More Blood Tests/Laughing Instead

"Next time you're tempted to groan, try laughing instead!"

-Joseph B. Wirthlin. "Come What May and Love It!" Oct. 2008 General Conference

At the end of last week, I was still feeling my normal dizziness and fatigue.  Eager to be able to run again, I made an appointment with John Powell to reassess the situation.  Yesterday, we sat and talked for awhile and I was thinking "Wow! What a painless appointment. No needles this time!" However, after talking to me, he sent me down to the lab. I was bracing myself for one last blood sample and telling myself I could do it.  Well, turns out this test would require 4 blood samples.  They drew the first two right when I got there and, because I'd been fasting all day and already have problems with needles, I became real light-headed and was on the verge of passing out. So, they brought in this mat and helped me lie down.  Then, they told me that the way the test worked, they had to take the next sample in an hour, and then the next one an hour after that.  Because I'd gotten so light-headed, they told me to lay there for the rest of the time.  So, not only was I having to face so many needles, I had to lay on the hospital floor for two hours!  At first, I was feeling sorry for myself.  But then, I remembered my favorite quote from Joseph B. Wirthlin, "Next time you're tempted to groan, try laughing instead!"  I started thinking about how pathetic I must have looked.  I could just hear the guys saying "Ah look at her look at her look at her!"  So, instead of feeling sorry for myself, I just laughed at myself!  I took a picture of myself, to keep the laughter coming.

How funny that the girl with the fear of needles had to take this test.  How funny that after becoming so cocky during Cross Country season, I had my dizziness keep me from having much of a reason to be cocky during Track season.  How funny that, after I had planned to have the perfect race at Region, I ended up eating track with only a lap and a half left.

It's a lot harder to CHOOSE to be positive than it is to CHOOSE to be negative.  However, after the choice is made, it is a whole lot easier to live life positive than to live it negative!