Three things I learned this week...

while surviving the ninth week of pregnancy (and working as a PA):

1. When you feel like you're going to gag due to a patient's breath or general odor, go straight to the lung exam. You can hide behind them while listening to their back and are free to gag all you want. Just make sure they don't pass out since you told them to take deep breaths.

2. I seem to be the favorite pick for the "well woman" exam this week. So I learned the hard way (after my nurse told me my face was green and eyes were watering) to always slip on a mask and pop a super strong, large mint into your mouth immediately before entering the room to make sure it lasts the whole exam.

3.On a serious note, I have remembered this week why I feel so awful...sin. I always thought of a woman's curse in Genesis 3:16 being simply the labor process but now I realize, it starts at conception. In fact I was reading a commentary today that said the Hebrew word for conception in this verse in the New King James version of the Bible includes the entire pregnancy. I had a conversation with my friend Nan this week about this. She remembered when she was pregnant how the sickness never leaves, at least in the beginning and you spend most of your time thinking about ways to not feel nauseated. Most people realize, "morning" sickness is a stupid term because it lasts all day. I have even woken up in the middle of the night groaning lately. What a picture of sin. Without Christ, we are just stuck in this awful state, moaning in the muddy pit of sin. Thank God for our Savior. My curse is in Genesis 3:16 but salvation found in John 3:16.