Kate Does TIRR Volume 1 Edition 5

I figured it was time to add to my blog. I took some time off because I've been perpetually exhausted. From fighting to open up my lungs to getting rid of my bronchial pneumonia to making the move back to TIRR, I've been pretty busy for a girl who lies in bed all day. But since this blog seems to be so popular I decided I should write something. (It's amazing how quickly my boring school blog blew up after I broke my neck; but maybe that's the secret to a good blog. Just get really injured and everyone will be interested.)

A quick update: I've been back at TIRR about a week and a half now and man am I tired. These people just don't understand the concept of sleeping in (says the girl who in college woke up between 5 & 6 every morning to ride her bike before classes). The therapy is going well; I am doing mat exercises, pedaling away on an auto bike and riding the tilt-a-whirl table that made me pass out the first week I was here. Also, I am vent weaning!! If all goes well I'll be off the vent by November 18. That means I'll be breathing on my own again, which is actually much harder than you think. But I've learned that about most things we take for granted. Even sitting up requires a coordination of so many different things that I never thought of just to be able to sit for a minute. But I'll leave that topic alone for now. I'll just preach to everybody later since I am not in a preachy mood at present. (You just dodged a bullet!) 

Now that we got the boring medical stuff over with let's talk about some of the stupid stuff I have done. Thing number one: I might have accidentally called my resident a fake doctor. He was in here during my admission assessment (that super fun thing where they poke me all over and I can't feel a thing...seriously they need to learn the definition of paralyzed) and we were talking and for some reason that I can't remember I said "Dr. Davis is my real doctor." Which is technically true because residents come and go but Dr. Davis is my permanent doctor that is in charge of my health while here at TIRR. Of course the resident, being a man, took my words the wrong way. He responded, "What does that make me? A fake doctor?" Of course I denied this but the damage was done. Thankfully he is a rare doctor that doesn't take himself too seriously and has a great sense of humor. Now whenever I see him we just joke about my poor word choice. Stupid thing number two: I might have called another resident a fake doctor. So this time I was talking to the weekend doctor and her resident so I told them the story above. Well, I didn't realize until he told me that her resident was a second year resident as well. In essence I told him that he was a fake doctor just like the first one.  Which is totally not true. They passed medical school and they could probably save my life if I started dying. However, they are just not as experienced as the head doctors. Adding insult to injury, this was a really cute resident that everybody has been talking about when he's not around, of course. (Wow. I really hope nobody from the hospital tells either one of these residents if they should happen upon this blog. But they are both attractive in their own right....Platitudes, gotta love 'em.) Stupid thing number three: I might have implied that my tech is a lesbian. Since I have been here for a collective total of about two and a half weeks I decided it was time to find out a little more about the people who help me. In this vein I asked one of my favorite techs about her relationship status and past history. So while I was questioning her I found out she had been married once. I proceeded to tell her, "When introducing yourself should lead with that." She then asked, "To a guy?" Me, being me, of course misunderstood. I thought she was asking if I was asking if she was married to a guy. Since she was asking with great incredulity, I asked if she was married to a girl. This of course led to lots more questions and laughter because I had totally missed the mark. Apparently she thought I was saying that she should introduce herself to guys she meets by saying she was married before. The confusion eventually cleared up but once again my mouth led me into another faux pas. On a different note, my tech is very much single and ready to mingle. I am now accepting applications to date her. Just don't tell her. 

So those are three majorly stupid things I have done so far. Some more kind of cool things: I am getting a power chair (isn't that a scary thought? I'll be the menace of the fourth floor. Crashing into people, speeding down the hallway at a brisk three miles per hour and causing general distress in my wake.) Plus the possibilities are endless:  I plan to play Mario Kart where we tie balloons to our chairs, race against each other and bang into each other hard enough to make the others lose their balloons. I have had a lot of visitors, which I absolutely love. Seriously. If you're thinking of visiting me, please do not hesitate to do so, even if you think I won't remember you or don't know you. There's no time like the present to make new friends.  Just let my mom know you'd like to visit, and she can let you know when I am not in therapy so we can chat. Feel freeh to bring gastronomical gifts.  (Put down the dictionary. You don't need to know what gastronomical means. I'm just kidding about that. You don't have to bring anything. Just yourself and a good attitude.)

In my power chair. Like my socks?

