Nyquil+Master's Report

So I haven't blogged for awhile- well- things have been a little busy lately. I'd like to introduce you to my two new best friends as of late:

I made an awful realization several weeks ago. Not only was the first draft of my 8,000 word master's report due on April 7, but the first draft for my big story (3,000 words) for one of my classes, was also due the same day. Greeeeeat. So, I have been doing my reporting for my master's report, which is on the nursing shortage in Central Texas, but as of a week before the April 7 deadline, I hadn't had time to start writing.

And, as luck would have it, I started to feel a tickle in my throat on Friday, April 2.... By Monday- it had grown into a full blown couldn't stop sneezing or blowing my nose- COLD. Now, I never get sick- I haven't been sick for the past two years. But it was the reality of the situation. It was do or die.

So, I immediately entered what I like to refer to as my "military mode." Saturday, I sat down and wrote out my 3,000 word draft. I knew I had to get it done, and I had plans to take off Easter Sunday for reasons I will discuss in an upcoming post. It wasn't as bad as I thought, but keep in mind I wasn't as sick yet on Saturday. I took Easter off, and woke up Monday morning.... feeling horrible.

Great... I was sick. The realization hit me hard- I panicked for a split second. Then went back into 'military mode.' It was the kind of sick that makes you want to stay in bed all day because your head is spinning and you can't breathe. I felt too bad to even go to the store to procure some medicine. So, I became innovative. I grabbed my laptop, hopped back in bed, and started writing my 8,000 words.

By the end of Monday afternoon, I had written about 3,500 words. Okay- good... that meant I had to write the same amount on Tuesday and proof it all on Wednesday before I submitted it to my reader. Monday afternoon I finally broke down and had to go get some cold medicine. I don't really enjoy taking cold medicine, because I never know how it will make me feel. It worries me that I am asked to take the same dosage as an adult male who might weigh twice what I weigh. But, I needed something... anything to put me out of my misery.

So, I turned to Dayquil and Nyquil- and they saved my life. The Nyquil helped me sleep- which is never easy when you have a runny nose to contend with. And the Dayquil didn't make me too sleepy. Needless to say- I felt funny. I didn't feel quite right. I was definitely in a medicine induced haze. I managed to crank out the rest of my first draft pretty quickly. That kind of worries me. I proofed it on Wednesday before submitting it to my first reader- still in my haze.... sounded good, but keep in mind I was on cold medicine.

I'm still sick- not as sick as I was... but for some reason, I can't completely kick this thing. My work got done, and I was able to not worry about my master's report- at least for the rest of the week. For once, it was nice to have it out of my hands, even if it was just for a little while.

Once my first reader returns it, I can be a better judge of my work now that I am officially off my medicine. Hallelujah!!!!