Well the PT test has been rescheduled.  I am sick.  I have been sick since Saturday.  Here's how everything started.

(Flash Back Sequence Please....)

Saturday

I came to work and everything thing seemed to be going fine, until after lunch.  BAM!!!  I am hit with a sore throat.  I start feeling miserable and my ears begin to hurt.  I decide to go to Role 1 Medical which is British for TMC.  I figured why pay my money for over the counter meds when I can get them for free.  The medic sees me and sends me on my way empty handed.  He tells me, "There's nothing wrong with you."  Is it all in my head?  Am I faking myself out?  My NCOIC allows me to leave work at 1600.  I go right to bed without eating supper.  No full night's sleep.  I am up at 2230.  At this point my throat hurts so bad I want to cry, I have significant sinus pressure, headache, and ear pain.  I don't want to scream so I'm kicking the bed.  It hurts to breathe and think.  I put my DVD player on and watch "Strong Medicine," until I can no longer keep my eyes open.

Sunday

  I go back to sleep around 0100 and am up again at 0530.  Still in pain.  I try to go back to sleep and finally give up at 0630. 

I go to work and suffer through the day.  I forego breakfast and lunch as I am unable to even drink water than to think I'm going to swallow food.  My only upside is popsicles that cool my throat.  I secretly wish the ice will get lodged in my throat to provide me with relief.  I go back to Role 1 Medical and tell the medic my throat has gotten worse.  I leave with throat lozenges (don't work worth nothing), and am told again there is nothing wrong with me.  At this point I am beginning to think I should go to mental health for being a hypochondriac and get out of this hell I am. 

My NCOIC allows me to leave work at 1500.  I put "Strong Medicine," on again.  I go to sleep around 1900, and skip dinner again. 

Monday

I awake at 0100.  I want to scream.  I'm in so much pain!!!  I now have a migraine, severe sinus pressure, I can feel my top wisdom teeth(I DON'T HAVE TOP WISDOM TEETH), and my throat is on fire!!!  I kick my bed violently, to keep myself from screaming and waking up my roommate.  I think I'm dying!  I feel like I'm dying.  I try to settle myself down again and go back to sleep around 0300.  I sleep until 0500.  I can't take anymore.  I go outside and sit and try to calm myself with a cold bottle of water.  It hurts to swallow but it feels so good.  I go back inside and try to go back sleep around 0530.  I awake with the alarm at 0730.

I go into work and my throat isn't hurting as much.  It still hurts, but it's not burning.  My nose is a running faucet.  I go through a box and half throughout the course of the day.  I still have sinus pressure and a slight headache.  I forego again breakfast and lunch.  I just don't feel like food right now.  I actually make it through a whole day. 

I go to my room at 1730 and lie down on my bed and fall asleep.  I am up again at 1900.  I decide to eat a little something after going on just popsicles and cold water for 54 hours.  I eat potatoes and carrots.  Something easy to get to down and easy to digest. 

I go to sleep at 2300.

Tuesday

I am up again at 0330!  My head feels like it's going to rocket off.  My runny nose has now clogged.  At least my throat is still okay.  I take some Ibriprofen and go back to sleep.  I wake up at 0600.  My head no longer hurts, but the sinus congestion is still there. 

I go to work.  I forego breakfast and lunch again.  I decide to go back to Role 1 Medical.  This time the doctor sees me.  I leave with Amoxcilican, Codeine, and a bacterial infection.  I'm not crazy!  I just didn't dream this hell up out of the blue.  I begin taking the meds.  I go to dinner and can't finish it.  I feel nauseas.  I end up working until 2030. 

I go to my room and play my Nintendo DS.  I go to bed at 2200. 

Wednesday

I SLEEP THROUGH THE NIGHT!!!  I feel so much better.  I start coughing today and phlegm is finally coming out of my system.  I never thought I'd be happy to see phlegm!!! 

