Awhile back, I posted about what I had been doing in December to volunteer my time, and mentioned that I had something else in the works for this year. I am quite certain that you have all been on the edge of your seats waiting to hear what that was (haha!) and I am finally ready to share that with you.
So, starting in a few weeks, after all my paperwork is completed, I am going to be volunteering for a few hours, every Tuesday evening, at Texas Children's Hospital. :)
Despite the fact that I currently feel like death has wrapped his boney fingers around me and is slowly pulling me down into his black pit (I kid, but really, I haven't felt so sick in years! I feel AWFUL!) I made it up to Texas Children's today for my volunteer interview. Under any other circumstance I would have tried to reschedule, but I already had to schedule this over a month in advance, and today is the only weekday for awhile that I don't have to go to work. So, I got the fever under control, pulled myself together, and went to my interview at noon. I met with a very nice lady and we chatted for about 45 minutes. She shared with me all the different opportunities they have for volunteers, and I decided to start my placement as a patient pal. Basically I will go to Texas Children's every Tuesday from 5-7 and talk to individual patients, read them stories, play games, do puzzles, or just hold babies. The point is to give parents a break and give the kids something fun to do. I could not be more excited about this! I cannot wait to get started! Unfortunately, it will be a few weeks still before everything will be in order and I can attend an orientation.
After the interview, I got super lucky and they said they could squeeze me in for my TB skin test while I was there since I live so far away. This is really awesome because now I can just have my school nurse read the test on Wednesday, sign off my paperwork, and fax it back in. Saves me a LOT of driving just to have someone look at my arm for 2 seconds. So, I headed over to the clinic to get my TB test done. I have had a lot of these skin tests done because you have to have one every year in college to be allowed into classrooms, so I know what they are like. EVERY single time thus far, I have passed out afterwards. I have a serious fear of needles. This isn't even a big needle; I realize it's no big deal, but every single time after it's over I start thinking about the needle in my skin, get lightheaded, and pass out. I have now learned that I have to ask the nurse to let me sit there for a few minutes to prevent this from happening, but I was sort of scared of this lady as when I first walked in I overheard her making fun of the lady before me for crying when she got a tetanus shot. Didn't seem like she was going to be too sympathetic to how absolutely pathetic I am, so I didn't say anything. She gave me the shot, I felt a little lightheaded but shook it off, walked out of the office, my vision started to blur a little, I leaned back against the wall in the hallway (where the scary nurse could no longer see me) and stood there like a crazy person for a few minutes. But guess what?!? I didn't pass out! HUGE progress here! haha
Since I wasn't expecting to get the TB skin test done today I ended up being out a lot longer than planned. I felt fine pretty much the whole time, then on the way home I started to feel a little run down again. That may have something to do with when the last time I took any Advil was though ... but no worries, I have since taken some more.
So, that's my big news of the day! I'm going to be volunteering at Texas Children's Hospital every Tuesday for the next 6 months. I am SO excited about this I cannot even tell you! :)
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