Ugg

A few months ago, okay 7 months ago, I went to my regular appointment with my allergist and he did his regular check-up.
MD: "Julie, is your heart rate always this fast?".
J: "I don't know."
MD: "Let's recheck it. Still 115." "You take it."
J: "111."
MD: "Have you had problems with your heart?"
J: "Some palpitations from time to time but no, not really."
MD: "I'd like you to get an EKG. Every time you come in here you heart rate is well over 100."
J: (To self) That's just because you're hot.

So I went home and called the doctor he recommended to try and schedule an EKG. I couldn't get an EKG without a new patient appointment and the nurse said they wouldn't take me without one and to go to the ER. Not dying here. Not going to the ER. So I ignored it. Figured it was the allergy and asthma meds.

I'm no longer taking the allergy and asthma meds that would make my heart race/palpitate/etc. so when it didn't stop I thought maybe I should get that EKG. So I went to my current provider, with a different concern - I really just wanted sleeping pills for my plane trip to England, and brought it up.

So now I'm sitting here with a Holter monitor on. A Holter monitor monitors the electrical activity of the heart (EKG) for whatever time period it's set for. Mine is for 24 hours. It sucks. I have EKG leads stuck to my chest and TAPED on with tape that is visibly irritating my skin (and just plain irritating me), I can't swim, I can't shower/bathe/get wet and my heart hasn't done anything weird so far. Which means this will have been a tremendous waste of time, money, and my skin. Maybe it'll act up tomorrow. So here's the lesson, never mention a heart problem unless you think you're going to die imminently. Wait, if you think you have a heart problem you should probably see a doctor but if they hook you up to a Holter, call me and we'll commiserate.

New Love

My surgeon told me I should swim. My trainer told me I should swim. My massage lady told me I should swim. But I saw the sorority sisters heading to the pool in their skimpy bikinis and I thought, "ABSOLUTELY NOT!" That was until yesterday. After wearing my swimsuit in front of 700 some odd LDS single adults in HB the rec center pool didn't seem so intimidating. That and my friend Fabio said he goes every night and said I should come with him and he swims at night. So last night I went. AND I LOVED IT! I promised myself I would swim for 20 minutes and the first 10 were painful but then I got into a rhythm and when 20 minutes had gone by I wasn't ready to go. But I didn't want to over do it on the first night and never want to go again so I stopped. I looked forward to swimming all day today. We were originally planning on going at 6 but Fabio had to work late so I gave up a ward activity to go swimming at 8:30. I swam for 30 minutes tonight and would have loved to keep going but the pool closes at 9. Ahh, can't wait until tomorrow.

The latest

The past few weeks have been busy and I've been having a great time! My roommate Keri and I hosted a game night for our ward. We had a good turn out and enjoyed Sing Star, Guitar Hero, a host of other games. Then last weekend we went to the Huntington Beach Single Adult Conference and then Wednesday I was inducted into Sigma Theta Tau, the honor and research society for nurses.

Enjoy the photos!

Game Night

Shauna and I playing Sing Star






Keri and Jeff






Fabio

Huntington Beach Single Adult Conference

Friday: We arrived in HB and went to the opening mixer. Keri was talking to a friend when she looked up and saw a guy that looked really familiar.
Keri to her friend: Ask that guy his name...
Keri's friend: No way. You ask him.
Keri: I think that's Julie's friend Tyler
Keri to Ty: What's your name?
Ty: Tyler.
Keri: Tyler, what?
Ty: ....
Keri: Do you know Julie ...?
Ty: Yes! She's one of my favorite people!
Keri: She's my roommate!
Ty: Calls me...

Saturday: We all met at the stake center for a morning devotional, lunch, and then off to the beach for volleyball. Afterward, Keri and I combined our friends and went to dinner then to the church for mingling and dancing.

Keri and I at dinner

Ty and I plus a couple of his friends and Keri and her San Diego friends

Marcello, Emily, and Tyler

Me and Tyler

Sunday: We met at the church for a two hour sacrament meeting. Really good talks about getting married and making commitments. Blah, blah, blah. Afterward we had lunch, where I dropped strawberries on my shirt and an ice cream sandwich down my shirt! After lunch they had a musical fireside which we left half way through. We were all very tired so sitting and listening to soothing music was impossible. So Ty, Keri, Dave (a new friend from the conference), and I left and headed to Long Beach. Once in Long Beach we visited the Queen Mary - little creepy in my opinion - then dropped off Ty - he had to get up early to study for his last board exam - and heading to Sgt. Pepper's Dueling Pianos. This place was really fun! It's a bar but they have two pianos and the musicians take requests and duel on the two pianos. It's like a live band and kareoke combined!


Keri, Me, and Ty and a really cool phone booth on the Queen Mary in Long Beach

Sgt. Peppers Dueling Pianos - they were playing my song

Keri and Dave at Sgt. Peppers - the sign says you might experience hearing loss.

Monday: Sunday I ran into one of Bree's old roommates, Julie. So we (Keri, Julie, I) met up for breakfast at the Sugar Shack then went down to the beach.

Keri and I at Huntington Beach

Sigma Theta Tau

Wednesday night I was inducted into Sigma Theta Tau, the honor and research society for nurses. The only take the top 10% (I think) of each class. My favorite nursing friends Elizabeth and Chrissy were also invited.

Elizabeth, Me, Amber (from my program)

Signing the book

Inductees from my class. On of my favorite instructors, Nita was also inducted. Dr. Cherry (my clinical instructor) is the 3rd from the right.

Elizabeth, Me, Chrissy with our Certificates