I go to work.  I eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  I work for the whole day.  I'm almost feeling like me.  Dinner made nauseas again and I felt for sure I was going to blow chunks, but didn't.

I play my DS and watch "Stick It," and then go to bed at 2300.

Thursday

I sleep the whole night.  Each day is getting a little better.  I still can't eat much without getting nauseas, but at least I'm eating.  I am now 12 pounds thinner and am still coughing phlegm.  I've had a low grade fever since Monday, but as long as my sinuses and throat don't hurt, then I'm happy.  Maybe I'll be back to my old self before I leave here.

God Bless and Take Care,

Jen

The flash disk that I have had since Iraq is now at rest.  The worse thing about it is my re-up pics from last month were on there and some memos I had to retype again!  I really liked my flash disk, and it was only 3 yrs old.  I guess it wanted to leave Afghanistan sooner than later.  Man, will I miss it.  After all it was my very first one!

Things are going along here.  I bought a lot of stuff here.  I think because, when I was in Iraq I didn't have an amazon account yet.  But, now that I do, I use it constantly.  Amazon is fantastic with I believe the world's best customer service.

In other news, I have a PT test in 2wks.  Yay!  I'm only a month overdue for the thing.  Running here is reminicent of Colorado.  Afghanistan has a high altitude too!  The gym is really nice though.  I know I'll pass it.  Speaking of which, in October I will be able to weigh 152lbs compared to 137 the Army wants me to weigh now, and still keep the same body fat percentage.  This is great!  I know my body can get down to the 150s easily.  So, now I can get on the scale and then get right off and not be taped.  This is a dream come true.  I'll no longer be in the "chunky monkey" group.  Will I miss it?  No! 

Well that's all for now. 

God bless and take care,

Jen

Yesterday, I was checking my e-mail, and my Commander spoke aloud that Steve Irwin is dead.  I looked up at him with a questioning look and thought to myself is this some kind of hoax?  When my Commander then proceeded to tell us that Steve was killed by a sting-ray, I then thought for sure that this had to be a hoax.  Come on now, he's wrestled crocodiles, alligators, played with venemous and non-venemous snakes and spiders, and not to mention he had a run in with a hippo!  He was even in a cage while Great White Sharks swam around him and were trying to get him in that cage.  How possibly could a sting-ray take Steve from this world?  But, as we all know it happened.  The Crocodile Hunter like us is not immortal, and he was pierced in the chest by a sting-ray's barb. 

Steve Irwin was different than most celeberties.  He was the same on camera as he was off.  His love for animals and his family were evident.  He died doing what he loved doing, and that was showing the world animals and their habitats and telling people to not be afraid and kill them all off.  If it wasn't for him, how many of us would have seen the beauty of reptiles and other animals that society deems dangerous? 

I didn't watch the Crocodile Hunter until the end of my Freshman year to the begining of my Sophmore year.  All the kids in school were talking about this Austrailian that wrestles with crocodiles.  I knew I had to see this.  I began watching the show and was amazed.  Soon, specials were premiering, one of which was Steve Irwin's "Deadliest Snakes".  I jumped so many times during that show, because I thought for sure he was going to be bitten.  Of course he wasn't.  All his shows were like that.  They were all exciting to watch as well as educational. 

Steve Irwin paved the way for other wildlife conservationists.  I watched a show last year with the host saying that majority of snakes will not strike unless they are handled.  This dude stood on a Copperhead with both feet and Copperhead didn't do a thing.  But, when the host took a protestic hand and tried to pick the snake up, it then struck.  Steve's message rang through loud and clear in this program, "Don't muck with it."

Steve Irwin had child-like energy and enthusiasm.  Many people around the world will miss Steve Irwin and I am one of those people.  Steve Irwin is survived by his wife Terri (born in Oregon, USA), and two children Bindi Sue (8) and Robert "Bob" (2 1/2).  My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends. 

In Memory of Steve Irwin

22 February 1962 - 04 September 2006

God Bless and Take Care,

Jen