It's my party and I'll cry if I want to!

Oofta! Today I woke up, pressed snooze several times, went to class. Came back to find my air freshener spilled over on my desk. So I went to get a sponge and soap to clean it up, then my door shut behind me because I opened up the window, which means that I was locked out of my room because I didn't have my key on me. I went to the RA office to get a spare key, came back and cleaned everything up. Now I'm currently sitting in my room that is airing out.

This was a tough week. 

After I got done writing that wonderful post last week, I went to bed and woke up with a sore throat, cough, a little fever, and no appetite. I just drank a lot of fluids and figured it'd go away. The next day my sore throat was worse and my voice going. My friends asked if I was okay, and I felt alright - besides the fevers at night and the sore throat that seemed to be getting worse by the day - but I was fine! I didn't get much sleep that night - 4 hours - and so when I felt really sick the next day I told myself it was probably because I didn't sleep. I figured I'd sleep that day and maybe go into the doctor (even though my friends kept telling me to go see the nurse as soon as possible!). I woke up the next day and didn't feel much better - my voice was gone, I was a walking fever - but I don't think I need to see a nurse yet. I will sleep all day, take some Nyquil, drink tea and I should feel fine by Friday (the next day). So I woke up on Friday and was at my breaking point. This is not dramatization: I couldn't even get out of bed because I felt like I had the world's worst hangover with a fever. By this time I was nauseous, had headaches, had a fever, would wake up in sweats, had chills, had no voice, could barley swallow it hurt so badly, and I was fatigued (probably partly from coughing all night), and my stomach hurt. The symptoms were endless. I finally got out of bed around 3PM to go to the nurse. She took my temperature and looked at my throat and just kept saying... "Ohh yeah. You are very sick. We need to have you see the doctor." The nurse then paid for a cab for me to go see the doctor across town. The taxi man was such a nice elderly man! He kept telling me to take care of myself. The doctor saw me for a total of 5 minutes. He took my temperature, checked my breathing, checked my glands, then gave me a list of medications to get. I asked him what my temperature was. He said, "104 degress" WOAH. I went and picked up my medications and called the cab driver. When I got out of the cab to go to my apartment he said, "Now take care of yourself and God Bless You!" Such wonderful hospitality. I stayed in my apartment, slept, watched TV and movies, and Skyped all weekend. I became pretty homesick while I was sick in bed. I tried to stay positive throughout the whole week, but there came a time when I just broke down because even though I was in Ireland, I still just wanted to be home in my own bed, hearing my mom and dad's voices. I could feel myself slowly getting better over the weekend. Then Monday came and it was a miracle! I had been at my normal body temp (no fever) for 24 hours. It was amazing! I had forgotten what it felt like to be healthy!

While Skyping with my family, my dad laughed and said, "I know you're a Mitchell, Meg, but there comes a time when you have to go to the doctor." hahahaha. I laughed with him. Us, Mitchells always think we can fix ourselves.

Through this sickness I realized:
*I am blessed with dear friends who would check up on me via facebook and text.
*Go to the doctor after a couple days, not a week!
*I appreciate being healthy a lot more than I used to.
*I need to invest in a hat and mittens.
*Even though I felt like death I kept my dad's saying in mind, "It could always be worse."
*"Soul Surfer" is one of my new favorite movies.
*"New Girl" is one of my new favorite shows.  
*It's okay to cry and want home, even when you're in Ireland. Just don't let it last a long long time.

On Monday, I just relaxed most of the day, went to class, and relaxed the rest of the night. Then Tuesday came and I was still healthy. (I just have a cough that really isn't that bad.) To celebrate what we call "Mardi Gras" at home, the Irish have pancakes! So I went to a club get together (The club is called the Disney Society) and we had pancakes and watched Peter Pan! What a lovely time!

I made an extremely difficult decision on Tuesday. Making difficult decisions so far away from home and family make them that much more difficult, but at least God is with you wherever you go. There was a lot of crying, stress, prayer, talking, and journaling. God puts us through difficult times to make us stronger, right? Right. After making the decision, I put my trust and faith in God that things will workout the way they are supposed to. If not now, eventually. A quote my uncle Chad shared with me, "God chisels us into who he wants us to be through life trials. They hurt, but they're temporary. It means He loves you. If our lives were a breeze, then we'd have need for concern" So true! 

I'm having a tough time deciding what to do for Lent. I usually give up Facebook, but it's one of my only connections to home, so I figured I shouldn't. I try to think of things that will not take away from my experience, but make me a better and healthier person.

New things I've learned:
*Shift - means to kiss or makeout with someone. (No! I haven't done this here. I just heard about the word!)
*Tea is a big deal around here.
*Some Irish people really like American TV shows.
*They celebrate Mardi Gras with Pancakes
*It's normal to not go to lectures regularly.
*I tried these chips. They are shaped like little bacon and taste like bacon.
*One of my Irish friends said that a trend she notices in Americans is that we eat a lot of oatmeal. Guilty!
*She also said that she doesn't think my accent is that American. I couldn't tell you why.
*EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE OKAY. 

My friends and I have started to think of the places we want to go! "Oh the Places You'll Go . . . " One of the places I suggested was Poland - to visit a concentration camp. We are for sure doing that! Also, we would like to go to Rome and London. I feel so fortunate to be able to visit so many places - It's almost overwhelming!

I'm going to Galway this weekend with a group of friends! It should be a lovely time.

Have a blessed week and weekend!