Argh! What a week. We get Monday off, right?

Human rights are awesome. I love them. I've actually studied them, even. But, I must say I am especially excited about them after this week. Not that I've experienced some kind of human rights eye opener. No. I'm not that humble right now. If anything, I should be thanking our government for a holiday meant to remember human rights (aka - Martin Luther King Day). Believe me when I say I am looking forward to this "holiday" coming up on Monday. No work. No school. I mean, it's not like we get the family together and celebrate with some extravagant meal or anything. There aren't really any songs or decorations associated with the day. There's always shopping - stores can make a sale out of any "holiday."

I am especially excited for this coming holiday though. I think I will need the long weekend to get over this last week. Mentally and physically, it has been a rough ride.

Salt Lake City has hit a number one in the nation, but not one to be proud of. This week we had the worst air quality (dirtiest air) in the U.S. People like me aren't supposed to be out in that bad of air. I'm already compromised simply by my lack of a lobe in my right lung. I used to just have asthma and every year since I have lived here, I have used my emergency inhaler more during the January/February months than during the entire rest of the year. I didn't even have asthma at all before I moved here.

Where is Salt Lake City? Just look for the orange/red blob on the map.

So, when you have to actually leave your house to go to work and school, it makes it difficult to avoid the bad air outside. My breathing has been more labored, trying to walk to my office from my car, back to my car from my office, from my car to class, from class to my car, from my car to my... I think you get the picture. It's been a lot of walking.

I have also had a lot of pain in my incision area because I am no longer taking the day time Lortab for pain. I take about 1000 mg of Ibuprofen once or twice a day to help with it. I had forgotten about the pain there and in the shoulder after my first surgery. I have tried eating with my left hand more often, but I haven't attempted the left handed use of my mouse at work.

The mental toughness of the week is expressed thoroughly in my previous postings (radiation/chemo - not getting consumed).

So, me and my husband talked about it and and talked about it again. I have requested, and it has been approved, for me to temporarily decrease my hours at work from 40 to 30 per week. I will be going in later each day, rather than going home early. Hopefully my new schedule at work will accommodate less walking to and from my car for work and class, and also make plenty of time for therapy when that starts.

I know I'm going to feel cruddy after therapy, especially the chemo. I guess these therapies can really take it out of you. Craig will be with me for those, so he will keep it real for me. I'd probably try to squeeze in a trip to TJ Maxx or Tuesday Morning looking for discount Le Creuset between therapy and work/school. Craig will most likely force me to go home and sleep. His wiseness can be so irritating sometimes!!

Today I meet with the counselor at disability services on campus. So, okay, I guess I am a tiny bit humble. I have completely avoided this step for the last year. I just kept telling myself that I didn't have a disability, so why would I need to ask for help? I hate asking for help. It's like admitting you can't do it or something. Well, I may not be able to do it all by myself this time.

My desire to finish school is apparently greater than my need to prove I can do it on my own.

So, today I will finish this week off knowing I am on the right track to do what needs to be done to accomplish all of my goals. One of my goals has actually changed and Craig is very supportive, if not darned right excited, of it. Location, location, location. That's all I'll say about that for now. This post has already stretched on, and on, and on...