Editor's note: Ball State's Tamara Bowie, the Cardinals' career scoring leader, is sharing a diary with ESPN.com for the third consecutive season.

Dec. 11, 2002

	Bowie

What's goin' on? Anyone a Marvin Gaye fan? I have had that song stuck in my head all day. How is everyone doing?

I am sorry I am so late, but the last two weeks have been murder. Since we last talked, I have been stuck with a needle three times, had an MRI and a chest X-ray. To top it all off, now it is finals week. I couldn't be more excited.

Last Monday was the start of it all. After our Lehigh tournament, I was not being very smart. I didn't eat or drink any water all day Monday when we were traveling back. Later that night as I was getting a perm put in my hair, I had a little run in with the floor. I was so dehydrated that I ended up passing out. The combination of me being dehydrated and the fumes of the perm did not quite mix. I can laugh about it all now, but sitting with a perm in your head for a half hour is not funny. Neither was hitting the floor.

To continue my saga ... before our Wisconsin game, I had an IV stuck in my arm. I don't know if the doctor that was doing it didn't know what she was doing, but somehow I ended up having a needle in my left arm then one in my right arm. And let's just say, I don't like needles!!! The trainers were telling me, "You have been through boot camp, so this should be nothing." NO!!! I don't care what anyone says, but boot camp has nothing on needles.

After my date with the needle doctor, I played in the Wisconsin game. I don't know what happened, but I tweaked my knee. I am sure it's nothing, but I had to get an MRI just to be safe. The whole two weeks that I am going through all of this, I have had bronchitis. Now I need a chest X-ray to see if I have pneumonia. And this -- all leading into finals week.

Finals are one of those things that you look back on, laugh and say, "Why was I stressing so much?" I can't laugh yet, because I am not finished. I have had two finals already, but have four more to go. Yes, SIX finals! I am taking 18 credit hours with six classes. Needless to say I've been a little busy this semester, but things are moving along just fine. Coaches were a little shaky about me taking that many classes with us being on the road the whole preseason, but I knew I could handle it. Anything to get me out of school faster is worth a little work.

I have had senioritis since the ninth grade and it is not getting any better. After finals, I have four months and 20 days left until graduation -- not that I am counting or anything. Add to that the fact that I am going to school in a much smaller city -- Muncie, Ind. -- than I am used to. I am a big city girl and Muncie is not a big city!

I can truly say that I am enjoying my teammates in my final season, but it is always a plus when you're the only senior on the team. I get a little taste of what coaches go through, since all coaches do is holler and tell players what to do (just kidding). I think I better watch my back after that one.

Well I gotta go study or something like that. I'll holla!!

One Love, Bowie

To read Bowie's previous diary entries on ESPN.com, click here.