Sitting on a mat

Trying to type on my iPad. Did you see my Facebook post?

Well that's it for now. But in the next edition I'm going to talk about some of the cool stuff that has happened since my accident.

Kate Does TIRR Volume I Edition 4

Well, I was right, but did we really expect any differently? (But really, I'm wrong sometimes and I'm not that arrogant.) Beginning on Tuesday of last week I tried to tell anybody who would listen that I needed to go back to the ICU. My lungs labored to draw in air and were hindered by these rather large disgusting mucus plugs. They looked like a mix between Silly Putty and that goo you get when you mix Borax solution with Elmer's glue. I was coughing these up 3-4 times each day and whenever they came up my oxygen saturation and breathing always took a nosedive. Despite my constant complaints that my lungs were not functioning correctly I was not moved to ICU for another 3 days. I think it was because I didn't have a little piece of paper that said I graduated from medical school so there was no way I could know what was going on within my own body. Because that makes sense. 

So finally on Friday night my lungs felt as if they were collapsing and no respiratory therapist seemed able to help me. Ironically, this was the first night my dad stayed with me at TIRR, though it wasn't his fault. After a couple of hours of struggling for air and gasping my demands to be taken to ICU, a brainwave finally ricocheted throughout TIRR: they finally realized I was in critical condition and needed to go to the emergency room.  Hallaleujah! We're finally doing what Kate said all along. It only took constant breathing treatments, a bronchoscopy that against my wishes I was awake for and felt way more that I should have, the collective mental capacity of at least twelve medical professionals and a couple of hours of severe respiratory distress to figure out what I needed to get better. 

"Yes," I think to myself as I flail like a fish out of water struggling to breathe. The ambulance finally arrived about an hour later to escort me two blocks. Ridiculous, right? But the paramedic who stayed in the back with me during our seven minute encounter was really cool. 

Three hours pass in the ER and I realize I really hate the ER. Unless you're dying they really just don't care about you. So for those three hours I constantly fought to fill my lungs with a little bit of air because the machine settings were not helping at all. So to survive, I closed my eyes, counted, " 1, 2, 3 inhale," trying to figure out the ventilator to get a little bit of air. Then after all that fighting for my life, shift change occurred bringing me some relief. A new respiratory therapist came in and knew exactly how to fix my vent so I could breathe again. Thanks, Bonnie! You're the best!!

Finally I arrived in ICU and got hooked up to the Cadillac of ventilation machines. I mean we're talking the McLaren Venge of bicycles--for those who don't know, that's a $20,000 bike. My vent now not only moisturizes my air but heats it to the appropriate temperature to enter my fragile lungs. And the bed, we're talking first class! This sucker can be a bed, a chair, a recliner, an elevated bed. Pretty much any position you can think of this bed can do. Plus the mattress is inflatable to create the perfect support for my body. Needless to say Memorial Hermann MICU is very nice. The food is decent and my caretakers awesome! Additionally, both the doctors I have met thus far have been pretty fantastic people. 

So for a little bit more of an update, I have bronchopneumonia, which means nasty stuff is sitting at the bottom of my lungs and we're trying to get it out. Plus, the lower quadrant of my left lung was mot open. Gee, who predicted that?? I have free rein on my diet, which means I can eat or drink whatever I like. Sounds great, right? In actuality I eat less than a baby. I am only able to take two or three bites of something before I am full. Because of this limitation on my stomach I eat a little bit of everything, devouring salty potato chips, savoring the decadent Snickers bar, nibbling the deliciously sweet blueberry muffin, and mass consuming--at least for me--the flavorful and juicy strawberries, cantaloupe and pineapple. Besides eating, I am also able to talk whenever my cuff is deflated. The cuff is little balloon in my trachea that, when inflated, can isolate the breathing to just my trach, making it easier to breathe. Now that I can talk I don't shut up. Whether it's asking questions of my caretakers to get to know them better, complaining about this itch or that pressure point to my mother or endlessly talking about my favorite subject cycling, my lungs and my vocal chords have definitely gotten a very thorough workout today. 

Well, that's about it. Eventually I'll have to talk about how there is no modesty in hospitals or the pathetic way they get me out of bed. But I am tired so this is the end.

The End

(Actually, I lied. This is the picture section.)

