Today began foggy and rainy and really early at 8 am. 
Radiology was first, where I had my first scoliosis X-Ray in many years as part of a different study that I said I’d participate in – it’s actually a great premise: whether non-X-Ray 3D photos can measure scoliosis as effectively as X-Rays.
Then it was time for some barium for breakfast at the swallow study-yummy! For some crazy reason though, this barium was not as icky as the barium I remember. I don’t know whether they’ve radically changed barium, whether NIH just buys high-quality barium, or whether I’m just more mature about it all… but that wasn’t too bad! Plus the swallow study had no icky findings, yay!
From there I had a long break, which gave me time to actually venture out of Building 10. The Campus Shuttle goes past Building I, the original building where Dr. Francis Collins now works. 
I went to the
National Library of Medicine and have lunch with a college friend.
Went on a tour (me and about twenty Japanese medical tourists, rather amusing), saw really neat art created from data sets from human bodies
and saw an actual Nobel Prize in the Rare Book Room! 
After that it was once more off to Building 10 to the National Eye Institute for more testing for the protocol – as well as a bit for me (got a new prescription with a lot more astigmatism correction, yay!) Wasn’t all that exciting but it was useful.
When I got out of clinic a little before 5 I was informed that there was a tornado warning…this is way beyond what I’m used to in California! We ran back to the Lodge and ordered take out, which I felt a bit bad about having someone go out there but quite relieved when it came! 
Tomorrow is another long, interesting day!
Natalie Abbott 