Awww, thanks for indulging me in my own self-pity by commenting guys! I feel so totally validated now.

While it was a good day for my ego, it was certainly not a good day for my arms. Due to three incidents, the poor things are nearly lifeless, hanging at my sides. I am damned lucky I can still move my fingers to type.

Incident number one happened this morning, about ten minutes after waking up. I rolled out of bed, shuffled to the kitchen, put the kettle on and went to open the window. Somehow, some way, I managed to sprain my tricep. The window wasn't stuck - it glided right open. I have no idea how this happened. Yes, I had it looked at because I had a doctor's appointment today anyhow. No, it isn't splinted or bandaged or anything. Frau Doktor told me that a tricep just has to heal on its own and that I should "honor any feelings of tension or resistance" for the next few weeks.

Insult number two happened at 8.30 this morning. For my annual physical, I did the whole fasting blood test thing. (You can have nothing but water, black tea and black coffee for 12 hours) A very inexperienced medical assistant (not even a NURSE!) was assigned to do the blood letting. She put the little rubbery torniquet on my left arm, slapped the arm several times and found no vein. She then repeated this on the right arm, and decided that my veins were "very deep". She ran off to get a smaller needle, because suddenly, after 34 years, I somehow have very dainty veins. Then she slapped and prodded and poked and gave me a big bruise.

I have a special problem with needles and blood: both freak me out. I tense up in the presence of either, and when large volumes of blood are taken from me, I have a tendency to pass out. Now this was just a little bit of blood, so I was ok. But I guess all the poking and prodding and slow leaching got to me just a bit, because after the medical assistant was done siphoning, she looked at me and asked, "are you always this white?"

Injury number three happened shortly thereafter. I had my physical and all, and then Frau Doktor realized that I need a tetanus shot. In comes the medical assistant again, this time with a HUGE prongy needle, intent on putting something foreign into my body. This happened to me while I was still helpless in my little hospital gown. She just came up, swabbed my left arm (after surveying the sizable bruise beginning to sprout on my right arm) and BAM! Those things HURT man. And all she could say was, "yeah, this shot hurts more than most". The initial pain is gone from the shot, but now the whole muscle is sore and things are slightly swollen over there too.

Somehow I fear that tomorrow, when I get to work, some big drill sergeant is going to meet me at the door and demand that I "drop and give him 20".