The Cadillac of ventilators

The kind of weird hazmat like curtain that makes me wonder what other diseases are down here with me

An actual tv

Viewer discretion is advised. What you are about to see is incredibly gross and the 8th wonder of the hospital as all the doctors, medical students and other medical professionals all seem to puzzle over how such goopy nastiness can arise from my lungs.

Kate Does TIRR Volume 1 Edition 3

Teeth clenched, I focus my every effort on my task. Squeezing my eyes shut I harshly draw in a deep breath as every muscle in my body strains to fulfill my brain's request. Fire rips through my muscles as I tell myself just one more second, keep going. With a grunt I release all of the tension in my body. Opening my eyes I check my progress. I have moved my right arm forward two inches.

Now almost completed with my first week of intense therapy, I can honestly say this is the toughest struggle of my life. Just sitting in my chair exhausts me within minutes. I don't sleep and I feel tired all the time. Seriously, I am taking cat naps like a grandpa. Getting out of bed each morning is a whole ordeal. It takes about thirty minutes to get me dressed and into my chair. Of course, by the time I'm in my chair, I am ready to get back to bed.

This week has also been full of lots of fun times. One morning my heart wouldn't stop pounding so I freaked out and made the resident come to see me. Though of course he refused to give me medicine. Another day, after physical therapy where they tried to get me to an almost standing posting by tying me to a board, I completely passed out. When I woke, of course it was the same resident who I made come down for me plenty of times before. He probably thinks I'm a nutcase. After waking up from passing out I found myself surrounded by 10 or 15 people. Apparently the Rapid Response is really rapid after all, which is kind of reassuring knowing that if I start dying all the doctors and respiratory technicians and nurses will rush to my side. Immediately upon waking up I tried to convince the crowd of people staring at me to send me back to ICU. When that failed, I tried for sedatives but of course those leave me awake at night. Losing all pride at this point, I actually asked one of the doctors to punch me really hard and knock me out for the rest of the day. Of course he said no. Stupid Hippocratic Oath!

But on an actually positive note, my room is shaping up quite nicely. Flowers cover every surface  and birthday balloons cling to life along the edges. But one of my most favorite aspects of my room is my photo wall.  Created by Chrystine the wall features pictures of fond memories and selfies of friends with well wishes. I would like to expand this wall and would appreciate any photos you could send.

          My photo wall

Also I got a new trach in my throat that allows me to speak normally. No more Grudge voice. Although last night I sounded like an evil cartoon villain because my lungs were full of nastiness. My mom and I had a good laugh over that one.

Kate Does TIRR: Volume 1 Edition 2

Well, yesterday was my birthday and let me tell you, of all the things I imagined I'd be doing, spending it in a hospital wasn't one of them. But you know, UT did beat OU yesterday so Hell has probably frozen solid and pigs are likely flying. What I really wanted to do for my birthday was get up and do a Saturday ride. I wanted to see how much all my riding in Austin has affected my riding at home. I've climbed some big suckers (even crashed because I couldn't turn my pedals...thankfully nobody saw the crash, that would have been embarrassing) trying to get stronger. My goal was to keep up with or maybe even put the hurt on the big boys ( I'm looking at you Lance, Jeff, Rob, Marcus and all the other fast guys). 

But even though I didn't get to spend my birthday the way I planned, it was still pretty good. I was truly touched by all of the people, cards, messages and well wishes that came my way. I guess I never realized how much of a support system I actually have. If I can say one positive thing about this accident, it has truly taught me how much I am loved. Plus I get to milk this thing for its benefits; I'm thinking a puppy or possibly a Cervelo S5....

From the teddy bear Celeo gave me to the beautiful "selfies" Chrystine got for me, all of my presents are treasured. They're just clogging up my room a little bit! By the way, sorry for most likely misspelling your name Celeo. 

Also yesterday,I figured out how to talk around this big old hunk of plastic in my neck. However my voice sounds like the love child of the Grudge and a goat. It even kind of freaks me out sometimes, so I can't imagine what everyone else must think of my less than harmonic tones. But it is a voice after all. So I'll take it. I just might freak out small children. 

Kate Does TIRR: Volume 1, Edition 1

Hellooooooo Everybody!!! That's a "Despicable Me" reference in case you missed it.

