My NYC Doctor

Why my NYC doctor is the Best - See last paragraph of e-mail exchange.

Todd,

Good Morning!

I'm wondering, did you happen to find anything of note in my June blood work? I've been taking an iron pill a day, but I haven't been feeling well the past couple of months - extremely fatigued, like I felt before I started taking the iron pills.

Any insight? Perhaps I picked up something in Africa?

Hope you're enjoying these final days of summer.
Katrina Blank

PS I'm currently in Michigan, but will be returning to NYC at the end of this week. 

Today's reply:

I am attaching the lab report to this email, and I remember looking at it when it came in and thinking that while things were still abnormal, they were getting better and they seemed to be 100% consistent with iron deficiency anemia, and that the values would return to completely normal with a few more months of iron supplements.
 

If you're feeling poorly, give a call and set up a time to come in to the office so we can chat. I am not sure what your health insurance is like, but whatever it is (or isn't) please don't worry about that - I am happy to see you for whatever you can afford/think is reasonable, even if it's nothing.

Best,

Todd

 

The good news is, it's normal for me to still not be feeling well; I'm relieved.  :-)  My iron level in February was 8.4 - normal is 12-15 and if you dip below 8, a blood transfusion is recommended.  Basically, I was only getting 65% of the oxygen my body needed.  And so I started take iron pills to get better, and I thought they were working their magic, but funny now, thinking back, what probably happened is I got tricked into thinking I was better when I wasn't because there were other fun, exciting things happening in my life overriding my poor health - or so that's my theory.  Or it could have been my friends praying over me too... hmm...

Regardless, I'm still on my way to getting back to me.  Can't wait until I'm fully there! 

 

Landed in LA tonight... it's great to be back on the West Coast!

The Germans

My German relatives are in town, well, 1 German relative plus his girlfriend.  Sebastian and Olga arrived in the city yesterday, and we met up this evening for dinner at my favorite (and most expensive favorite) dining location in New York City - the Lake Side Boat House in Central Park.  My sister offered to treat the 3 of us to the meal - she treated us very well.  :) 

We enjoyed our meal together, but I'll admit, I find telling stories with a language barrier to be a bit of a challenge.  I actually have to think about what I am saying.  I become cautious about my word choice, and then get self-conscious because I question whether or not what I am saying actual makes sense to my listeners.  And then I start not making sense because I'm focused on not making sense and hence become my own self-fulfilled prophecy.

Sebastian and Olga didn't seem to mind me stumbling over my stories this evening.  They are simply thrilled I am writing a book, and requested I send them an autograph copy once it's complete.  Sebastian told me he thinks I'm going to be the next Carrie Bradshaw. 

I think not.

Earlier in the day I picked up a few photos out in Brooklyn from my former roomie (forever known as room), Shannen.  Here's a pic she took on the way to my storage unit when I was clearing out my apartment this summer. 

I stopped by my storage unit today.  It was a miserable experience.  I was reminded I don't have a home.  I don't recommend going without one, unless it is some sort of experiment, carefully thought out and planned.  I've been couch surfing this week in NYC, and it hasn't been quite the adventure I would have hoped it to be.  Note to self: in the future, when couch surfing, line up places to stay at least a week in advance.  Couch surfing is less fun when you wake up each morning uncertain where you'll be laying your head that night.

Tomorrow I fly to LA.  I have no idea where I'll be sleeping once I land, but at least I have a rental car arranged for the duration of my stay.  Wish me luck! 
 

Alright

A friend of mine who is 25 years old shared with me the other day that she is going through some sort of crisis of faith.  Instead of being overly sympathetic, I inwardly celebrated.  Perhaps a bit insensitive, I know.  But her "crisis" further confirms for me the book I'm writing is worthwhile.  I'm beginning to believe the content of my book will help this friend of mine and a lot of other twenty and thirty somethings as they wrestle with their understanding of who God is and whether or not they can trust him.

Tonight I'm writing from the ACE Hotel on 29th Street between Broadway and 5th Ave.  The lobby is as happening and as loud as a dance club, and although the music is appropriate enough, nobody dances.  The guy next to me inquired how I can get any work done here.  I explained the noise and music simply gets me in the zone, and I have no trouble at all. 

Sometimes the drowning of really loud music is the very thing that brings focus to the thoughts stirring in my head.  At least it does for me, which is why I always need to go running with my head phones in.  I need the music to help me forget I'm running, and to help focus my thoughts on processing all the stuff in life built up, waiting to be acknowledged and sifted through in search of solutions and direction.  And when answers aren't found, the mess of my thoughts become my prayers.

