(no subject)
Sitting in a writing lab with various members of EWU's football team. It's pretty quiet so far, which means they're either working on papers and such or fiddling around online - something they're technically not supposed to do, but I really don't get too worked up about it.
Mondays and Wednesdays are my long days - pretty much 9am - 9pm on campus. It's been good, though - I'm starting to actually feel like a student, a sensation which took a while to sink in. I'm still attempting to get into the homework mode. Of course, that was a mode I wasn't much into at GU either, so who knows. Nights are pretty quiet now, mostly spent reading, drinking tea, and closing out with a film of some kind. They have a pretty decent selection at the library here, so I've been checking about 4 out per week. Also, I've finally established contact with the sexual violence awareness groups on campus, and begun volunteering for them in my minimal free time. In addition, I'll begin (hopefully) training to become an advocate for SAFeT next month, meaning I'll be on-call at least one night a week for a year, taking the phone calls and doing hospital runs as needed. It's something I've been interested in doing for a while now, but I only very recently decided it is now the right time. Weekends are going to be spent working with Habitat for Humanity by day; then, I have a couple possibilities for nighttime work - either bartending at the Twilight Room (cross your fingers!), or serving at CenterStage during their Dinner Theatre. Either one would be a blast, I have a feeling. But more on that later.
Lastly, I begin moving (yes, again....it's been less than a year, unbelievably enough) tomorrow. I am SO stoked, it's incredible. I'll be in Brown's Addition this time, in a Massive one bedroom apartment which is a good $100 cheaper than any other place I saw whilst looking on Friday. The guy didn't have a sign out or anything - I just happen to know the gal in the building, ran into her randomly, and she filled me in. It's gonna be awesome - as mentioned, the space is huge, it's in a 1898 victorian-style home on a corner a block from the Elk, and My Place was renovated in the 70's, giving it a fun, retro-but-not-in-the-tacky-sort-of-way feel. The kitchen is enormous, has a bar, there's plenty of wall-space, and there's even a little secret passageway hallway (which can double either as a storage space or spare bedroom, depending on the situation). So basically, this seems to have been meant to be.
In the meantime, I'm heading over to Portland for a couple singing events this weekend, which will be terrific amounts of fun. It also means I can gather up the remainder of my possessions which are still at my family's place, declaring my independence once and for all.
Moving in a more somber direction, a week ago I witnessed a seizure for the first time. For those of you who have never seen one hit another person, it's just about the most horrible thing ever to experience. It's far worse when it's someone you care about. So needless to say, when, in the midst of mopping the kitchen floor, Adam keeled over, convulsing, covered in sweat and purple all in one instant, I was awash with various sensations, in an order something like this:
1. I'm not familiar with this.
2. I can't do anything.
3. I'm really, really scared.
I was on my knees next to him, shouting at Mikey to call 911, shouting at Adam in the ridiculous hope that he'd simply snap out of it, and going ballistic with the unsurity of what to do next. I knew two things: at least get his head on its side to prevent choking, and watch the tongue. The former proved useful, because had I not done it, he certainly would have choked. Then, as quickly as he went down and it all began, he went completely still, ceased breathing, and all colour left his face completely. His lips turned a ghastly shade of purple as his face went ash grey. Mikey was still outside on the phone, and I screamed. I don't scream - I yell, but I'm not sure I've really ever screamed before. Definitely not like this, anyway. Neighbors probably heard me two blocks away, and Mikey came tearing back in the apartment. He saw what I saw, and still calls it the Face of Death. Adam's eyes rolled back in his head, and all I could think was: "NO. It does NOT work this way. We didn't say goodbye. This can't be the End."
When he finally (after what seemed like an eternity) gasped for breath, I began weeping. He came to, at long last, more or less just as the paramedics came bursting through the door. He was so out of it all I got out of him for the first couple minutes really was something about Sean Connery, and people coming ot get us. Neither he nor I have any clue what that was all about. He was in the hospital for the next several hours, and after a lot of blood work and a CAT scan, was released.
This is a large part of the reason my social life has been pretty quiet these days. He's faring well now, but that grey face emblazoned itself into my mind, and I can't believe how quickly these sorts of things can occur. It's mind-boggling and thoroughly disconcerting.
So, in conclusion, I feel I can be allowed this once to reiterate some cliche pieces of advice we normally barf at upon hearing:
Always tell your loved ones, whomever they may be, that you love them. Always.
Put forth your greatest effort never to end a conversation on a sour or irritable note.
Hug people, touch their arm, their hand - anything to give them a piece of your warmth and experience theirs as well.
Look everyone in the eye.
Spend time with friends and family. Lots of time.