Since I am no longer in college I have decided to repurpose my World Lit Blog to a "Kate Does TIRR" blog. But mostly because starting a whole new blog was way beyond the electronic prowess of a quadriplegic cripple and her electronically challenged personal assistant. Just be happy we put pictures in last week's blog. That was a whole ordeal!

The good news: I got moved to a rehab facility in Houston, I got to get out of my bed, I got to eat ice chips, I really like the TIRR staff, I got a neck brace that fits my face proving the rumors true: Kate does have a nose and mouth. (Wow! I'm talking about myself in the third person...weird!) Some sensations are returning to my arms, my left foot, though nowhere near fully restored. I can also move my arms like an erratically dancing monkey, but mostly I look like an idiot. But hey, Rome wasn't built in a day, or some cliche like that.

The less than stellar parts of my stay so far include all the stupid pre-tests. I've been poked, prodded, manipulated and examined like a lab rat from freshman year. They ask me, "Can you feel this or that?" And I reply, "No Einstein, I'm paralyzed." Looks like somebody needs to go back to medical school. That's what I say in my head. In reality, I lie there doing an Oscar-worthy impersonation of a dead log.

I really miss all of my friends and the medical staff from ICU at Brackenridge. The Respiratory Therapists (RT's) here, though awesome in their own right, aren't Sade or Danielle, ditto the nurses; I really miss Arianne, Jackie and Jennifer.

The Week of October 1

The week started out with a bang. Literally. I was enjoying a fantastic Tuesday morning ride after a terrible ride on Monday due to a flat tire. Fifteen miles from home. Whats's that thing about Murphy's Law? Oh, yeah, everything that can go wrong will go wrong. One moment I am on my bike on Loop 360 having a great ride and the next thing I know I am waking up in a hospital after surgery. The news was not what I wanted to hear: I had just come out of surgery to repair my broken neck.  Additionally, I had copious amounts of road rash, two broken ribs and I was hooked up to a ventilator. I felt broken, worthless, crushed and stupid. I know that road is dangerous but I rode it anyway never thinking that I would be the one to get hurt.

But through all this I have learned how much my friends and family truly do love me. "Cue the tears." My childhood friends, distant relatives, past and current teachers and my many new friends at UT have all shown their love through cards, gifts, visits, Facebook and email. That's made me feel especially loved, treasured and valued. I sincerely admire their devotion, generosity and well wishes.

Best and Worst

The Best and Worst of the Week of September 16

The worst of last week was probably the super dreary, torrential downpour we experienced here in Austin. Though I actually enjoy rain, I wasn't particularly fond of the rivers running down Dean Keaton as my best friend and I tried to make our way back to my dorm from class. Though we had an umbrella, the flimsy cover proved to be of little use to us, for we both were throughly drenched by the time we finished running to Duren. Additionally, the rain completely derailed my Friday ride as I had no desire to get a flat tire (something much more likely in the rain) in the town of Buda (where I was supposed to ride) leaving me stranded twenty miles from campus on a test day. Instead, my forty mile ride became a quick twelve mile spin culminating in me completely freaking out when my bike started making very ominous noises that I thought meant my bike frame had cracked. After slightly freaking out, I went through my day, waiting for the opportunity to be able to take Cevie (my bike) into a bike shop. Thankfully, the creaking was only a minor problem and easily fixable. I felt grumpy, frustrated, and terrified I was going to have to tell my parent I broke my really expensive road bike.

Rule Number 9 from the Velominati (a cyclist's bible)

The best of my past week was yesterday when I had a super busy day. First, the Texas Cycling team rode out to Pflugerville, and I met a lot of other riders I hadn't met previously. I also got to meet one of the women who rides for UT, so that was inspiring and really cool. After the ride, I got back to my dorm and shoved some lunch down my throat and headed back out to the Liberal Arts Council's member retreat at Pease Park. I met the other people on my particular committee and we all were divided into separate "houses" to compete with each other throughout the year. After having a new member meeting, I jumped back on to my bike and rode all the way back to my dorm to quickly change to go eat with my best friend. After another quick meal, we headed over to the Fine Arts Building to watch Jane Eyre for her Emerging Selves signature course for Plan II. The entire day I felt included, purposeful and comforted by the constant activity and knowing what I was doing.

My LAC family's tribal animal: The Sloth.

