On Monday, I had a near-faint experience. I must admit it was cool to be able to go through the sensations before passing out, although not too pleasant. Last month, I signed up for a research study called WISER (Women in Steady Exercise Research) which looks to see if exercise plays a role in the prevention of breast cancer. It is a four year study to see how exercise affects one's oxidative stress (supposedly the primary cause of cancer as it causes one's distortion of DNA or sth like that) and estrogen level. As for my part, I am to be assigned into the exercise or non-exercise group and get paid $300 bucks after six months either ways (please put me in the exercise group!) . I will only know which group I will be assigned to after my 2nd clinic test.
Anyway, I had my first clinic test on Monday which includes blood drawing into 7 tubes for 7 different tests and body scanning with the DEXA scan which looks at my body composition (basically fats and muscles). By the end of the blood draw, I started to feel dizzy. Next, I could not hear on my left ear and I could feel it getting worse. The nurse asked me to look away from the needle while she pulled it out from my arm. After she was done she made me lie down on the recline-able (or reclining) chair while she went to get me water. It took her quite a while to get my water. I felt like puking and beads of sweat started to form on my head. I felt hot. I drank some water and continued resting. Slowly, I got better. It all happened so quickly but it was slow enough for me to feel and engage in one sensation at a time. Awesome! That was the highlight of my entire day. I couldn't even remember what else I did on that day. =D
Yesterday, I finally got done with my scholarship application essays, although I still have to shorten the other one. I also spent 4 hours making sushi. What a way for me to spend my precious holiday. It was for my professor and lab coordinators as a way to thank them for helping and guiding me throughout my research experience in the TRiCAM lab. I felt so happy to see them again, ;) which brings me back to the whole gratitude thing. I feel grateful that I get to work with them, and that my friends and family are there (well at heart) with me all the time to watch me grow as a person, and that I was able to live a happy, full, and abundant life till today. There is no reason for me to worry or complain (slapping myself for forgetting my blessings sometimes). Fortunately, there are always friends and strangers who remind me to be grateful and be conscious of my actions once in a while eg. Nurul sent me a greeting e-card that asked me to smile ystd. Perfect timing; In the Oprah show, Randy Pausch was on again and his messages ring true in my mind. Phew...
Maybe I should start writing my blog and name it the gratitude journal. LOL. As they say, there can never be enough to be grateful for!
"Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful" -Buddha-
Peace!
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