Thankfully the guy beside me took the hint that I actually do want to get some writing done while I'm here.  Rather than persisting in conversation, he returned to his food and chit chat with his guy buddy across the table.  Too often when I attempt to write in fun, public places, I also become bait.  It's nearly impossible to get any writing done when you have men hitting on you.

Back to book writing, with a reminder from the stairs of the ACE Hotel, amidst the chaos of life, everything is going to be alright.

Curwood Castle

Late night conference planning... once again, writing e-mails, rather than blogging...

This past December my friend Ryan Duffy and I returned to my birth town of Owosso, Michigan, for a day long forum.  That forum has since turned into a summer conference, and now a fall conference that I've been taking the lead on in administrative coordinating. 

There something to be said about the time and place in history that we are born into.  I'm still trying to piece together whether it is of any significance that I was born in Owosso.  My friend Gordon would argue yes, but I remain skeptical.

Anyway, my favorite place in Owosso is Curwood Castle, located down the river behind me in this pic.  I remember as a kid crawling up the winding stairs inside and thinking it was the coolest thing ever.  Perhaps because, at the age of 3, it was the coolest thing I'd ever experienced. 

Curwood Castle now has to compete with the Great Wall of China and the Empire State Building.

Time

This AM my friend Bethanie and I completed our morning ritual - Starbucks followed by a run in Central Park.  Granted, this is only day two of our ritual, and since it won't continue on tomorrow, I suppose it's no ritual at all.  But I do supspect we'll be covening for coffee and running every so often this fall.

This morning as we walked in the park, sipping on our Starbucks, I asked Bethanie what irritates or frustrates her the most.  I'm not sure why I asked, but I'm glad I did, because I learned she is a timely person.  She gets frustrated when people are uber late - like 1/2 hour to an hour or more. 

Funny thing is, I would have thought she would be one of those late people.  A lot of my close friends fall into that category.  We'll make plans, and then I'll sit around waiting and wondering if that person values me at all.  Because if they did, I would think they'd at least text or call to say they're running late and perhaps be apologetic when they arrive well after our set meeting time.

Ever since my trip to Uganda, I've been processing my understanding of time.  Because, we, as Westerners view time much differently than much of Africa. 

I explained this to my Ugandan Co-leader when we were in Africa...

Back in the City

Last night, after some Michigan football, I reconnected with my new friend Bethanie for drinks at the Boat Basin in the Upper West Side.

She shared with me what she learned over the summer.  For a better dating life, she is realizing it is in her best interest not to be texting guys.  Her new conviction and strategy must be working rather well because she has 4 dates set up for this next week. 

Funny she would come to this conclusion because earlier in the summer she was encouraging me in texting guys.  In fact, she insisted on texting a pic of us from her phone to the guy I'm most interested in.  I knew it probably wasn't the best idea in the world, but she thought I needed to throw something his way to make it clear I'm still interested.

And now she is telling me the opposite.

I feel like there are a lot of mixed messages thrown my way in knowing how to interact with guys - especially for girls like me and Bethanie who are confident, attractive, and put together.  We are "instructed" to sit back and wait for guys to pursue us.  Yet, we're also told we're intimidating, so most guys (at least Christian ones) "don't have the balls to ask us out."  It places us in an unfortunate predicament.

My friend Matt from Spring Hill insists guys need some bait thrown their way, otherwise they won't go after the girl.  My other friend Matt from college says he only pursues girls he knows are already interested in him. 

Meanwhile my second hottest guy friend tells me, "Katrina, guys aren't that smart."  While my friend Sally's husband tells me, "Guys are idiots.  We need women to throw bricks at us."

Needless to say, I threw several bricks this summer, hoping the guy I'm most interested in would consider the possibility of us once more.  But I'm now realizing with each brick I threw I probably pushed him one step further away from wanting to explore the possibility of us.

To clarify, the "bricks" I'm talking about are symbolic.  (I'm not a violent person.)  I'm referring to unnecessary text messages.

I feel like I should mention something about making a commitment not to text, but I won't.  Because I know it's inevitable I won't follow through with it.

But my conversation with Bethanie is a good reminder, if he (whoever he might be) is not making a point to initiate communication with you, he's just not that in to you.

* I'll save Ruth's scandulous "strategy" for another day. 

Trout Lake

Kicking off September 1 with fabulous friend in the Poconos  :)