Fun on the Softball Field

So today I volunteered at the LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City (part of the Intermountain Healthcare Urban Center hospitals) as a junior volunteer (today would be my third time volunteering out of nine times.) Spent an hour in the library researching one of my only loves: medicine (more specifically infectious diseases, and to be more precise fetal and neonatal infections and I also did some research on fever of unknown origin.) Actually, I spent an hour in the morning before my three and half hour shift and two hours after my shift because I had to wait for my mom to come pick me up. I must say I was genuinely happy flipping through journals and textbooks, taking notes (and I was proud of myself for understanding, to a certain degree, what the contents were. Or in other words I did learn something.) I have also decided that I will do a pediatrics residency, become board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics, and then pursue a pediatric infectious disease fellowship and also become board certified so that I may land a position at a medical school to 1. Teach at the medical school, residents and mainly fellows, 2. Conduct original research on fetal and neonatal infectious diseases, 3. Serve as a clinician at the outpatient clinic for pediatric infectious diseases and 4. Serve as a consulting physician for inpatient cases. Sounds like a lot, which it is, but as my understanding is it is a standard position and responsibilites for a specialist like that at an institution like that (here in Utah it would be the University of Utah School of Medicine.) But it is my life's mission to fill that position.

Once I came home I chilled for a little bit and afterwhich I contacted several friends from my early childhood up to 8th grade. Now I must give a brief history: I have been friends with these kids since kindergarten but in 9th grade after I left for a charter school (the Northern Utah Academy for Math, Engineering and Science or NUAMES) and they didn't, social and accademic differences separated us. So, as a consequence I only hang out with these guys on occasions. But today I decided I would be happy despite the pain so I contacted them (every time I do contact them I always regret the decision for one reason or another.) So they picked me up and we went to the local Wal Mart where they bought drinks then we headed over to one of their sisters homes so he could play with his nephew. His nephew is a brat on every dimension and every possible formuation of the defition, but it was amusing to watch as my friend tried to cope with it. At the same time my othe friend and I played with his little niece (so the sister of the brat) who, I must say, is the coolest little girl I have ever met. She has the most addictive laugh I have ever heard and is actually quite adorable. Its interesting that the boy would end up being the brat-it defies the standard stereotype.

After his sisters house we went over to the local stake center to play softball (it also seems I always regret playing softball or going to mutual in general because of being socially excluded or it just puts too much strain on my leg and I always end up going home literally crying-and I don't really cry.) But, today I was trying to do things that I normally wouldn't want to do to be "happy" (but now I know why I don't do things I don't want to do...) so I went to softball. Things started off well, we all were laughing and cracking jokes cause they can actually be quite relatable on rare occasions, but the way I was pitching my leg began to hurt some. And for some reason I was unable to keep the ball in my mitt so that was quite frustrating. But, I pitched a baseball to actually one of my friends that I was hanging out with and the ball came and hit my crippled leg (which by the way has extensive nerve damage and some muscle deterioration-which causes CONSTANT pain alone that is hardly manageable itself), but the ball hit so hard that it broke the skin. So naturally this knocked me down on the ground and instantly I wanted to cry but instead I started to laugh as a cover up-but everyone else, the people who are supposed to be my "brothers" were literally laughing. And I must admit it was one of the worst pains I have ever felt, and could barely move and they were laughing. But, I composed myself the best I could and got up and started to pitch some more but I was horribly nauseated. Needless to say my pitching was lacking and so someone offered that they pitch instead of me and I limped to the dug out. There I began to shake, and I felt my pulse and it ended up being around 110 and I started to sweat (well cold sweat cause before I was just sweating because of the hot sun.) So, I sat there for about fifteen minutes while the game went on. Then one of my good buddies, perhaps the ONLY kid I enjoy in my quorem, offered to give me a ride and I graciously accepted (I would have asked my friend that took me there but he was playing the game.)

But when I got home I immediately threw up and my dad came rushing in and I took some pain medications which lowered the incredible pain to just pain that I would experience on a bad day. What really annoys me is I honestly don't think my church leaders and other quorem members believe I'm in pain. So, I feel that they figured the intense pain was from being hit by the baseball, when in reality it wasn't. But on the other hand I'm used to it cause every week I have to sit there and repeat over and over again that I'm not going to campouts because of my leg. Its getting to the point where I would use any excuse not to attend Priesthood.

To say the least, today was a really good day but it would counter balanced by it being a horrible day pain wise and I'm sure I will be quite soar for the next couple days. Which is a particular bummer considering I'm going to Warp Tour. Also, I really miss my good friend Savannah (nicknamed Savvi for short) so thats not helping any either :(