Best and Worst

Week of September 9

Hi, my name is Kate and I'm addicted to cycling (in case you haven't already gotten that by now). This past week, I didn't ride my bike for four straight days due to illness. Since I had that terrible hacking cough and could hardly breathe through my nose, I felt it best to take a week off. However, even though I logically knew that I needed the extra sleep and relaxation to get better, this knowledge in no way made my withdrawal from riding any less painful. During these four days I felt anxious, lazy, and almost depressed though that may be too strong a word for the longing I felt to be back on my bike.

Me without my bike is like this kid without his video games.

The best part of my week was getting to see Judy Smith speak on campus. For those who don't know, Judy Smith is the real life inspiration for the ABC drama Scandal (AKA the best show ever). She gave three pieces of advice for all of us aspiring longhorns. Though her three pieces of advice have certainly been said before, they are all very important and are cliche for a reason: they're true. First she told us to stay true to ourselves, for there is much power in staying true to yourself and following your own path. Second, be prepared for whatever life may throw your way. From a new club position to an opportunity to study abroad in Russia, one should always be prepared to embrace life's many opportunities. Lastly, morals and values are important. These don't have to be from religion or from your parents, but you should have your own set of morals and values and stick to them.

Besides giving us good advice, Ms. Smith was very approachable and down to earth. She shared with us some of her past stories and was very self-deprecating. She laughed with us and interacted with the audience. When one boy tried to take a sneaky selfie with Ms. Smith in the background, she called him out on it and told him to come around and take a real picture with her. She made everyone feel comfortable and more importantly, made us all laugh numerous times. Her presentation was engaging and her demeanor seemed to draw everyone in, wanting to hear all she had to say. At the end of the event, many people rushed over to get a picture with her, Erika and myself included. Though the picture line was very long and many of the event's organizers tried to just make us take one big group picture, Ms Smith patiently insisted that we all have our chance to get a picture with her. In short, she was incredible. Attending this event inspired me, filled me with joy, and thrilled me at the opportunity to meet one of my idols.

Erika and I with Judy Smith

Best and Worst

This week was pretty awesome overall. I dropped my hardest class once I found out I didn't need to take it, making me feel relieved, lifting the stress off my shoulders. I got to hang out with a bunch of Plan II-ers at Getaway where I played volleyball for the first time in almost three years which brought back fond memories of my time as a high school volleyball player. I hung out with my good friends, watching the pitiful outcome of the UT v BYU game and eating homemade puppy chow and pumpkin cake balls. But the best part of my week was actually today (I count Sunday as part of the week) when I got to go on my first UT Cycling team ride this morning. Our sixty-five mile ride took us from Gregory Gym all the way to San Marcos. I felt enthusiastic to begin my next four years riding with this group of cyclists, connected to a group of equally bike-obsessed people (finally guys who want to talk Tour de France and USA Pro Challenge with me!) and fired up to begin racing for Texas Cycling.

Community and friendship in cycling as Chris Froome rides to his
2013 Tour de France victory with his teammates.

The worst part of this past week was definitely getting sick. I typically rarely get sick, so suffering through the headaches and sore throat from my cold really made me feel miserable and lethargic.

Hopefully this cold will go away soon, so I can begin this next week on a more positive note!

Animal Guides

Thought I would start with a little humor.

Well, I have begun my journey to discovering my spirit animal. Today, I tried both Steven Farmer and the Shamanic meditations. Though in the first I was able to experience a couple of animals including a gray wolf and a horse, I plan to try the third meditation and repeat all three in the coming week. 

Note: Google had so many cute images, I am breaking up all my paragraphs with them.

After reading the pages in our course anthology on spirit animals, I think my next attempts at meditation will be better. I think I am over thinking some of the meditation. Is the scene or animals I see something significant or something I am just making happen? I like the advice of Animal Speak by Ted Andrews gives: though I may not succeed at first I should remember that "there is no 'right' path. Be patient with yourself, and learn to tune into your unconscious" (127). I think much of my difficulty stems from my difficulty to believe in this whole concept. Like Andrews writes, I am a product of modern society where "there is a tendency to scoff at such possibilities" (118). 

This is super cute!

Though I am having trouble with my attempts to reconnect and "reawaken [my] lost belief in magic, dreams, and possibilities," after reading the real purpose and power of spirit animals, I am very interested. I like the idea that I have a responsibility as part of this world to know about the environment in which I reside (117).  These spirit animals can help us in our lives and may come and go as we need them. Like Gerald Vizenor said, "native totems are personal associations and necessary metaphors." I think the idea that these power animals can come aid us in our times of need or signal something to come is truly fascinating. These animals can "help us to recognize our own innate abilities. They help empower us and protect us. Their energies can be used to help heal, inspire, and grow" (118).

