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Mar 8, 2009

Wait, What?

Life is sometimes a complicated thing. Just when things are going well and you feel like you have everything as together and planned out as you can, some apocalypse or plague hits you. Allow me to summarize in bullet points:

1. My perfect little angel baby gave me herpes. Wait, hold the phone. What? This requires further bullet pointing.

  • I apparently was among the 20% of the population to not have type 1 herpes. (Type 1 is the virus that gives you cold sores, NOT the virus that gives you genital warts – that’s type 2, just to be crystal clear about that.)
  • According to our extensive research (Wiki), it’s common for infants to be infected by other infants (swapping toys, food, drooling on each other, what have you) or adults (kisses, snuggling).
  • When adults get type 1 herpes, say, from kissing their unbearably cute yet drooling and disease-ridden little babies, they come down with all kinds of exaggerated badness: GIANT, FLESH-EATING (temporarily) cold sores, swollen tonsils with white junk growing on them, mind-shattering fatigue, and really, really annoying husbands. (I’m not sure if that last symptom applies to everyone; it might be specific to my situation.)
  • This sore throat and abject exhaustion has been so bad that I have been praying that it turns out to be mono, just so I don’t have to go around saying, “I’m really tired because I am having a primary herpes outbreak. Oh, no. I don’t have a new boyfriend. I got it from my baby.”
2. Seemingly out of nowhere, which is generally how I like to make major life decisions, I have decided, in the event that Patrick matches here and we don’t move, that I want to take another year off of school to get a master’s degree in Public Health.
  • This decision is actually not out of nowhere. I’ve been thinking about it for years, but suddenly, on Wednesday, it was clear that this is the right time to do it (if we stay; if not, then I’ll do it later.) and I felt simultaneously invigorated at the thought of this new-ish venture and slightly nauseous when I learned that the deadline for the application is April 1. Whee!
  • This application includes a 1500 word Personal Statement about something meaningful and poetic. Like, saving the world by staying in school until I’m 35. I think that’s a good start to the essay, don’t you?
  • I’m talking about this here as a kind of heads up, rather than an announcement. This requires further bullet pointing as well, but I will talk about this more later when I’ve figured a few more things out. Or maybe not, when I drop the idea entirely because we end up leaving Lex. We’ll see how it plays out, but, for now, I’m working on the application.
3. Holy cow, Match Day is next Thursday. We are getting really, really… I don’t know. Insert some kind of wound-up emotional state here. I can’t really decide how I feel. Though some combination of vowels and gruesome facial expressions should pretty much explain what I mean.
  • Guess what else is due April 1? Transfer applications! Which also include long, self-involved essays! I’ve got everything drafted, so on the 19th, when we find out what we’re doing, I’ll start focusing on whichever essay seems most appropriate. Sheesh. Could this be any more complicated?
I have to go put more cream on my herpetic lesion in hopes that I can show my face at work tomorrow and ask for a letter of recommendation. Don’t mind the herpes! It’s not a reflection on my character, I swear!

CLARIFICATION: Thanks, Ashley! You're right, I think maybe the herpes went to my brain (God, I hope not). Type 2 herpes causes genital HERPES, not genital warts. Genital warts are caused by HPV. Sorry for the confusion - I was so anxious to clarify that Colin didn't give me anything of THAT sort, that I ended up getting everyone confused. But seriously, have you ever read a post that has the words HERPES and GENITAL in it so many times? I hope my Grandma doesn't black out trying to read this.

8 Readers rock!:

Dragonfly said...

Cool! Good luck. One of my oldest friends is starting a masters in July (giving birth in May) because 1) she wants to and 2) her work fits it into maternity leave really well in some complicated way that means she gets more time with her baby and more pay. I have been planning to start a MPH myself for the last 18 months (only VERY part time), I just have to get around to applying for and being able to pay for it.
Any particular focus or just general public health?
Hope those virions settle down soon. Little bustards.

barrie said...

Am I an evil person for busting into laughter about the herpes? Well, if I am then I am because I'm sorry that was the funniest thing I've heard all day...oh, I guess that coul be because the dogs can't talk but...Feel better SOON!

Alykat said...

Am I the only one that thought that you taking a year off of school to... go to school... was the funniest thing ever? I love you, and good luck on Patrick's match!

Anonymous said...

Good luck!!

As a 1st year resident & new mom (3 month old son) and with a (pre-med school) MSc in Epi that just today sent off an application to transfer out of my current specialty and into family medicine, I say...
(a) love your blog
(b) I think we lead scarily similar lives and
(c) more good luck with all of your adventures!

~Ashley said...

wow, lots of stuff going on! getting an MPH sounds exciting, I've thought about it on more than one occasion. i hope that match works out the best it can for you guys-- i'm sure it will! ok, the anal med student part of me hates to do this--and i'm saying i'm sorry aheadof time!, but i must also correct you (and I'm sure you know this, but the herpes has taken over)... herpes simplex 2 causes genital herpes...so imagine what you've got going on in your mouth going on down, well...there. HPV's the genital warts one. I hope you get the mono vs herpes mystery solved though!

mary martha said...

Well thank God I don't have to call children's services and add you and Colin to my case load... for a moment there you sounded like a bad lifetime movie or "Next on Maury "MY son gave me Herpes"" LOL
Nothing sez Love like a big old honkin cold sore....

~Ashley said...

ha ha, i'm sure if you did one of those analysis thingies of what people put in their search engine to end up at your blog, it would be pretty interesting right now ;)

~Sarah~ said...

ha! what a day(s) you've had. I wouldn't worry about essays, all you have to do is cut and paste a few lines from select blog entries and TAAA DAAA! p.s. posting this blog has earned you a little "Cure Herpes" google ad at the bottom of your page! oh babY1