The best / worst work week ever.

So this is how my morning went on Monday, and how that morning drastically changed my week.

      Over the weekend I had noticed a couple bumps on my arm, nothing big, I mean, they didn't itch, but I did think it was peculiar that they only appeared in one spot, and close together. Monday morning, I woke up, like any other Monday morning, absolutely stoked to start the week off good, a drastic change from the way things ended last week, (chaotic - it was the week of hell at SOME medical, if you want more details, you can ask). Two slices of bread, one side with peanut butter, the other with its pair, strawberry jelly, were pushed together, in beautiful harmony. I delicately wrapped what I anticipated would be a good hearty lunch for the day. On went my sweatshirt and helmet. Out the door I went, ready to make calls, see patients, and do what I do. I parked my bike in the back lot, locked it up, and put my elevator key in the key hole and turned it while pressing the call button. I walked into the clinic, set my things down, and then did what I thought I should. I asked Dr. Wright if I should be concerned about these bumps on my arm. He looked at them, then told me that I needed to head home for the week, and begin treatment for scabies as a preventative measure. You see, the Friday prior I had unintentionally screened a patient who ended up having scabies, meaning I was exposed to the parasite, and the bumps did appear to be from a parasite, as they were close together and localized. In my head, I screamed profanities. I kept my mouth shut though, as I was shown how to apply the neurotoxin cream that would kill whatever bugs were on me, was asked if I had a history of seizures, as that could be a side-effect of the medication. ARRRRGGHGHHH. Words could not describe how frustrated I was. I left work, dejected, and pissed. How was this happening to ME? Now I had to go home, and incinerate everything I owned. Well, not entirely, I had to put all my laundry and clothes, plus linens (and intimates), in a hot wash. My room had to be thoroughly vacuumed, everything sprayed down in critter-killing pesticide, I had to take a hot shower, then rub this white cream all over my body, avoiding the family jewels. This process took pretty much the entire day. Along with spraying my own room, I sprayed down the rest of the house. Made an errand to Target, to purchase two items.

1: Bed Condoms, AKA Mattress Covers
2: The baddest most deadly bed critter pesticide known to man, well, at least that was what I hoped it was.

That day of cleaning allowed me to let my anger fester. Anger at the job for putting me in a situation where I could have gotten scabies. Anger at my situation, that I couldn't work this week (which seemed to take some meaning away from the week, at least it seemed like it would initially). Anger at the divine. Not exactly, though, but I was most assuredly angry at a lot of things.

After everything was done, I sat down in my chair, and stared at the wall for a bit. Slowly but surely, the anger subsided, my housemates returned home to me, and we had a good reflection. I realized that my anger wasn't going to accomplish anything, moreover, it was keeping me from getting any actual work done. Sometimes, S****** just happens, [scabies]. My job isn't to blame, nor are the people that I work with. The real test is how I respond to the situation, and I made a conscious decision at that moment to not let this situation ruin the rest of my week.

Tuesday: I made the trek to Theodore Roosevelt Island, and I would say that it embodies the word, Island: being isolated. Walking though the trails, you almost forget that a bustling city is minutes away. I was also struck by the stark difference in fall color between the west coast (my home), and where I am now on the eastern side. The colors here CHANGE. I was engulfed by shades of grey, yellow, red, orange, brown, and every color in-between. Leaves completely masked the ground. Walking takes on a new feeling as you hear and feel a *crunch* with every step. The air was crisp, the day was beautiful. Not a cloud in the sky, and that unfortunately deceived me into believing that I was once again in California, where, if it is sunny, shorts are appropriate. Not so, I was not in California but in a Washington, DC autumn. My legs, uncovered, felt the sting of a cold wind, which sent shivers up and down. Still, I was happy. There's something special about seeing such a drastic change (relatively) in the look and feel of a city. Now i get it, the east coast has SEASONS. Case in point: when I arrived here, I was miserable. The humidity stuck to every part of me. It was sunny and hot every day, though, now and again there was a thunderstorm and torrential rain. Green and yellow were the primary colors of the landscape. Now, that feeling and look are gone. It is an undeniable fact that fall is here.

Wednesday: I awoke early, ready for a day on the road. I packed a hearty lunch of two PB&Js, granola bars, protein shake, and PB crackers. I donned a thermal with a running t-shirt plus shorts, ready to sweat a little. The day before I had been inspired by a Mount Vernon Trail information sheet I had found on Theodore Roosevelt Island. The Mount Vernon Trail extends from Teddy's Island (Theodore Roosevelt) down to Mount Vernon, a total of around 17-18 miles. I felt inspired the day before to check out the house of our former president George Washington. I mean, he's kind of a big deal. At 8:20am I hit the road, biking first downtown, then began the search for the trail. As I crossed the Arlington Cemetery Bridge, I had no idea where to find the trail. I looked around and saw nothing. I almost made it to the cemetery before turning around and looking closer to the Potomac. Low-and-behold there it was, and after crossing roads where cars were going around 60mph, I was on my way to Mount Vernon. The ride was spectacular, but soon enough my butt began to hurt and I would alternate 'spin' style biking with normal seated biking to alleviate the pain. I only made one stop on the way down, to enjoy the view a little bit at the Reagan National Airport. The planes would take off directly overhead, accompanied with a thundering boom. I've always loved planes, except (according to my parents) when I was born. I spent my first days around an Air Force Base and would cry when the planes would go overhead. I think I've outgrown that phobia. I digress, I continued on the trail until I hit Mount Vernon. The price of admission is $15, and is totally worth it. There is an extensive museum and education center which are beautifully constructed. There are exhibits which outline our first Commander and Chief's life, along with the events that coincided with his life. However, the most breathtaking part of the experience is Mount Vernon, itself. The house looks just as it did when it was finally completed. I did not realize that the house was added onto many times, before reaching its final look. I'll post a few pictures, but they do not do it justice. You just need to visit.

Thursday: That's today. I woke up a bit later, as I didn't have any particular plans. I had thought I would go to a few museums but I wasn't as motivated to get started early. I do recall having some bizarre dreams, which I kept waking up from, then turning over in bed just so I could continue the saga. So I got up, made some breakfast, read the paper, then decided that I would go visit the National Archives. It was pretty interesting, and I felt inspired to check up on my genealogy, maybe when I get some time I'll make an effort to find out more about my family history on my own. After that I stopped at the National Gallery, and went through their exhibitions, which were absolutely breathtaking. I loved the Monet exhibition, its crazy how it seems up close that the brush strokes look like the work of an amateur, and it is only when you step back you get the whole picture and see it for what it really is, a work of art. I also was able to see the only work of Leonardo da Vinci that exists in the United States. Anyhoo, its been a long day, my friend's Dad is here, so I should get back to entertaining.