Another problem I think I may face in finding my spirit animal is my preconceived idea of what I would like my spirit animals to be. I think being a red fox would be really cool and suit my personality well, and I think that belief may color my meditation. I tried the meditation before reading, so hopefully now that I understand the idea that "the animal chooses the person not the other way around," this will not play a role in my future attempts (120). I think this problem with letting ego go and realizing not everyone is an eagle or a bear is a tough hurdle to overcome. However, like Andrews wrote, every animal is special in its own way and has its own power. "You will find your success in the animal that comes to you," not the one you arbitrarily pick because it's the king of the jungle.

Another part of the reading I found particularly interesting in the fact that entire groups can have a common totem. At the University of Texas, this totem is obviously the longhorn. I think the longhorn plays a significant role in uniting us all together. Though we all come from different places and backgrounds, we are all longhorns. The hand sign is the outward projection of this truth. The longhorn "becomes a guide to making the relationship stronger and more productive" (121). I think this is exactly the role the longhorn serves. At sporting events we all unite in our longhorn burnt orange and cheer for our fellow longhorns. In classes, though we may not know everyone's name, we know we all belong to the university and thus are connected to each other.

The reading on the spirit guides really interested me (as evidenced by the multitude of quotes...sorry guys writing after me). I am looking forward to discovering my spirit animal in the coming days!

A New Chapter: The Best and the Worst of Week One

A little over a week into my new life in Austin and I've already experienced many highs and lows. From the stress of finding new classes to the fun of hanging out with friends, UT Austin is unlike anything I've done before, not that I was expecting anything different.

Let's start with the worst of the past week. On Saturday the 31st of August, I went on my very first group bike ride here in Austin. Coming from the flatlands of Houston, I knew my very first ride would be painful as I would desperately attempt to conquer the mountains all around the city. With this in mind, I carefully selected a group ride from Mellow Johnny's advertised as "a great fit for the intermediate rider." As a four year veteran to the sport, I thought this was a great selection for my first Austin ride. Six minutes into the ride I quickly corrected that notion. We hit incredibly steep mountains hills and my heart rate flew well above my theoretical maximum. Legs burning, I pedaled as fast as I could up the walls that the Austin riders seemed to not feel. Being dropped by the group, I felt discouraged and defeated. Back home I'm considered a very good rider, so this crushing low damaged my confidence and my pride.

Pretty much my Saturday...

I staggered into the halfway point ready to call it a day after only fifteen miles (a laughable distance for the seasoned cyclist as we typically ride 40-80 miles on a Saturday ride). However, I made it back home, body weary and mind pessimistic about my future of Austin cycling. To top this disastrous ride, two days later I got miserably lost on an out-and-back ride which literally means you ride somewhere, turn around, and go back the same way. (I am very talented at getting lost apparently...) Though I started riding away from both the campus and downtown, I somehow found myself in the heart of downtown thoroughly bypassing where I was supposed to go. To add on to my frustration and misery, the clouds had to open up and literally rain on my parade.

 Needless to say this addition experience furthered my feelings of inadequacy and inferiority. I was ready to quit cycling as a whole. But finally, with help of my iPhone and more aimless riding, I finally made it back to Duren.

Since then I have ridden almost everyday and thankfully I haven't gotten lost again, though I have been dropped multiple times and even had to walk up an incredibly steep hill (the ultimate shame for a cyclist). But each day gets a little better and I remind myself that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger (thanks Kelly Clarkson).

Now for the best part of my week! It's so difficult deciding what the best part of being at UT should be. I have loved making many new friends (I will learn everyone's name eventually...I hope), experiencing college classes, playing various games like werewolves and Cards Against Humanity,  eating fantastic food, and I could go on and on. I think really just being in Austin and at UT is really the best part of my past week. I felt proud to be here, inspired to be around so many other like-minded students (especially us Plan II-ers), and simply happy to be here. Like Mr. Kanamori told his fourth year students, "We only have one life. So let's really enjoy it, okay?" I plan to spend the next four years doing that and more.