Well I've mentioned previously about my volunteerism with the Lupus Foundation in raising some money, drinking at their galas, and meeting with our senators to tell them their business. The newest addition to these efforts was being nominated to review Department of Defense (DOD) grants for the future of Lupus research. How freakin awesome is that???
Earlier this spring I was nominated by LFA, went through application process and interviewed with the feds. Luckily, they deemed me an acceptable/passing/OK "consumer reviewer." This means I speak for the entire Lupus community....you know all 1.5 million of us Americans (no pressure, you idiot). Well me and my millionaire mentor are representing, big time.
So at the end of last month, you know with all my free time between spending two weeks in NC and burying my grandma, I got my Lupus proposal assignments. Last weekend I finally sat my f/phat ass down to read through all 10-15 of my full DOD grants. I sat on a conference call last week and one early this morning, and am feeling like I can now actually confidently rate these applications.
I actually got to a point this weekend where I went from feeling overwhelmed to feeling very excited about the potential of some of this work. I can't tell you about it because I had to sign my life away and my first born child to the government--sort of like my sister who gets electronically shocked if she talks about her work on the "dark side" of building military satellites (oh wait, did I just say too much?).
BUT one exciting thing had to do with creating a Lupus pee stick, sort of like a preggers test but for figuring out if my kidneys are rejecting me quicker. I was all about this effort. When I visit my 30 doctors every 3 months I have to pee in cups, and I'll be the first to admit that my aim isn't very good. I think I can confidentially speak for me and all the lab technicians, that a pee stick would be much more appreciated....I'm on board with it. Sign me up for the luppie pee stick and artificial silicon cell coatings to trick my crap-ass antibodies not to attack my body. Sounds good to me!!!
I will be in DC next week for 3 days of meetings to debate the good, the bad, and the ugly in the future of all Luppies....no pressure....better be professional LL. On it.
L, there aren't words for how freaking awesome you are. You are changing the world! I can't wait to hear about it all, when things settle down for you (you know, in about 14 years).
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