for Bekah and I back in the restaurant a man sweeping the sidewalks approached Kent (her 18 yr old brother) and asked if he could hold the little waste bin you sweep in. Puzzled, Kent accepted and held it while the guy swept trash into it. Then he asked if Kent would empty it into the trash!?! So…not sure what else to do, Kent did. Then the guy said, “One more time, one more time” and had Kent empty it again!! Only in Ballard…

9:00pm
Abrupt u-turn – Bekah and I decided we wanted to go with her family to the Locks.

9:15pm
Ssomewhat lost, stopped to take a picture of the sunset and lost phone service and decided just to head back to campus.

9:40pm
Back at campus…more walking.

10:00pm
Luminaria walk. It’s really beautiful and moving. People make bags in memory of loved ones and in honor of those currently fighting cancer or survivors. They place them all around the track and put candles in them, everyone follows behind a bagpipe player and you make your way around the track.

1:30am
Fell into bed.

5:00am Sunday
came waaay too fast. And Starbucks was closed which ruined our plan - so we walked from 5:30 to 7:30 with droopy eyes.

8:00 – 11:30am
A nap never felt so wonderful and I think my body is convinced that I'm never going to let it get any sleep.

3:30pm
Reported to First Free to practice for our evening Reconciled concert.

5:20pm
CHA BBQ, wardrobe change and mad dash back to First Free.

7:00pm
Reconciled concert. If you would like to hear some sound recordings of our concert visit: https://learn.spu.edu/webapps/lobj-podcast-bb_bb60/feed/+TVVTMjMwMV9NVVM0MzAxX00xMjAwNzgz+/podcast.xml this was from our Reconciled concert that we did earlier in the quarter at First Presbyterian downtown.

9:30pm – 11:30pm
A group of us from choir venture to the U-District for Bubble Tea and a few games of Jenga.

And all of a sudden it’s Monday again.