Camden Vaile

Saturday, April 18th

My eyes fly open at the sound of the alarm.  My heart begins to gallop as I sit up in a hurry.  As I swing my legs over the edge of the bed I realize that I'm in my dorm room... not the crash bunk at UAB.  For the last two years I've been attending school here and working on my ultimate goal of becoming a nurse specializing in pediatrics.

At present, I have my Associates Degree in nursing and have just completed my first semester towards my bachelors.  Whew.  This last semester brought with it a new challenge on top of all the classes and homework.  I was now working at UAB's hospital wing and it was no joke.  It was a very fast paced and highly competitive work environment.  I loved every minute of it, but I was looking forward to having two weeks off.

Today marks the first day of Spring Break.  As I stretch, I can feel the muscles in my back protesting.  I pulled a double shift yesterday that rolled into the wee hours of this morning.  One of my colleagues had come down with a bad flu and begged me to take her shift.  What else did I have to do?  Since my sleaze-bag ex-fiancé was no longer in the picture, I lived and breathed nothing that wasn't nursing.

As I stumbled to the bathroom, my phone rang.  I let the answering machine pick up as I went about my business.  After a beep Tracey's voice called out, "Hey girl! I know you're awake!!  You never sleep this late!!" I look at my wristwatch and sigh.  It was just after 0700.  She called out, "Call me back!!"

I decided to brush my teeth first and then get dressed.  She and I were planning to ride home together for Spring Break and I knew that she was ready to get on the road.  She had Daniel back home waiting on her to arrive.  I was less enthusiastic about returning.

I examined my foot and ankle before picking up my phone.  It was still pretty bruised, but it looked like the swelling had gone down some.  I wiggled my toes and decided it was good enough to run on.  It didn't hurt too badly anymore.  I put my shoes on as I rang her back.  She must have been sitting on the phone because she picked up on the first ring with a chirpy, "Good MORNing!!"

I sighed and said, "You're too damn chipper this early."

She laughed and said, "Well, I'm ready to go.  Are you?"

I said, "How long have you been up?"

She said, "Only since 0630, but I figured you'd already be out at the field."

I groaned and said, "Not yet.  I pulled a double last night, so I'm a little groggy still."

She sighed this time and said, "You really need to ease up some.  You're gonna burn yourself out, Cammie.  I mean it, you work way too much."

I rolled my eyes.  This was an old argument.  Well, you couldn't call it an argument any more because I had stopped arguing with her months ago.  I guess lecture would be more accurate.  She brought me out of my head by saying, "Ok, I'll shut up about it.  I know you already stopped listening to me anyway."

I sniggered and said, "You know I love you, Trace!"

She said, "Yeah, yeah.  Go take your run and come back in a better mood!" and hung up.

I hung up and then just sat there for a few more minutes.  When I started zoning and really wanting to fall over and go back to bed, I got up and grabbed my iPod and a bottle of water.  I put my ear buds in and took a swig as I walked over to the campus track.  I had made it a religious habit to run a mile to three miles every morning before classes or work, which meant that I was usually up and at it before 0700.

As I bent over to stretch, I felt another presence beside me.  I glanced over and had to smile.  There, in all his disheveled glory, was Joel Lambton.  He was a recent transfer that was pursuing an education in Sports Medicine.  He already had an Associates degree and was planning to finish out his schooling at UAB.