Eating Disorders

Well, I haven't written in a while, but that's not because I haven't been doing anything. In reality, it's just too hard to put it into sentences, but I'll try. Basically, I spent the past week being trained at the Eating Disorder Clinic. The dietitian there resigned to stay at home to take care of her new baby. So Thursday is her last day and Friday is my first day covering for her. I've comitted to cover 6 weeks until they find someone, but there's also the possiblity that I could work there. So far I really like it a lot. It's different than anything I've ever done. The most important thing I have to remind myself of is that eating disorders have almost nothing to do with eating. I know it sounds strange, but they have this saying that "Eating disorders never travel alone." Basically, almost every person with an eating disorder has a psychological issue that must be tackled before the eating can be changed. That's why there are 4 psychotherapists and one dietitian at the Unit. But I do like it. (Plus, it probably pays more, has it's own office, and is a lot more laid back than the hospital) But I don't know what's going to happen if I get offered a job at the hospital...we'll just see.

Besides working there, I've been staying busy trying to keep up with all of our other internship stuff, including that huge presentation I have to do! I am officially terrified and it's still a month away. Oh and I almost forgot...Derek invited Shining Through to come to our church and sing and some of them will be staying at our house. And get this, they'll be staying the night before my luncheon! This may not seem like a big deal, but it is! I already threatened Derek they have to be quiet so I can sleep! He had originally planned on having all of the guys in the group stay at our house, but I told him he'd have to cut it back. I have to be well rested and I have to have complete devotion to the bathroom in the morning as well :)

The only other thing that's really been going on is health related. For years I've had dizzy spells and more recently blurred vision. Then over the last month or so, they became more and more frequent and more severe so I went to the doctor. I found out that I am hypoglycemic, which is basically the opposite of diabetic. With diabetes, the body doesn't produce enough insulin so blood sugars are always high, but my body makes too much insulin so my blood sugars get low. When they're low I'm in danger of passing out and even worse things that I don't want to think about. Some of you may remember Christina, the dietetics major from Bluffton that was a year ahead of us (I would say her last name, but that's probably not nice to do on a blog) Well, anyways, I think it was her senior year, she had a bad car accident. Anyone remember? Well, basically she didn't find out until afterwards but she was hypoglycemic and passed out and pulled out in front of an SUV. So that's what I'm trying to avoid. Unfortunately, there's no medicine, I just have to eat 6 small meals each day, so I feel like I'm eating all the time, and I have to be careful because I don't want to gain weight. But I also don't want to pass out and have blurred vision, so that's what I'm working with right now. So far, just eating 3 snacks each day has really helped!

Well, I guess this entry makes up for not writing in a while....