NicALERT!

you can't be a part of the asthma study i work on if you're a smoker. we used to have to get through the entire harrowing four-and-a-half-hour visit, only to find out two weeks later that their urine test came up positive for cigarettes and that all of our work was for naught. we now have an immediate test, though, called the "nicalert." it's like a pregnancy test: fifteen minutes into the visit i know whether or not you're a waste of my time.

before i quit smoking again, three weeks ago tomorrow, i used to feel like such a hypocrite frowning on all these people for smoking, when i'd just come back from a cigarette break myself. "don't smoke!" -puff- "it's terrible for your asthma!" -puff- i was essentially conducting a study that i couldn't be a part of myself, even if i was a severe enough asthmatic.

the girl i saw this afternoon swore up and down that she wasn't a smoker, even though her nicotine test indicated that she'd smoked as recently as yesterday. my boss karen really got out her mom voice and tried to get her to fess, but she was obstinant. i can't help but feel bad for this girl, because whether or not she's a smoker she needs the medicine and education that our program offers. i just wish that she'd be concerned enough about her own health to give up the smokes and get on some medicine.

this job has really made me grow a heart. i'm not sure how i feel about that.