And don't stop telling your loved ones you love them.
Because if you don't, that regret will be the first thing that crosses your mind when the world loses them.
Mondays and Wednesdays are my long days - pretty much 9am - 9pm on campus. It's been good, though - I'm starting to actually feel like a student, a sensation which took a while to sink in. I'm still attempting to get into the homework mode. Of course, that was a mode I wasn't much into at GU either, so who knows. Nights are pretty quiet now, mostly spent reading, drinking tea, and closing out with a film of some kind. They have a pretty decent selection at the library here, so I've been checking about 4 out per week. Also, I've finally established contact with the sexual violence awareness groups on campus, and begun volunteering for them in my minimal free time. In addition, I'll begin (hopefully) training to become an advocate for SAFeT next month, meaning I'll be on-call at least one night a week for a year, taking the phone calls and doing hospital runs as needed. It's something I've been interested in doing for a while now, but I only very recently decided it is now the right time. Weekends are going to be spent working with Habitat for Humanity by day; then, I have a couple possibilities for nighttime work - either bartending at the Twilight Room (cross your fingers!), or serving at CenterStage during their Dinner Theatre. Either one would be a blast, I have a feeling. But more on that later.
Lastly, I begin moving (yes, again....it's been less than a year, unbelievably enough) tomorrow. I am SO stoked, it's incredible. I'll be in Brown's Addition this time, in a Massive one bedroom apartment which is a good $100 cheaper than any other place I saw whilst looking on Friday. The guy didn't have a sign out or anything - I just happen to know the gal in the building, ran into her randomly, and she filled me in. It's gonna be awesome - as mentioned, the space is huge, it's in a 1898 victorian-style home on a corner a block from the Elk, and My Place was renovated in the 70's, giving it a fun, retro-but-not-in-the-tacky-sort-of-way feel. The kitchen is enormous, has a bar, there's plenty of wall-space, and there's even a little secret passageway hallway (which can double either as a storage space or spare bedroom, depending on the situation). So basically, this seems to have been meant to be.
In the meantime, I'm heading over to Portland for a couple singing events this weekend, which will be terrific amounts of fun. It also means I can gather up the remainder of my possessions which are still at my family's place, declaring my independence once and for all.
Moving in a more somber direction, a week ago I witnessed a seizure for the first time. For those of you who have never seen one hit another person, it's just about the most horrible thing ever to experience. It's far worse when it's someone you care about. So needless to say, when, in the midst of mopping the kitchen floor, Adam keeled over, convulsing, covered in sweat and purple all in one instant, I was awash with various sensations, in an order something like this:
1. I'm not familiar with this.
2. I can't do anything.
3. I'm really, really scared.
I was on my knees next to him, shouting at Mikey to call 911, shouting at Adam in the ridiculous hope that he'd simply snap out of it, and going ballistic with the unsurity of what to do next. I knew two things: at least get his head on its side to prevent choking, and watch the tongue. The former proved useful, because had I not done it, he certainly would have choked. Then, as quickly as he went down and it all began, he went completely still, ceased breathing, and all colour left his face completely. His lips turned a ghastly shade of purple as his face went ash grey. Mikey was still outside on the phone, and I screamed. I don't scream - I yell, but I'm not sure I've really ever screamed before. Definitely not like this, anyway. Neighbors probably heard me two blocks away, and Mikey came tearing back in the apartment. He saw what I saw, and still calls it the Face of Death. Adam's eyes rolled back in his head, and all I could think was: "NO. It does NOT work this way. We didn't say goodbye. This can't be the End."
When he finally (after what seemed like an eternity) gasped for breath, I began weeping. He came to, at long last, more or less just as the paramedics came bursting through the door. He was so out of it all I got out of him for the first couple minutes really was something about Sean Connery, and people coming ot get us. Neither he nor I have any clue what that was all about. He was in the hospital for the next several hours, and after a lot of blood work and a CAT scan, was released.
This is a large part of the reason my social life has been pretty quiet these days. He's faring well now, but that grey face emblazoned itself into my mind, and I can't believe how quickly these sorts of things can occur. It's mind-boggling and thoroughly disconcerting.
So, in conclusion, I feel I can be allowed this once to reiterate some cliche pieces of advice we normally barf at upon hearing:
Always tell your loved ones, whomever they may be, that you love them. Always.
Put forth your greatest effort never to end a conversation on a sour or irritable note.
Hug people, touch their arm, their hand - anything to give them a piece of your warmth and experience theirs as well.
Look everyone in the eye.
Spend time with friends and family. Lots of time.
And don't stop telling your loved ones you love them.
Because if you don't, that regret will be the first thing that crosses your mind when the world loses them.