Yesterday I read a tragic article about a 13-year old girl, Natalie, who died from anaphylactic shock due to accidentally ingesting peanut butter. After reading the first few sentences of the article, I grew angry with several questions racing through my mind. Why the hell didn’t they have an EpiPen on hand? Why did she…
I am fascinated with prisons. I actually have a secret desire to go to prison (not long term) just to see what it would be like and how I would adapt to the social structure and unspoken rules I’ve heard so much about. The psychology and sociology nerd in me is fascinated with the complex…
Owning a dog seemed impossible to a girl with severe asthma, allergies, eczema — and not just a little anxiety. After all, I’d almost died several times from asthma attacks and anaphylaxis from food allergies. Doctors joked that I should live in a bubble or on a sterile boat in the middle of the ocean,…
Ladies and Gentlemen, There is such a thing as a horrible compliment. Maybe you’ve received one before- “I love your new shirt, SO much better than the garb you normally wear” or “your face looks so chubby in your old pictures, you look great now!” I’ve received both “compliments” and neither quite gave me the…
Ever since I got Henri, my eyes have been opened to a whole new world of people I can’t stand. Animal shelter/adoption activists. Rather, SOME animal shelter/adoption activists. I don’t want to generalize. I love the idea of animal adoption. I admire the people who rescue animals and the people who facilitate these adoptions. To the…
My sleep walking and night terrors generally involve screaming about spiders, home intruders, or the mystery woman who lives under the bed. Sometimes I wake up Isaac just to ask how he is doing, or to see if he needs anything. Rarely do I stray from those topics, but lately sleeping Courtney has been stuck…
Today was a really good day. It was one of those Saturday’s where nothing was going to put me in a bad mood. My dad is in town to help my youngest sister, Katy, move into a new house and both of them stayed at my place last night. I really love having family here,…
Most parents just want their kids to be happy, whether that means driving a garbage truck or curing cancer. And most children have high aspirations for their future careers and goals. While my little kindergarten friends were presumably telling their parents of their dreams to become firefighters, police officers, astronauts, and doctors, I had a different idea…
Working at a massage therapy and medical arts college has its perks. If I have a kink in my neck, there are about 30 people in the building who can fix it. If I need my blood pressure or temperature taken, I see the nurse three doors down from my office. If someone is having…
As we pulled up to the gate at MacDill Air Force Base, I wondered if the heavily armed and attentive guard would notice my nervous smile and sweaty hands. Would he mistake my shifty eyes for “suspicious behavior” and ask us to pull over? Christina, who was driving, was relaxed and calm as she handed…
The Other Courtney 